Area network types: LAN, MAN, and WAN
Area network types: LAN, MAN, and WAN
The Network allows
computers to connect and communicate with one another via any form of
communication. The three major types of networks designed to operate over the
area they span are LAN, MAN, and WAN. They have some commonalities and some
differences. One of the most significant distinctions is the geographical
region they cover; LAN covers the smallest area, MAN covers a greater area than
LAN, and WAN covers the largest of all.
There are many different
kinds of computer networks, such as:
Ø PAN (Personal Area Network)
Ø SAN (Storage Area Network)
Ø EPN (Enterprise Private Network)
Ø VPN (Virtual Private Network)
Personal Area Network (PAN)-
A personal area network
(PAN) connects electronic devices in a user's nearest area. A PAN can range in
size from a few millimetres to a few meters. The link between a Bluetooth
earpiece and a smartphone is one of the most common real-world instances of a
PAN. Laptops, tablets, printers, keyboards, and other digital devices can also
be connected via PANs.
Wired or wireless PAN
network connections are available. USB and FireWire are wired connection
techniques, while Bluetooth (the most prevalent), WiFi, IrDA, and Zigbee are
wireless connection methods.
While devices within a
PAN can share data, PANs frequently do not have a router and so cannot connect
to the Internet directly. A device within a PAN, on the other hand, can be
connected to a local area network (LAN), which subsequently connects to the
Internet. A desktop computer, a wireless mouse, and wireless headphones, for
example, can all be linked together, but only the computer can connect directly
to the Internet.
What is a wireless personal area network (WPAN)?
A wireless personal area
network (WPAN) is a group of devices connected without the use of wires or
cables. Today, most PANs for everyday use are wireless. WPANs use close-range
wireless connectivity protocols such as Bluetooth.
The range of a WPAN is usually
very small, as short-range wireless protocols like Bluetooth are not efficient
over distances larger than 5-10 meters.
Advantages of
Personal
Area Network:
Ø Allows
for easy communication between personal devices in close proximity.
Ø Can
be set up easily and quickly.
Ø Uses
wireless technology, which eliminates the need for wires and cables.
Ø PANs
are designed to be energy efficient, which means that devices can communicate
with each other without draining their batteries quickly.
Ø PANs
are typically secured using encryption and authentication protocols, which
helps to prevent unauthorized access to data and resources.
Disadvantages of Personal Area Network:
Ø Limited
coverage area.
Ø 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.
Ø May
experience interference from other wireless devices.
Local Area Network (LAN)
The
Local Area Network (LAN) connects network devices so that computers and
workstations can share data, tools, and programs. A switch, or stack of
switches, connects the computers and devices using a private addressing system
provided by the TCP/IP protocol. Private addresses are distinct from those of
other machines on the local
network.
Routers are found near the LAN's edge, linking it to the broader WAN.
Because
the number of computers linked is limited, data is transmitted at a very quick
rate. By definition, the connections must be made using high-speed and low-cost
hardware (such as hubs, network adapters, and Ethernet cables). LANs are
privately owned and span a smaller geographical area (size is restricted to a
few kilometres). It can be used for a variety of purposes, including business
buildings, homes, hospitals, and schools. LAN is simple to set up and maintain.
Twisted-pair cables and coaxial cables are utilized as LAN communication
medium. Because it travels a small distance, inaccuracy and noise are
minimized.
Early
LANs had data rates ranging from 4 to 16 Mbps. Nowadays, average speeds are 100
or 1000 Mbps. In a LAN, the propagation delay is quite short. Smaller LANs may
only have two computers, whereas larger LANs may have thousands of computers.
The range of LAN is up to 2km. For greater speed and security, a LAN normally
relies on cable connections, however wireless connections can also be included.
A LAN's fault tolerance is higher, and there is less congestion in this
network. As an example, A group of students playing Counter-Strike in the same
room (without access to the internet).
Local Area Network
Advantages of Local Area Network:
Ø Provides
fast data transfer rates and high-speed communication.
Ø Easy
to set up and manage.
Ø Can
be used to share peripheral devices such as printers and scanners.
Ø Provides
increased security and fault tolerance compared to WANs.
Disadvantages of Local Area Network:
Ø Limited
geographical coverage.
Ø Limited
scalability and may require significant infrastructure upgrades to accommodate
growth.
Ø May
experience congestion and network performance issues with increased usage.
Metropolitan Area Network (MAN) –
A
metropolitan area network (MAN) is a computer network that connects computers
within a metropolitan region, which can be a single large metropolis, a group
of cities and towns, or any given large area with several buildings. A
metropolitan area network (MAN) is larger than a local area network (LAN) but
smaller than a wide area network (WAN). MANs are not need to be in urban areas;
the word "metropolitan" refers to the scale of the network rather
than the demographics of the area covered.
In Other Words:
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.
Metropolitan Area Network
The
fault tolerance of a MAN is less and also 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.
Advantages of Metropolitan Area Network:
Ø
Provides high-speed connectivity
over a larger geographical area than LAN.
Ø
Can be used as an ISP for multiple
customers.
Ø
Offers higher data transfer rates
than WAN in some cases.
Disadvantages of Metropolitan Area Network:
Ø
Can be expensive to set up and
maintain.
Ø
May experience congestion and
network performance issues with increased usage.
Ø
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. WAN has a range of above 50 km. 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.
WANs
have been divided into two types: switched WANs and point-to-point WANs.
Designing and maintaining a WAN is difficult. A WAN's fault tolerance is lower
than that of a MAN, and the network is more congested. PSTN or Satellite Link
is a WAN communication medium. Because of the long-distance transmission, noise
and error are more prevalent in WAN.
Because
of the increased distance and number of servers and terminals, the data rate of
a WAN is approximately one tenth of of a LAN. WAN speeds range from a few
kilobits per second (Kbps) to several megabits per second (Mbps). One of the
most serious issues here is propagation latency. Optic lines, microwaves, and
satellites are the devices used for data transfer via WAN. The asynchronous
transfer mode (ATM) network is an example of a Switched WAN, and a dial-up line
that connects a home computer to the Internet is an example of a Point-to-Point
WAN.
Wide Area Network
Advantages of Wide Area Network
Ø
Covers
large geographical areas and can connect remote locations.
Ø Provides connectivity to the internet.
Ø Offers remote access to resources and applications.
Ø Can be used to support multiple users and
applications simultaneously.
Disadvantages
of Wide Area Network
Ø Can be expensive to set up and maintain.
Ø Offers slower data transfer rates than LAN or MAN.
Ø May experience higher latency and longer propagation
delays due to longer distances and multiple network hops.
Ø May have lower fault tolerance and security compared
to LANs.
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