In audio and video networks, some communications are multipoint, which means that communications involve more than two participants. For example, videoconferencing often holds for several groups of participants. Multipoint communications can be implemented by using multicasting technology, which replicates a single input signal and delivers it to multiple destinations. Before discussion LANs and WANs as real-time audio and video carriers, we first introduce some basic concepts to understand network. It may allocates resources when they accept communications, so that certain performance can be better guaranteed.
Connectionless network transmit data from a end-system to another without establishing a connection.
Packet switching network chops data into small units and sends one at a time. These units are called packets. Multicasting means propagation of information from one source to a subset of the potential destinations. Broadcasting means propagation of information from one source to all potential recipients. 11.4.2.2 LANs LANs are generally used on campuses and in companies which connect local computers together.