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Networking Intermediate

What is VLAN (Virtual LAN)?

A logical grouping of network devices that creates separate broadcast domains on the same physical network infrastructure.

VLANs segment a physical network into multiple logical networks. Devices in the same VLAN can communicate directly, while VLAN-to-VLAN traffic requires routing. This improves security, reduces broadcast traffic, and simplifies network management.

VLANs use 802.1Q tagging to identify which VLAN a frame belongs to. Common uses include separating departments (HR, Engineering), isolating guest Wi-Fi, and segmenting IoT devices from main networks.

Related Terms

IP Address
A unique numerical label assigned to each device on a computer network for identification and communication.
Subnet
A logical division of an IP network into smaller segments to improve performance, security, and management.
TCP/IP
The fundamental communication protocol suite of the internet that defines how data is packaged, addressed, transmitted, and received.
WireGuard
A modern, lightweight VPN protocol that uses state-of-the-art cryptography and minimal code for fast, secure tunneling.
VPN (Virtual Private Network)
A technology that creates an encrypted tunnel between your device and a remote server, securing internet traffic.
Port
A numbered endpoint (0-65535) that identifies specific processes or services on a networked computer for communication.
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