Types of Computer Networks

 

What Is a Computer Network?

A computer network is a connection between two or more network devices, like computers, routers, and switches, to share network resources.

The establishment of a computer network depends on the requirements of the communication channel, i.e., the network can be wired or wireless.

Next, let’s look into the types of networks available.

Types of Networks

According to the communication requirements, multiple types of network connections are available. The most basic type of network classification depends on the network's geographical coverage.

      

Below mentioned are different types of networks:

• PAN (Personal Area Network)
• LAN (Local Area Network)
• MAN (Metropolitan Area Network)
• WAN (Wide Area Network)

Let’s look into each of the network types in detail.

What Is Local Area Network (LAN)?

 

The Local Area Network (LAN) is designed to connect multiple network devices and systems within a limited geographical distance. The devices are connected using multiple protocols for properly and efficiently exchanging data and services. 

Attributes of LAN Network:

• The data transmit speed in the LAN network is relatively higher than the other network types, MAN and WAN.
• LAN uses private network addresses for network connectivity for data and service exchange, and it uses cable for network connection, decreasing error and maintaining data security.

Advantages and Disadvantages of LAN Network

Advantages	Disadvantages
Transmission of data and services is relatively higher than other network connections.	Need constant administration of experienced engineers for functioning.
The Network Server acts as a central unit for the whole network.	Probability of leak of sensitive data by LAN administration.

What Is Metropolitan Area Network (MAN)?

The Metropolitan Area Network (MAN) is a network type that covers the network connection of an entire city or connection of a small area. The area covered by the network is connected using a wired network, like data cables.

Attributes of MAN Network:

• Network covers an entire town area or a portion of a city.
• Data transmission speed is relatively high due to the installation of optical cables and wired connections.

Advantages and Disadvantages of MAN Network:

Advantages	Disadvantages
Provides Full-Duplex data transmission in the network channel for devices.	High probability of attack from hackers and cybercriminals due to large networks.
The network connection area covers an entire city or some parts using the optic cables.	The need for good quality hardware and the installation cost is very high.

What Is Wide Area Network (WAN)?

The Wide Area Network (WAN) is designed to connect devices over large distances like states or between countries. The connection is wireless in most cases and uses radio towers for communication.

The WAN network can be made up of multiple LAN and MAN networks.

Attributes of WAN Network:

• The speed of the WAN data transfer is lower than in comparison to LAN and MAN networks due to the large distance covered.
• The WAN network uses a satellite medium to transmit data between multiple locations and network towers.

Advantages and Disadvantages of WAN Network:

Advantages	Disadvantages
This network covers a high geographical area and is used for large-distance connections.	High cost to set up the network and the Support of experienced technicians is needed to maintain the network.
They also use radio towers and connect channels for users.	It is difficult to prevent hacking and debug a large network.

Now let’s move on to the next network type, MAN Network.

Different Types of Computer Networks

There are various types of Computer Networking options available. The classification of network in computers can be done according to their size as well as their purpose.

The size of a network should be expressed by the geographic area and number of computers, which are a part of their networks. It includes devices housed in a single room to millions of devices spread across the world. Following are the popular types of Computer Network:

Types of Computer Networks

Some of the most popular computer network types are:

• PAN (Personal Area Network)
• LAN (Local Area Network)
• MAN (Metropolitan Area Network)
• WAN (Wide Area Network)

Let’s study all of these types of networking in detail.

What is PAN (Personal Area Network)?

PAN (Personal Area Network) is a computer network formed around a person. It generally consists of a computer, mobile, or personal digital assistant. PAN can be used for establishing communication among these personal devices for connecting to a digital network and the internet.

Characteristics of PAN

Below are the main characteristics of PAN:

• It is mostly personal devices network equipped within a limited area.
• Allows you to handle the interconnection of IT devices at the surrounding of a single user.
• PAN includes mobile devices, tablet, and laptop.
• It can be wirelessly connected to the internet called WPAN.
• Appliances use for PAN: cordless mice, keyboards, and Bluetooth systems.

