Types of Networks

Thomas Janovic
Information Technology
Week 7 Task 3 Research
October 19, 2011

Types of Networks: LAN, WAN, MAN, and Area Networks

Computer networks are made up of interconnecting groups of hardware and computers, connected through communication channels, or telecommunications equipment, ultimately for the purpose of sharing valuable information and resources among users. “One popular method used to categorize the different types of computer network designs is by the criteria of their scope or scale.” [1] Networking types can be broken down into four basic categories including personal area networks (PAN) which is based on Wifi wireless network technology, local area networks (LAN), metropolitan area networks (MAN), and wide area networks (WAN). Other sub types of area networks include wireless local area networks (WLAN), storage area network/system area network (SAN), campus area network (CAN), and desk area networks (DAN).
Computer networks are established through a wide array of connected hardware and software devices, as mentioned earlier. “Computer networks can be established using different hardware structures such as Ethernet, optical fiber or merely using wireless connections.”[2] The most common media type used to establish a network connection would be an Ethernet cable. Ethernet cables work by physically connecting the computer hardware devices through a network of wiring.
The first types of networks to come onto the telecommunications scene were LAN and WAN. The rest have quickly emerged as modern technology has evolved, mainly based off of those two technologies. LAN, or local area network, is a type of area network which connects network devices and telecommunications equipment over small distances. “Local area network resides within a small geographic area.” [3] Some typical examples of where LAN may be utilized are in schools, office buildings, and homes. It is not uncommon for a building to have more than one local area network operating at one time. LANs typically run throughout a limited amount of space and are usually owned and overseen by a single person or organization. The most common mediums used in LANs are uncoated, copper wires, sometimes twisted together, although fiber optic cables are becoming a widely excepted medium as well. LANs can be built to connect personal computers, laptop computers, desktop computers, or even powerful mainframe computers.
WAN, or wide area network, is an area network which spans over large distances. The largest WAN known to mankind is the internet, which literally spans over the entire world. WANs happen to be collections of separate LANs, all connected and working together through “routers,” physical devices used to join multiple wireless or wired networks together. One major difference between the LAN and WAN network types is the fact that while LANs are typically owned by one person or organization, WANs are “under collective or distributed ownership and management.” [4] If a company has many offices in different cities, sometimes people will need information from another server located in another branch location. In this case, a WAN network may be designed and appropriated to mediate this informational communication problem. As mentioned before, LANs may become interconnected, forming a better information system and ultimately creating a wide area network. Whenever a user accesses the internet to gather data from servers geographically located in another state or country or makes a long-distance phone call, they are using a WAN. WANs also provide network connections across national borders in which international laws and procedures are designed to regulate the flow of electronic data, often named “transborder dataflow.”
Personal area networks, or PANs, are wireless networks which connect various forms of information technology devices close to one person. They can be connected using either a wired device or wireless connection. The geographic range a PAN may work on typically reaches 20-30 feet in distance. Through this type of network, a digital camera or portable printer may be attached to the laptop or HPC without the need for wires, ultimately allowing the flow of data to be less complicated and easier overall. Calendar appointments, email, digital photos and music transfers are all practical and common uses for personal area networks. A fantastic example of a PAN is Bluetooth, which has become the industry standard for mobile PAN communications.
Metropolitan Area Networks (MAN) are telecommunications networks which connects users with their computer systems in an area spanning an entire city or a University, usually up to 50 kilometers in distance. MAN can connect separate LANs in a city and combine them to form one large dragnet of larger networks. MAN has a variety of practical uses in certain facilities such as banks, online reservation systems, and in some military operations. MANs are known for providing high speed data, voice and internet traffic, in various locations which improves the operational capacity of the organization using it. Even though MANs are larger than LANs, they are quite smaller than other networks such as WANs, which span over entire cities. Metropolitan are networks, in many cases owned by one large corporation or government organization.
All of the networks listed above can be established using a wired or wireless network, depending on personal or organizational goals. The most important purposes of networks are to share various types of data and files which pertain to a business’s goals. Networking provides a much more cost effective technique as well as provides more storage space for files of data among users. Through a web of interconnected area networks, businesses or regular people can enjoy the benefits of downloading complex and expensive software all at a reasonable convenience. Networks have eliminated communication problems nationally and in many circumstances have closed the communication gap over the entire globe.



Works Cited

1. http://compnetworking.about.com/od/basicnetworkingconcepts/a/network_types.htm
2. http://www.freewimaxinfo.com/computer-networks-types.html
3. http://www.utilizewindows.com/networking/networking-basics/64-types-of-computer-networks.html
4. http://www.sensible-computer-help.com/computer-network.html