Different Types of Computer Networks

Various types of computer network options are available. Networks can be categorized
into computers by both size and purpose.
Network size should be expressed in terms of the geographical area and number of
computers that are part of the network. From devices housed in a single room to millions
of devices distributed around the world.(Williams, 2022)

Some of the most popular computer network types are:

Image 1: (sarkari-naukri,2022)

 PAN (Personal Area Network)

 LAN (Local Area Network)
 MAN (Metropolitan Area Network)
 WAN (Wide Area Network)
 CAN
 WLAN
 SAN
 EPN
 POLAN
 VPN

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Personal Area Network

A Personal Area Network (PAN) is a computer network built around individuals. It

typically consists of a computer, mobile phone, or personal digital assistant. PANs
can be used to establish communication between these personal devices and connect
them to digital networks and the Internet. (Williams, 2022)

Image 2: (Im Techies, 2021)

PAN Properties

The main features of PAN are: 

 Primarily a personal device with a network in a limited area

 Manage IT device connectivity in a single-user environment.

 PAN includes mobile devices, tablets, and laptops.

 You can connect to the Internet wirelessly, called WPAN.

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  Devices used for PAN: wireless mice, keyboards, and Bluetooth systems.
(Williams, 2022)

Local Area Network

A local area network (LAN) is a group of interconnected computers and peripherals in

a limited area such as a school, lab, home, or office building. This is a network that is
widely useful for sharing resources such as files, printers, games, and other
applications. The simplest type of LAN network is connecting computers and printers
in someone's home or office. LANs are commonly used as a type of transmission
medium. This is a network of less than 5000 interconnected devices in multiple
buildings. (Williams, 2022)

Image 3: (Junaid Rehaman, 2022) 

LAN Properties

The main features of LAN network are:

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  This is a private network and is not controlled by an outside regulatory
agency.

 LAN works relatively fast compared to other his WAN systems.

 There are various types of media access control schemes, such as Token Ring
and Ethernet. (Williams, 2022)

Metropolitan Area Network

A metropolitan area network (MAN) is a computer network that spans an entire city,
university campus, or small region. This type of network is larger than a LAN, which
is usually confined to one building or location. Depending on the type of
configuration, this type of network can cover miles to tens of miles. (Williams, 2022)

Image 4: (Arun K. Majumdar, 2019) 

MAN Properties

The main features of MAN networks are:

 Mainly covers cities and towns within a maximum range of 50 km

 The most used medium is fiber optic cable, cable.

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  Data rates suitable for distributed computing applications. Advantages of
MANs. (Williams, 2022)

Wide Area Network

A WAN (Wide Area Network) is another major computer network that spans a large
geographical area. A WAN network system can be a connection of LANs, MANs that
connect to other LANs, MANs via telephone lines and radio waves. (Williams, 2022)

Image 5: (Assinment point)

WAN Properties

The main features of WAN networks are:

 Software files are shared by all users.

 Everyone has access to the latest files.
 Any company can use his WAN to form a global integrated network.
(Williams, 2022)

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Campus area network

A campus area network consists of the interconnection of LANs within a particular

geographic area. For example, a university campus can be connected to different
campus buildings to connect all departments. (Williams, 2022)

Image: Image 6: (Satyabrata Jena, 2020)

Wireless Local Area Network

WLAN (Wireless Local Area Network) helps connect single or multiple devices via
wireless communication within a limited area such as a home, school, or office
building. This allows users to roam within local coverage areas that may be connected

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to a network. Most modern WLAN systems today are based on the IEEE 802.11
standard. (Williams, 2022)

Image 7: (Accolade Wireless, 2018) 

Storage area network

Storage area network is a type of network that provides unified block-level data
storage. It is mainly used to create storage devices such as disk arrays, optical
jukeboxes and tape libraries. (Williams, 2022)

Image 8: (Data center solutions)

Enterprise Private Networks

Enterprise Private Networks (EPN) networks are built and owned by businesses that
want to securely connect a large number of locations to share various computing
resources. (Williams, 2022)

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 Image 9: (Junaid Rehaman, 2022)

Passive Optical Local Area Network

POLAN is a network technology that aids in integration into structured cabling.

Solve your Ethernet protocol and network app support issues. POLAN allows the use
of optical splitters that help separate optical signals from single-mode fiber. Convert
this signal into multiple signals. (Williams, 2022)

Image 10: (Data Flair)

Virtual Private Network:

VPN is a private network that uses a public network to connect to remote locations or
users. A VPN network uses a "virtual" connection that is routed over the Internet from
your company's private network or a third-party VPN service to a remote site. This is
a free or paid service that keeps web browsing safe and private on public Wi-Fi

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hotspots. (Williams, 2022)

Image 11: (Lois, 2019)

Bibliography:

Resource
Notes: Williams, L., 2022. Types of Computer Network: What is LAN, MAN and WAN.
[Online] Guru99. Available at: <https://www.guru99.com/types-of-computer-network.html>
[Accessed 5 August 2022].

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Image 1 Network:  sarkari-naukri. (2022) what is network and how many types.
[Online] Educationcity. Available at: <https://educationcity.in/what-is-network/>
(Accessed: 05 August 2022)

Image 2 Pan: Im Techies. (2021). Personal Area Network – Definition, Uses, Benefits,

and More. [Online] Imtechies. Available at: < https://www.imtechies.com/personal-
area-network/amp/> (Accessed: 05 August 2022)

Image 3 Lan: Junaid Rehaman. (2022). What is local area network (LAN) in

computer [Online] Itrelease. Available at: < https://www.itrelease.com/2021/04/what-
is-local-area-network-lan-in-computer/> (Accessed: 05 August 2022)

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Image 4 Man: Arun K. Majumdar (2019) Optical Wireless Communication for
Broadband Global Internet Connectivity. [Online] Science Direct. Available at:
<https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/computer-science/metropolitan-area-network>
(Accessed: 5 August 2022).

Image 5 Wan: Assinment point. Wide Area Network (WAN). [Online] Assignment
point. Available at: < https://assignmentpoint.com/wide-area-network-wan/>
(Accessed: 5 August 2022).

Image 6 Can: Satyabrata Jena, (2020) Overview of Campus Area Network (CAN).
[Online] Geeks for geeks. Available at: < https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/overview-
of-campus-area-network-can/> (Accessed: 5 August 2022)

Image 7 Wlan: Accolade Wireless, (2018) What is WLAN?. [Online]

Accoladewireless. Available at: <https://www.accoladewireless.com/what-is-wlan/>
(Accessed: 5 August 2022).

Image 8 San: Data center solutions, Storage Area Network (SAN). [Online] Vcenter.
Available at: <https://en.vcenter.ir/storage/storage-area-network-san/> (Accessed: 5
August 2022).

Image 9 Epn: Junaid Rehaman. (2022). What is local area network (LAN) in computer
[Online] Itrelease. Available at: < https://www.itrelease.com/2021/06/what-is-
enterprise-private-network-epn-with-example/> (Accessed: 05 August 2022)

Image 10 Polan: Data Flair, Types Of Computer Network. [Online] Data flair.

Available at: < https://data-flair.training/blogs/types-of-computer-networks/>
(Accessed: 5 August 2022).

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Image 11 Vpn: Lois. (2019). VPN Virtual Private Network. [Online] Medium.
Available at: <https://medium.com/@loch2019/vpn-virtual-private-network-
9dc69a14437a> (Accessed: 05 August 2022)

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