TYPE OF NETWORK

Network can be characterized using one or more technical or operational attributes. Example., (Type of technology or number of connected u...

Network can be characterized using one or more technical or operational attributes.
Example., (Type of technology or number of connected users and devices)
One common attribute  used to categorize networks is geographic area or span. where a network  is labeled on the basis of the physical area it covers.
The five most common type of networks in terms of geographic area from the smallest to the largest are:

• Personal area networks (PANs).
• Local area networks (LANs).
• Campus area networks (CAMs).
• Metropolitan area networks (MANs).
• Wide area networks (WANs).

Personal Area Networks (PANs)

PANs cover areas generally associated with individual workspaces (e.g., a home office or an office cubicle). Within these spaces, individual networks connecting two or more devices may be enabled using wireless technologies.

Local Area Networks (LANs)

LANs cover areas generally associated with some or all of the space within a building. In most cases, multiple workspace devices are connected to shared devices (e.g., switches, servers) to form a LAN.

One LAN can serve a single department, multiple groups, or all users within a building. Cabling, wireless, or a combination of both can be used to link LAN devices, 

Campus Area Networks (CANs)

CANs are created by linking the LANs located in two or more buildings that are in close proximity to each other, as Connections between the buildings can be made using cabling or wireless technologies.

NOTE: The term campus LAN is also used to describe a CAN.

Metropolitan Area Networks (MANs)

MANs are created by linking the networks located at two or more sites within a city. Connections can be made using cabling or wireless technologies, with optical fiber cabling often used to link a customer’s buildings to a facility operated by a telecommunications provider, 

Wide Area Networks (WANs)

WANs are created by linking the networks located at two or more sites over geographic distances that extend beyond the span of a single metropolitan area. These include links between cities, countries, and in the case of global WANs, continents. Telecommunications circuits link each building to facilities operated by a telecommunications provider (same as MANs),