Types of Networks

Networks are often categorized based on their size or geographical scope. The smallest is a Personal Area Network (PAN), which is used for communication among devices close to one person. A common example is connecting a smartphone to a wireless headset via Bluetooth or linking a laptop to a wireless mouse. The range of a PAN is typically just a few meters. The most common type of network is the Local Area Network (LAN). A LAN connects devices within a relatively small and single geographical location, such as a home, an office building, or a school campus. Ethernet and Wi-Fi are the two most common technologies used for LANs. They are privately owned and managed. A Metropolitan Area Network (MAN) is a larger version of a LAN that spans an entire city or a large campus. It might be owned and operated by a single organization (like a university with multiple campuses in a city) or by a telecommunications company that provides service to the public. A MAN often uses fiber optic links to connect multiple LANs. The largest type of network is the Wide Area Network (WAN), which spans a large geographical area, often a country or even a continent. A WAN is a collection of interconnected LANs or other networks. The Internet is the world's largest WAN. WANs are typically not owned by a single organization but exist under collective or distributed ownership and management. They use technologies like MPLS and satellite links to cover vast distances.