The Three Types of Networks: LAN, MAN and WAN

The Three Types of Networks: LAN, MAN and WAN

 

Introduction

A computer network is defined as a group of computers connected by a transmission medium such as wire or cable. In this article, we will see the three main types of computer networks.

 

Type of computer network

Computer networks are broadly classified into four categories.

Personal area network (PAN)

Local Area Network (LAN)

Metropolitan Area Network (MAN)

Wide Area Network (WAN)

 

In this article, we mainly focused on three types of networks: PAN, MAN, and WAN.

Local Area Network (LAN)

LAN stands for Local Area Network. It is a group of computers connected to each other in a small area, such as a small office, apartment, and  school.

In local  Area Networks, two or more computers are connected with each other through a transmission medium such as coaxial cable, twisted pair cable, etc.

LAN is comparatively faster than MAN and WAN due to its small size.

Home wifi is an example of a LAN.

 
Metropolitan Area Network (MAN)

MAN stands for Metropolitan Area Network. It  is formed by the different interconnections of LAN. Most of the MAN are connected to each other through a telephone line. It is a network that covers a large geographic area (a city or town). Mainly government agencies, banks, and industries used MAN  to share resources and exchange data over a network. MAN has a comparatively higher range than LAN. RS-232, ATM, ADSL, and ISDN are the protocols used by MAN.

 

Wide Area Network (WAN)

WAN stands for Wide Area Network. It is formed by the different interconnections of the Metropolitan Area Network (MAN). Most of the WAN are connected to each other through a telephone line, satellite links, or fiber optic cable. It is a network which extends over a large geographical area (states or countries). It is mainly used in the fields of government, education, and business. Examples of Wide Area Network are the internet, mobile broadband, and private networks.