The choice of which network to deploy for a language lab may be influenced by many things, but in the end, it depends on your needs, your priorities and your environment.
By Gerry Sullivan
Date of Creation: 2019-11-13
Last Update: 2023-02-22
- If your school has a one-to-one program with iPads or Chromebooks, then a WLAN is your only choice – and therefore your best choice.
- If overall performance is your priority and your school has a dedicated room with desktop workstations available for your language lab, then an ASDN (Application Specific Dedicated Network) solution is your best choice.
- Need a balance of economy and performance and your school is using laptop computers? Then a hardwired LAN environment is a great compromise.
The table below summarizes the suitability of the different networks for specific devices and specific activities:
| Devices | Activities | ASDN | LAN | WLAN |
| Desktop PCs | ☑️ | ☑️ | ☑️ | |
| Laptops | ❎ | ☑️ | ☑️ | |
| Tablets | ❎ | ❎ | ☑️ | |
| Smartphones | ❎ | ❎ | ☑️ | |
| Chromebooks | ❎ | ❎ | ☑️ | |
| Internet access | ☑️ | ☑️ | ☑️ | |
| Self-study Activities | ☑️ | ☑️ | ☑️ | |
| Live Screen Broadcast with static image | ☑️ | ☑️ | ⭕ | |
| Live Screen Broadcast with HD Video | ☑️ | ❎ | ❎ | |
| Live Audio Broadcast (Teacher to all) | ☑️ | ✔️ | ⭕ | |
| Live audio pairing | ☑️ | ✔️ | ⭕ | |
| Live Webcam Broadcast (Teacher to all) | ☑️ | ☑️ | ❎ | |
| Live Webcam pairing | ☑️ | ☑️ | ❎ |
✔️ LAN and WLAN based intercom systems will always include some transmission delay for audio. For most users, a small delay is acceptable –
as long as there is no echo.
⭕ See WLAN Implementation Pitfalls for
additional information.
Contact us if you would like more information.