Classification of Network

Local Area Network (LAN)

Metropolitan Area Network (MAN)

Wide Area Network (WAN)

Definition

A network that connects computers and devices in a limited geographical area.

A high-speed network that connects local area networks (LANs) in a metropolitan area. 

A network that covers a large geographical area. 

Areas of coverage

LANs located within the same building such as home, school computer laboratory, office building.

MANs connect various locations such as campuses, offices and government that are frequently used as links between buildings. 

WANs located within a countryside and worldwide networks, using a communications channel that combines many types of media such as telephone lines, cables and radio waves. The internet is the world’s largest WAN. 

Ownership

LANs are owned and operated by individual organizations.

MANs are owned by a group of users who jointly own and operate the network.

WANs have no ownership. (Anybody can connect to the internet.)

Distance

LANs span distance less than a mile.

MANs span over distance up to 100 miles (161km).

WANs span distance greater than 100 miles.

Example of Network

Personal Area Network (PAN): A type of wireless network that works within a very small area your immediate surroundings. A network personal devices for one individual such as digital camera and mobile phones that designed to enable those devices to communicate and share data.
Home Area Network (HAN): A type of network for homes allowing different computers to share resources, including a common Internet connection.

Campus Area Network (CAN):  A type of a computer network interconnecting a few local area networks (LANs) within a university campus or corporate campus.

Enterprise Private Network (EPN): A type of network built by an enterprise to interconnect various company sites, e.g., production sites, head offices, remote offices, shops, in order to share computer resources.
Virtual Private Network (VPN): A type of private network built over public infrastructure. By using a number of security mechanisms, including encryption, a VPN allows users to securely access a network from different locations using a public telecommunications network, most frequently the Internet.

Advantages

Hardware and software can be shared.
All the users work can be stored in a central place.
Data can be shared because database files stored in the server are available to users around the network.

These are similar to those LAN’s except the scale of sharing etc. becomes far greater and can be world-wide.

Disadvantages

Printing can be slow, long print queues may develop.
A virus can spread more easily.
As data is shared there is a greater need for security.

Encryption of secure data such as financial transactions is necessary because it is even easier to capture data.

Speed

LAN faster than MAN and WAN.

MAN faster than WAN but slower than LAN.

WAN slower than LAN and MAN.