Advantages of PAN

Here are the important pros/benefits of PAN network:

• PAN networks are relatively secure and safe
• It offers only short-range solution up to ten meters
• Strictly restricted to a small area

Disadvantages of PAN

Here are the cons/drawbacks of using PAN network:

• It may establish a bad connection to other networks at the same radio bands.
• Distance limits.

What is a LAN (Local Area Network)?

A Local Area Network (LAN) is a group of computer and peripheral devices which are connected in a limited area such as school, laboratory, home, and office building. It is a widely useful network for sharing resources like files, printers, games, and other application. The simplest type of LAN network is to connect computers and a printer in someone’s home or office. In general, LAN will be used as one type of transmission medium. It is a network which consists of less than 5000 interconnected devices across several buildings.

Local Area Network (LAN)

Characteristics of LAN

Here are the important characteristics of a LAN network:

• It is a private network, so an outside regulatory body never controls it.
• LAN operates at a relatively higher speed compared to other WAN systems.
• There are various kinds of media access control methods like token ring and ethernet.
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Advantages of LAN

Here are the pros/benefits of LAN:

• Computer resources like hard-disks, DVD-ROM, and printers can share local area networks. This significantly reduces the cost of hardware purchases.
• You can use the same software over the network instead of purchasing the licensed software for each client in the network.
• Data of all network users can be stored on a single hard disk of the server computer.
• You can easily transfer data and messages over networked computers.
• It will be easy to manage data at only one place, which makes data more secure.
• Local Area Network offers the facility to share a single internet connection among all the LAN users.

Disadvantages of LAN

Here are the cons/drawbacks of LAN:

• LAN will indeed save cost because of shared computer resources, but the initial cost of installing Local Area Networks is quite high.
• The LAN admin can check personal data files of every LAN user, so it does not offer good privacy.
• Unauthorized users can access critical data of an organization in case LAN admin is not able to secure centralized data repository.
• Local Area Network requires a constant LAN administration as there are issues related to software setup and hardware failures

What is WAN (Wide Area Network)?

WAN (Wide Area Network) is another important computer network that which is spread across a large geographical area. WAN network system could be a connection of a LAN which connects with other LAN’s using telephone lines and radio waves. It is mostly limited to an enterprise or an organization.

Wide Area Network (WAN)

Characteristics of WAN

Below are the characteristics of WAN:

• The software files will be shared among all the users; therefore, all can access to the latest files.
• Any organization can form its global integrated network using WAN.

Advantages of WAN

Here are the benefits/pros of WAN:

• WAN helps you to cover a larger geographical area. Therefore business offices situated at longer distances can easily communicate.
• Contains devices like mobile phones, laptop, tablet, computers, gaming consoles, etc.
• WLAN connections work using radio transmitters and receivers built into client devices.

Disadvantages of WAN

Here are the drawbacks/cons of WAN network:

• The initial setup cost of investment is very high.
• It is difficult to maintain the WAN network. You need skilled technicians and network administrators.
• There are more errors and issues because of the wide coverage and the use of different technologies.
• It requires more time to resolve issues because of the involvement of multiple wired and wireless technologies.
• Offers lower security compared to other types of network in computer.

What is MAN (Metropolitan Area Network)?

A Metropolitan Area Network or MAN is consisting of a computer network across an entire city, college campus, or a small region. This type of network is large than a LAN, which is mostly limited to a single building or site. Depending upon the type of configuration, this type of network allows you to cover an area from several miles to tens of miles.

Metropolitan Area Network (MAN)

Characteristics of MAN

Here are important characteristics of the MAN network:

• It mostly covers towns and cities in a maximum 50 km range
• Mostly used medium is optical fibers, cables
• Data rates adequate for distributed computing applications.

