Networks Simulator — LAN, WAN & Topologies

Simulator controls

Traffic pattern

Mixed traffic

Show multiple traffic flows at once across the school LAN and wider-area / Internet connections.

Animation speed

Traffic speedNormal

Traffic legend

Web traffic

File / LAN traffic

Print traffic

Cloud / sync traffic

DNS lookup traffic

Phone app traffic

This mode shows multiple simultaneous application-level flows. Each moving marker represents a simulated traffic flow or exchange, not one literal IP packet.

Links: solid local links are wired; short dashed green links are Wi‑Fi client connections; purple links represent abstract wider-network connections.

Topology

Network topology data paths

Observe how the arrangement of devices changes the route, complexity and resilience of the network.

Note

Star and mesh are the main comparison topologies. Bus, ring and tree are included as additional examples. “Semi-mesh” is represented as partial mesh.

LANs and WANs

Watch simultaneous traffic flows move through a local area network and across wider networks.

LAN · WAN

Current emphasisMixed

Typical scopeLocal + wide

Active traffic types5

Current noteMultiple simultaneous flows

School LAN

WAN / Internet infrastructure · Remote services

Choose a traffic pattern, then click Send traffic or Auto traffic.

Selected topologyStar

Data pathA → Switch → E

Connections5 links

Resilience patternCentral dependency

Star routes data through the central device.

Explore LANs, WANs, topologies and live data flow. Ready.

Concept focus

Network characteristics

Use this simulator to compare local and wide area networks, watch realistic data flow and discuss why the structure matters.

Precision: a LAN usually covers a small geographical area such as a school or office. A WAN links networks over a larger geographical area, often using provider infrastructure. The Internet is the worldwide network of interconnected networks and can be considered the world’s largest WAN, but many WANs are private and are not the Internet.

Current route

Waiting for a demo

Click Send traffic to animate the current scenario.

Key notes

Use the diagrams to compare network scope, device roles, routes, resilience and simultaneous traffic.