SOHO stands for Small Office / Home Office. A SOHO LAN is a computer network spanning a small geographical area such as a building, an apartment, or a home. Nowadays, SOHO uses only Ethernet LAN technology. Since a SOHO network uses only Ethernet technology, it is also known as a SOHO Ethernet LAN network.
SOHO Ethernet LAN devices
There are two ways to connect devices in an Ethernet LAN: wired and wireless. The wired method uses Ethernet cables. The wireless method uses radio signals. A SOHO Ethernet can use any one or both.
The wired method uses Ethernet cables, Ethernet switches, and routers.
An Ethernet cable connects an end device to the Ethernet switch. Based on supported length and data transfer speed, many types of Ethernet cables exist.
An Ethernet switch provides connectivity between devices. It has many ports. An end device connects to it on its port.
A router connects different IP subnets. If different IP subnets exist in the SOHO LAN, the SOHO LAN needs a router to join them. Besides this, a router also connects the SOHO LAN to the Internet.
The following image shows a wired SOHO Ethernet LAN.
The wireless method uses Access Points and wireless routers.
An access point connects end devices through radio signals. It works like an Ethernet switch. The main difference between an access point and an Ethernet switch is an Ethernet switch uses cables, whereas an access point uses radio signals to connect devices.
The same difference exists between a router and a wireless router. Both routers function similarly but use different mediums to connect devices. A router uses cables, while a wireless router uses radio signals to connect devices.
The following image shows a wireless SOHO Ethernet LAN.
The following image shows a SOHO Ethernet LAN that uses both methods.
Advantages of a SOHO Ethernet LAN
- It is easy to build and maintain.
- It needs fewer devices compare to other technologies.
- It is suitable for homes and small offices.
- It provides fast data transfer speed.
- It does not need any special devices or software.
Disadvantages of a SOHO Ethernet LAN
- It is not suitable for large networks.
- It cannot handle complex functions.
- It does not support long distances.
- It can span only a small geographical area.
