Types of Networks Overview

Introduction to Network Classification:
Networks are classified based on their geographic scope, size, and purpose. Understanding these types helps in designing and choosing the right network for any environment.

Geographic scope: The physical area the network covers
Size: Number of devices or users supported
Purpose: Specific use cases, such as business, personal, or storage

1. Local Area Network (LAN)

Definition: A LAN connects computers and devices within a limited area, such as a single building, office, or campus.

Typical use: Offices, schools, labs, small businesses
High data speeds (often 1 Gbps or more)
Managed by a single organization
Technologies: Ethernet (wired), Wi-Fi (wireless)

class="highlight"> Example: John connects his laptop, desktop, and printer in his office via a Wi-Fi router—this is a LAN.

2. Wide Area Network (WAN)

Definition: A WAN connects multiple LANs over large distances (cities, countries, continents).

Examples: The Internet, corporate networks linking global branches
Lower speeds due to long distances, uses third-party infrastructure
Higher cost and complexity
High latency compared to LANs

  Example: A multinational company connects its New York and London offices with a WAN over leased lines.

3. Metropolitan Area Network (MAN)

Definition: A MAN covers a city or a large campus, bigger than a LAN but smaller than a WAN.

Coverage area: 5–50 km (typically a city)
Uses: City government networks, universities, regional offices

  Example: A city-wide fiber optic MAN provides high-speed Internet to all schools and libraries.

4. Personal Area Network (PAN)

Definition: A short-range network (a few meters) for personal devices.

Devices: Smartphones, tablets, wearables, wireless headsets
Technologies: Bluetooth, infrared, NFC

Example: Bluetooth connects John’s phone to his wireless earbuds—a PAN.

5. Campus Area Network (CAN)

Definition: A CAN connects multiple LANs in a limited area like a university or corporate campus.

Common environments: Universities, business parks, military bases

  Example: A university CAN connects all departments, libraries, and research centers on campus.

6. Storage Area Network (SAN)

Purpose: High-speed network for connecting storage devices to servers, usually in data centers.

Provides fast, reliable, dedicated storage access
Separate from general LAN traffic
Technologies: Fibre Channel, iSCSI

  Example: A data center uses a SAN so multiple servers can access centralized storage for databases.

7. Virtual Private Network (VPN)

Concept: A VPN is a secure network connection built over a public network (usually the Internet) using encryption and tunneling.

Enables remote users/sites to securely access private resources
Common in remote work and secure site-to-site connections

  Example: John uses a VPN client on his laptop to connect securely to his company’s network from home.

Comparison of Network Types

Type	Scope	Speed	Cost	Complexity	Example Use Case
LAN	Room/Building	High	Low	Low	Office, Home
WAN	Country/World	Medium/Low	High	High	Corporate global connectivity
MAN	City	Medium/High	Medium	Medium	City-wide education network
PAN	Desk/Room	Low/Medium	Very Low	Very Low	Bluetooth headset connection
CAN	Campus	High	Medium	Medium	University campus
SAN	Data Center	Very High	High	High	Enterprise storage sharing
VPN	Virtual	Varies	Low/Medium	Medium	Secure remote access

Advantages & Limitations

LAN: Fast, secure, limited in scope.
WAN: Covers large distances, but slower and costlier.
MAN: Bridges LAN and WAN, ideal for cities.
PAN: Simple and convenient, very limited range.
CAN/SAN/VPN: Serve special needs (campus, high-speed storage, secure remote access).

Network Topologies Related to Each Type

Star: Common in LANs and CANs (central switch/hub)
Mesh: Used in WANs, SANs, MANs (redundancy and reliability)
Bus: Rare today; legacy small LANs
Ring: Sometimes used in MANs and legacy networks

  Example: A company’s LAN uses a star topology; its WAN uses partial mesh to link branches.

Emerging and Specialized Networks

Wireless Sensor Networks (WSN): Used for environmental monitoring, smart agriculture, IoT sensing.
Internet of Things (IoT) Networks: Connects smart devices (home automation, industrial automation, healthcare).

Choosing Network Types Based on Requirements

Geographic coverage needed
Number of users/devices
Performance and speed
Security and management needs
Budget constraints
Reliability and redundancy

  Example Scenarios:

  LAN: Small office or home

  WAN: Connecting global business locations

  MAN: City government infrastructure

  PAN: Connecting wearables to a smartphone

  SAN: Centralizing storage in a data center

  VPN: Secure work-from-home access

Key Points and Tips for the Exam

Be able to define and distinguish each network type.
Know scope, typical speed, and use case for each.
Understand which topologies are common for each network type.
Recognize specialized networks (CAN, SAN, VPN, WSN, IoT) and their roles.
Match scenarios to the correct network type in exam questions.

1. What is a Local Area Network (LAN)?

A. A network connecting multiple cities or countries B. A network connecting devices within a limited area like a building or campus C. A network connecting personal devices within a few meters D. A network designed for storage devices in data centers

Correct answer is B. LANs connect devices within a limited geographical area such as an office or campus.

2. Which network type connects multiple LANs over large geographical distances?

A. Personal Area Network (PAN) B. Campus Area Network (CAN) C. Wide Area Network (WAN) D. Storage Area Network (SAN)

Correct answer is C. WANs connect LANs across cities, countries, or continents.

3. What is a typical use case for a Metropolitan Area Network (MAN)?

A. City-wide networks such as government or university campuses B. Connecting personal devices like phones and headsets C. Small home or office networks D. Data center storage networks

Correct answer is A. MANs cover large areas such as cities or large campuses.

4. Which network type is typically used for very short-range communication like Bluetooth?

A. Wide Area Network (WAN) B. Campus Area Network (CAN) C. Metropolitan Area Network (MAN) D. Personal Area Network (PAN)

Correct answer is D. PANs connect personal devices over short distances.

5. What is a Campus Area Network (CAN)?

A. A network covering an entire country B. A network connecting multiple LANs within a limited geographic area like a university campus C. A network for personal devices like smartphones D. A network for high-speed storage devices in data centers

Correct answer is B. CANs connect multiple LANs in a localized area like a campus.

6. What is the main purpose of a Storage Area Network (SAN)?

A. Provide fast, dedicated storage access for servers B. Connect personal wireless devices C. Connect multiple campuses D. Create virtual private networks over the internet

Correct answer is A. SANs provide high-speed access to shared storage for servers.

7. What does a Virtual Private Network (VPN) do?

A. Connects devices within a local office B. Provides high-speed storage networking C. Creates a secure encrypted connection over a public network D. Connects smartphones to wireless earbuds

Correct answer is C. VPNs encrypt and secure connections over public networks.

8. Which network topology is commonly used in LANs and CANs?

A. Mesh B. Bus C. Ring D. Star

Correct answer is D. Star topology is common in LANs and CANs.

9. Which emerging network connects smart devices for applications like smart homes and industry automation?

A. Internet of Things (IoT) Networks B. Storage Area Networks (SAN) C. Metropolitan Area Networks (MAN) D. Personal Area Networks (PAN)

Correct answer is A. IoT networks connect smart devices for automation.

10. What factor is NOT typically considered when choosing a network type?

A. Number of users and devices B. Color of network cables C. Geographic coverage required D. Performance and speed needs

Correct answer is B. Cable color is not a factor in network design decisions.

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