What is the primary characteristic of a Workgroup in a network setting?

A Workgroup in a network setting is primarily characterized by its ability to allow devices to access resources only from a single local area network (LAN) or subnet. This defines the scope of its operations, as a Workgroup relies on the peer-to-peer sharing approach, where each device is responsible for managing its own resources and permissions within its local network environment.

In a Workgroup, there is no centralized management or control, which means that each machine is independent of the others. This independence is a significant factor that distinguishes Workgroups from domains, where centralized control and server-based resource management are prevalent. Since resource sharing is contained within a single LAN, devices in a Workgroup can access shared files and printers, but they cannot interact with resources that lie outside their LAN or subnet without additional configuration, such as routing.

Thus, the defining feature of a Workgroup lies in its limitations to a single LAN, making it simpler yet less flexible for larger or more complex networking needs compared to other network configurations that allow resource access across multiple LANs or broader networks.