What is LAN MAN CAN WAN - Area Networks - Networking Tutorial #4

Types of Networks

Area Networks

PAN - Personal Area Network

• Small computer network
• Used for communication devices close to one person
• A PAN may include wired and wireless devices
• The reach of PAN typically extends to 10 meters

Example  Devices

1. Wired PAN 
2. USB and Firewire Connections
3. Wireless PAN
4. Bluetooth and infrared

Example  Devices

1. PC 
2. Printers
3. fax
4. telephones
5. PDAs

LAN - Local Area Network

• A network that connects computers and devices in a limited geographical area such as 

Example  Devices

1. home
2. school
3. computer laboratory
4. office
5. groups

current wired LANs are most likely to be based on Ethernet Technology

MAN - Metropolitan Area Network

• A computer network that usually spans a city or a large campus 
• A MAN usually interconnects a number of local area network(LAN) 
• Uses a high-capacity backbone technology, such as fiber optical links
• Within limits of city

CAN - Campus Area Networking 

• Also known as corporate area network or CAN
• Computer network made up of an interconnection of Local Area Network(LANs) within a limited geographical area
• The networking equipment(Switches,routers) and transmission media (optical fiber, copper plant,CAT5 cabling etc) are almost entirely owned by the campus ower
• An enterprise,university ,  governments etc   

Wide Area Networks

• WAN spans a large physical distance
• The internet is the largest WAN spanning the Earth