Which statement about LAN speeds is correct?

• A. LAN is a public network provided by internet service providers.
• B. LAN use is for home networks only.
• C. LAN is primarily used for wireless connections in a metropolitan area.
• D. LAN is a computer network within an organization that links devices and usually operates at 10, 100, or 1,000 Mbps.

Answer: (D)

Local Area Network speeds describe data rates within a small geographic area, like a single building or campus. A LAN is usually private and owned by an organization (or a home) to connect computers, printers, servers, and other devices so they can share resources. The speeds 10 Mbps, 100 Mbps, and 1000 Mbps correspond to classic Ethernet generations (10BASE-T, Fast Ethernet, and Gigabit Ethernet), which are the common wired speeds historically used in LANs. This makes the statement describing a LAN as a computer network within an organization that links devices and usually operates at 10, 100, or 1,000 Mbps the best fit. The other descriptions mix up the scope or purpose: LANs are not necessarily public networks provided by ISPs—that would describe Internet service or WANs; LANs are not restricted to home use only; and metropolitan-area wireless use is outside the typical LAN scope, which can be wired or wireless but is generally smaller in geographic area than a metro-scale network.