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Network Types

Types of Networks : LAN, MAN, WAN & PAN complete detail with diagrams

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Amad Arshad
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15 views

Network Types

Types of Networks : LAN, MAN, WAN & PAN complete detail with diagrams

Uploaded by

Amad Arshad
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Computer Networking

Network:
The Network allows computers to connect and communicate with
different computers via any medium. LAN, MAN, and WAN are the three
major types of networks designed to operate over the area they cover.
There are some similarities and dissimilarities between them. One of the
major differences is the geographical area they cover, i.e. LAN covers the
smallest area, MAN covers an area larger than LAN and WAN comprises
the largest of all.

Networks are very important in our lives. Be it a social network or a


computer network, it is essential. Social networks are essential in building
cordial relationships among family, work/ office colleagues, and friends.
Social relationships are built either through personal interaction or social
media. Similarly, there are computer networks that help in building social
relationships. These networks depend upon the speed at which the internet
is provided.

Networks can be categorized depending on size, complexity, level of


security, or geographical range. We will discuss some of the most popular
topologies based on geographical spread.Let us discuss about them in
detail.
There are other types of Computer Networks also, like:

 Personal Area Network (PAN)-


 Local Area Network (LAN) –
 Metropolitan Area Network (MAN) –
 Wide Area Network (WAN) –
Computer Networking
Personal Area Network (PAN)-
PAN is a personal area network having an interconnection of personal
technology devices to communicate over a short distance. It covers only less
than 10 meters or 33 feet of area. PAN has fewer users as compared to
other networks such as LAN, WAN, etc. PAN typically uses some form of
wireless technology. PAN involves the transmission of data between
information devices such as smartphones, personal computers, tablet
computers, etc.

Figure 1 Personal Area Network

Advantages:
 Allows for easy communication between personal devices in close
proximity.
 Can be set up easily and quickly.
 Uses wireless technology, which eliminates the need for wires and cables.
 PANs are designed to be energy efficient, which means that devices can
communicate with each other without draining their batteries quickly.
 PANs are typically secured using encryption and authentication protocols,
which helps to prevent unauthorized access to data and resources.

Disadvantages:
 Limited coverage area.
 May not be suitable for large-scale data transfer or communication.
 PANs typically have limited bandwidth, which means that they may not be
able to handle large amounts of data or high-speed communication.
 May experience interference from other wireless devices.
Computer Networking
Local Area Network (LAN) –
LAN or Local Area Network connects network devices in such a way that
personal computers and workstations can share data, tools, and programs.
The group of computers and devices are connected together by a switch, or
stack of switches, using a private addressing scheme as defined by the
TCP/IP protocol. Routers are found at the boundary of a LAN, connecting
them to the larger WAN.

Figure 2 Local Area Network

Data transmits at a very fast rate as the number of computers linked is


limited. By definition, the connections must be high-speed and relatively
inexpensive hardware (Such as hubs, network adapters, and Ethernet
cables). LANs cover a smaller geographical area (Size is limited to a few
kilometers) and are privately owned. One can use it for an office building,
home, hospital, school, etc. LAN is easy to design and maintain.

A Communication medium used for LAN has twisted-pair cables and coaxial
cables. It covers a short distance, and so the error and noise are minimized.
Early LANs had data rates in the 4 to 16 Mbps range. Today, speeds are
normally 100 or 1000 Mbps. Propagation delay is very short in a LAN. The
smallest LAN may only use two computers, while larger LANs can
accommodate thousands of computers. LAN has a range up to 2km. A LAN
typically relies mostly on wired connections for increased speed and security,
but wireless connections can also be part of a LAN. There is less congestion
in this network.
Computer Networking

Advantages:
 Provides fast data transfer rates and high-speed communication.
 Easy to set up and manage.
 Can be used to share peripheral devices such as printers and scanners.
 Provides increased security compared to WANs.

Disadvantages:
 Limited geographical coverage.
 Limited scalability and may require significant infrastructure upgrades to
accommodate growth.
 May experience congestion and network performance issues with
increased usage.

Metropolitan Area Network (MAN) –


MAN or Metropolitan area Network covers a larger area than that covered by
a LAN and a smaller area as compared to WAN. MAN has a range of 5-
50km. It connects two or more computers that are apart but reside in the
same or different cities. It covers a large geographical area and may serve
as an ISP (Internet Service Provider). MAN is designed for customers who
need high-speed connectivity. Speeds of MAN range in terms of Mbps. It’s
hard to design and maintain a Metropolitan Area Network.

Figure 3 Metropolitan Area Network

There is more congestion in the network. It is costly and may or may not be
owned by a single organization. The data transfer rate and the propagation
delay of MAN are moderate. Devices used for transmission of data through
MAN are Modem and Wire/Cable. Examples of a MAN are part of the
telephone company network that can provide a high-speed DSL line to the
customer or the cable TV network in a city.
Computer Networking

Advantages:
 Provides high-speed connectivity over a larger geographical area than
LAN.
 Can be used as an ISP for multiple customers.
 Offers higher data transfer rates than WAN in some cases.

Disadvantages:
 Can be expensive to set up and maintain.
 May experience congestion and network performance issues with
increased usage.
 May have limited fault tolerance and security compared to LANs.

Wide Area Network (WAN) –


WAN or Wide Area Network is a computer network that extends over a large
geographical area, although it might be confined within the bounds of a state
or country. A WAN could be a connection of LAN connecting to other LANs
via telephone lines and radio waves and may be limited to an enterprise (a
corporation or an organization) or accessible to the public. The technology is
high-speed and relatively expensive.

Figure 4 Wide Area Network


Computer Networking
WAN is difficult to design and maintain. Similar to a MAN, the fault tolerance
of a WAN is less and there is more congestion in the network. Due to long-
distance transmission, the noise and error tend to be more in WAN.
WAN’s data rate is slow since it involves increased distance and increased
number of servers and terminals etc. The speed of WAN ranges from a few
kilobits per second (56-Kbps) to megabits per second (50-Mbps).
Propagation delay is one of the biggest problems faced here. Devices used
for the transmission of data through WAN are Optic wires, Microwaves, and
Satellites. An example of a Switched WAN is the asynchronous transfer
mode (ATM) network and Point-to-Point WAN is a dial-up line that connects
a home computer to the Internet.

Advantages:
 Covers large geographical areas and can connect remote locations.
 Provides connectivity to the internet.
 Offers remote access to resources and applications.
 Can be used to support multiple users and applications simultaneously.

Disadvantages:
 Can be expensive to set up and maintain.
 Offers slower data transfer rates than LAN or MAN.
 May experience higher latency and longer propagation delays due to
longer distances and multiple network hops.
 May have lower fault tolerance and security compared to LANs.

Propagation delay:

Propagation delay in computer networks is the time it takes for a signal to


travel from one end of a circuit to the other. It's measured in nanoseconds or
picoseconds.
Propagation delay is important in computer networking and is calculated by
dividing the distance between the transmitter and receiver by the wave
propagation speed. The fundamental limit on propagation delay is the speed
of light.
Propagation delay is different from network latency, which is the total time it
takes to send an entire message
Network Congestion:

Network congestion is a common issue that occurs when a network's capacity


to handle data is exceeded. It can happen when too many data requests are
Computer Networking
made at once, or when a network node or link is carrying more data than it
can handle.

Fault Tolerance:

Fault tolerance is a system's ability to keep operating even when one or more
of its components fail. In a network, fault tolerance is important for ensuring
that services remain available and reliable.

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