In addition to serving as your PC’s Internet gateway, your Local Area Network (LAN) may perform a variety of other useful network functions. It’s actually your router, not the gateway, but the second argument is still valid because you may connect a lot of devices and services to your LAN and access them from anywhere.
It’s time to get some use out of your home network once you’ve protected your LAN from external threats and determined how to safely open it up to the outside world.
For gaming on
Because high-speed Ethernet ensures that everyone has a strong connection to the game server hosting the top LAN games, your LAN is an ideal area to play games. You’ll need a means to host those gaming servers, but any PC can do it with today’s technology, or you may utilize your NAS.
Other than that, all you’ll need is a reliable means to provide each PC with electricity and enough Ethernet connections for everyone (or a good Wi-Fi network). This can be the most challenging portion because most home circuits in the US have a maximum current of 15A, which is equivalent to about three or four powerful gaming PCs. In nations with 230V mains, the maximum current is often 20A, which is equivalent to four or five PCs.
For remote printing
The ability to transfer print files to your 3D printer via a local area network (LAN) is one of the most convenient features of contemporary models. But the benefits of connecting your printer to the LAN go beyond simply being able to transmit files and initiate prints over the network. A lot of the more recent versions also feature cameras that you can utilize to keep an eye on your prints over the network.
A Raspberry Pi with a useful app called OctoPrint allow you to add LAN control and printing to any 3D printer that supports OctoPrint, even though many older models and some more recent low-cost versions don’t have network access.
To stream your content
Why not rip the many physical media files you’ve accumulated over the years into digital ones that you can stream to any device on your LAN? Our preferred video streaming server software, Jellyfin, may be installed on a NAS, an old PC, or even your primary computer while you get acclimated to it.
However, we advise against leaving it on your primary computer for that long. Everyone may access it more easily if you delegate media server responsibilities to a specific device on your local area network (LAN). Additionally, it won’t slow down your PC’s internet connection when other users are streaming videos.
For storage and backups
Every day, our digital lives generate enormous amounts of data, and even while not every byte is valuable, it’s still worthwhile to backup your devices in case something goes wrong. One of the best methods to prevent irretrievable data loss is to have a centralized backup solution on your LAN, such as a NAS device, and software to periodically backup your devices onto that storage.
It’s also useful for configuring new devices since it makes it easy to move your data to a new phone or laptop without having to search through the previous device’s folder structure. Although the LAN device is a component of the entire solution, you will still want some degree of off-site backup in order to adhere to the 3-2-1 backup rule.
To run a VPN
Although setting up a VPN on each device connected to your home network is a smart place to start, the real power move is setting up a network-level VPN, such as Tailscale or WireGuard, to make sure that any device utilizing that connection is secure.
This encrypts your data as it leaves your system, making it worthless to man-in-the-middle (MITM) assaults. However, it also implies that you may safely access your LAN from outside, protecting you and your data wherever you go.
To filter out advertising
You may use a Raspberry Pi as a DNS server to remove annoying adverts from your local area network (LAN), but the game of cat and mouse between adblockers and advertising corporations isn’t going away anytime soon.
Strong content restrictions may also be added to your home network, preventing your children from seeing the portions of the internet you don’t want them to view. Because those websites are a major source of malware, blocking the less-salubrious sections of the internet also helps to keep your network safe. Another major advantage of building your own DNS is that no one wants their ISP to eavesdrop on their DNS requests.
Wake-on-LAN
Wake-on-LAN is another helpful function that may be accessed by connecting to a cable LAN because not many Wi-Fi adapters offer it. When enabled, you may use it from anywhere in the globe to wake your computer from slumber. If you need to move some files to your laptop while you’re abroad, that’s fantastic, but it can do so much more.
Before you get out of bed, turn on your computer and storage devices so that they are ready to go when you’re ready to begin working. Alternatively, if you are a music producer, load your processing chain and activate your DAW using WoL before you ever approach the studio. When utilized properly, it saves a significant amount of time.
As a security system
Did you realize that your WLAN may be utilized as a home security device? We all understand how important it is to secure our LAN and smart home gadgets.
Many mesh node kits, such as those made by Plume, may be used as intrusion detectors in your house to detect unauthorized movement. Researchers have demonstrated that the PHY layer information may be utilized to identify human movement in off-the-shelf Wi-Fi equipment (via IEEE Access).
Your LAN can be used for a wide variety of uses
You may host or access a vast array of devices and services from your home network, regardless of its speed. It may be an essential tool for security, entertainment, and productivity in addition to connecting your PCs and other gadgets to the wider internet.
Disclaimer:
This article is intended for informational and educational purposes only. All actions or configurations mentioned should comply with applicable laws and manufacturer guidelines. We do not encourage bypassing software restrictions, violating terms of service, or infringing on copyright laws. Any brand or product names mentioned are the property of their respective owners and are used here only for descriptive purposes. Readers are advised to exercise caution and conduct their own research before making any changes to their network or devices. We are not responsible for any issues resulting from the misuse or misconfiguration of tools or technologies mentioned in this content.