Fundamental Network Classifications

Network in small geographical Area (Room, Building or a Campus) is called LAN (Local Area Network)

Network in a City is call MAN (Metropolitan Area Network)

Network spread geographically (Country or across Globe) is called WAN (Wide Area Network)

Fundamental Network Classifications

Local Area Networks (LANs):

nA local area network (LAN) is a computer network covering a small geographic area, like a home, office, or group of buildings

Wide Area Networks (WANs):

nWide Area Network (WAN) is a computer network that covers a broad area (i.e., any network whose communications links cross metropolitan, regional, or national boundaries). Or, less formally, a network that uses routers and public communications links

nThe largest and most well-known example of a WAN is the Internet.

nWANs are used to connect LANs and other types of networks together, so that users and computers in one location can communicate with users and computers in other locations

Metropolitan Area Network (MAN):

oA metropolitan area network (MAN) is a network that interconnects users with computer resources in a geographic area or region larger than that covered by even a large local area network (LAN)

obut smaller than the area covered by a wide area network (WAN).

oThe term is applied to the interconnection of networks in a city into a single larger network

oIt is also used to mean the interconnection of several local area networks by bridging them with backbone lines. The latter usage is also sometimes referred to as a campus network.