Advantages of MAN

Here are the pros/benefits of MAN network:

• It offers fast communication using high-speed carriers, like fiber optic cables.
• It provides excellent support for an extensive size network and greater access to WANs.
• The dual bus in MAN network provides support to transmit data in both directions concurrently.
• A MAN network mostly includes some areas of a city or an entire city.

Disadvantages of MAN

Here are drawbacks/cons of using the MAN network:

• You need more cable to establish MAN connection from one place to another.
• In MAN network it is tough to make the system secure from hackers

Other Types of Computer Networks

Apart from above mentioned computer networks, here are some other important types of networks:

• WLAN (Wireless Local Area Network)
• Storage Area Network
• System Area Network
• Home Area Network
• POLAN- Passive Optical LAN
• Enterprise private network
• Campus Area Network
• Virtual Area Network

Let’s see all these different types of networks in detail:

1) WLAN

WLAN (Wireless Local Area Network) helps you to link single or multiple devices using wireless communication within a limited area like home, school, or office building. It gives users an ability to move around within a local coverage area which may be connected to the network. Today most modern day’s WLAN systems are based on IEEE 802.11 standards.

2) Storage-Area Network (SAN)

A Storage Area Network is a type of network which allows consolidated, block-level data storage. It is mainly used to make storage devices, like disk arrays, optical jukeboxes, and tape libraries.

3) System-Area Network

System Area Network is used for a local network. It offers high-speed connection in server-to-server and processor-to-processor applications. The computers connected on a SAN network operate as a single system at quite high speed.

4) Passive Optical Local Area Network

POLAN is a networking technology which helps you to integrate into structured cabling. It allows you to resolve the issues of supporting Ethernet protocols and network apps.

POLAN allows you to use optical splitter which helps you to separate an optical signal from a single-mode optical fiber. It converts this single signal into multiple signals.

5) Home Area Network (HAN):

A Home Area Network is always built using two or more interconnected computers to form a local area network (LAN) within the home. For example, in the United States, about 15 million homes have more than one computer.

These types of network connections help computer owners to interconnect with multiple computers. This network allows sharing files, programs, printers, and other peripherals.

6) Enterprise Private Network :

Enterprise private network (EPN) networks are build and owned by businesses that want to securely connect numerous locations in order to share various computer resources.

7) Campus Area Network (CAN):

A Campus Area Network is made up of an interconnection of LANs within a specific geographical area. For example, a university campus can be linked with a variety of campus buildings to connect all the academic departments.

8) Virtual Private Network:

A VPN is a private network which uses a public network to connect remote sites or users together. The VPN network uses “virtual” connections routed through the internet from the enterprise’s private network or a third-party VPN service to the remote site.

It is a free or paid service that keeps your web browsing secure and private over public WiFi hotspots.

Summary

• Types of connections in computer networks can be categorized according to their size as well as their purpose
• PAN is a computer network which generally consists of a computer, mobile, or personal digital assistant
• LAN (Local Area Network) is a group of computer and peripheral devices which are connected in a limited area
• WAN (Wide Area Network) is another important computer network that which is spread across a large geographical area
• A metropolitan area network or MAN is consisting of a computer network across an entire city, college campus, or a small region
• WLAN is a wireless local area network that helps you to link single or multiple devices using. It uses wireless communication within a limited area like home, school, or office building.
• SAN is a storage area network is a type of network which allows consolidated, block-level data storage
• System area network offers high-speed connection in server-to-server applications, storage area networks, and processor-to-processor applications
• POLAN is a networking technology which helps you to integrate into structured cabling
• Home network (HAN) is a always built using two or more interconnected computers to form a local area network (LAN) within the home
• Enterprise private network (EPN) networks are build and owned by businesses that want to securely connect various locations
• Campus area network (CAN) is made up of an interconnection of LANs in a specific geographical area
• A VPN is a private network which uses a public network to connect remote sites or users together
• What does LAN stand for? – LAN stands for Local Area Network.
• What is the difference between LAN and WAN? – LAN is a computer network that covers a small geographic area, like a home, office, or group of buildings, while WAN is a computer network that covers a broader area.