The Client Network

A Client-Server network connects a group of devices to a DHCP server, forming a LAN. The DHCP server controls the network and resolves all addressing requirements. It allocates a range of IP Addresses, so that each device connected to the network has a unique IP Address for that network.


Alongside a DHCP server, there may be another server providing internet connection sharing (ICS) functionality allowing each of the LAN devices to connect to the wide area network (WAN). Depending on requirements of the network, these two different servers may co-exist on the same hardware server.

A big advantage of the client-server network is the fact that the configuration of the network is centralised.

A limitation of the client-server network is the availability of servers that control the network. If for some reason a DHCP server is taken off-line, then the network it controls is effectively also out of action.

The SOHO Network

A single office or home office (SOHO) network uses peer-to-peer technology to create a local area network (LAN), these are often referred to as a WORKGROUP by Microsoft.

In a SOHO network each device (a device being a computer, printer or other device) takes an even role in controlling the network with no device taking a lead role. There are generally no more than 10 devices in a SOHO network.

Building a SOHO network using peer-to-peer technology is very quick an easy, and for a small network can be both low cost and low maintenance.

A Limitation of the SOHO network is that each device has to broadcast it existence across the network, allowing 'others' to see them. This creates large amounts of traffic on the network and thus limits the size. The amount of network traffic produced in this way can be reduced by using a WINS service. The WINS service basically acts as an address book containing each of the devices on the network, and so reducing the need to broadcast.