Wired LAN

Devices are connected through physical media (twisted pair, coaxial, fiber) using switches/hubs. The standard is IEEE 802.3 (Ethernet) with CSMA/CD (legacy) or full-duplex switched operation.

Wireless LAN (WLAN)

Devices connect through radio waves via an access point (AP). The standard is IEEE 802.11 (Wi-Fi) using CSMA/CA.

Comparison

Basis	Wired LAN	Wireless LAN
Standard	IEEE 802.3	IEEE 802.11
Medium	Cables / fiber	Radio waves
Access method	CSMA/CD	CSMA/CA
Speed	Very high (1/10/100 Gbps)	Lower, shared (up to a few Gbps)
Reliability	High, little interference	Affected by interference and obstacles
Security	Physical access needed	Needs encryption (WPA2/WPA3)
Mobility	Fixed	High
Installation	Costly, cabling work	Easy, flexible
Latency	Low	Higher, variable

Advantages and limitations

Wired: + fast, stable, secure; - cabling cost, no mobility, hard to reconfigure.

Wireless: + mobility, easy setup, scalable; - interference, limited range, security risks, lower throughput.