Local Area Network; a computer network that connects devices within a limited area such as a home, office, or building. Enables resource sharing and communication between connected devices.
Acronym formed in the 1970s from 'Local Area Network' as computer networking developed. The abbreviation became so standard that 'LAN' is now used as a word itself, often not capitalized in casual usage.
The term 'LAN party' - where people bring computers to the same location to play games together - seems ironic now that we can connect globally, but it reflects the social nature of gaming that pure online interaction can't replace. LANs democratized computing by making networks affordable for small organizations.
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