Let us take, for example, that you are in an area like a workplace and you see that the workers there seem to have connected their computers in some way.
And through this connection, they can share the network what you know an area network.
There different types of computer networks that most people have probably never heard about.
There mainly three types of networks, and we are going to discuss them in this article. We have LAN, WAN, and MAN.
We are going in-depth into each network model to see what each of them means.
Table of Contents
LAN
The whole meaning of LAN is Local Area Network. This group of network devices allows communication between several computers that are connected.
They link devices in a way that makes it possible for personal computers and workstations to share data, programs, tools and for webpage to load.
This kind of network typically has private ownership, which has control over it rather than public control.
LAN networks have a short propagation delay than other networks such as MAN and WAN.
The LAN networks cover smaller areas such as colleges, clinics, schools, office areas, etc.
MAN
The definition of MAN is a Metropolitan area network.
This network covers the most extensive space compared to the other two networks.
MAN networks typically cover areas such as small towns and cities.
The network can connect two or more computers in the same city or even a different city. The MAN network is also the most expensive, and they usually are not owned by one person or organization.
WAN
A vast area network or WAN is a network that covers a large area compared to LAN and MAN.
WAN networks cover areas such as the whole country or even continent etc. They are also costly compared to LAN and MAN.
They usually are not owned by one person or organization. They also usually make use of PSTN or satellite medium for creating wide-area networks.
Here are some differences between the three primary network connections.
Difference Between LAN, MAN, And WAN
LAN
LAN means local area network. It has private ownership and not public. The speed at which it transmits is very high.
It also has a shorter propagation delay. LAN networks have much less congestion. LANs also have a more accessible design and maintenance.
It also has more fault tolerance compared to the other networks.
MAN
The ownership of MAN can be either private or public. MAN has an average transmission speed compared to the LAN.
Its propagation level is also moderate. MAN also has more congestion than LAN.
MAN also has a problematic design and maintenance. MAN has less fault tolerance compared to LAN.
WAN
Several organizations typically own them. Wan has a lower transmission speed when compared to LAN and MAN.
WAN also has a very long propagation delay when compared to MAN due to its extensive area coverage. It also has a higher congestion level when compared again to MAN.
The maintenance and design of WAN are also complicated than that of LAN and MAN. WANs also have way less fault tolerance.
· Main differences
One of the main differences between all the three networks is the geographical ground they cover.
LAN covers the smallest area, while WAN covers the most significant area. MAN covers a geographical area that is bigger than LAN but smaller than that of WAN.
LAN networks also usually rely only on hardware and communication devices to carry out their transmissions.
However, this cannot be possible in MAN or WAN since these networks use public, private, or leased communication hardware for their transmission since they cover a much bigger ground than LAN.
Conclusion
This article introduces the main networks that we have in a computing system and their man attributes.
These networks all cover a different level of ground as well as other tools and maintenance. So in case you were wondering about the various computer networks that we have, I am sure that this article has given you a better introduction than any you may have met before.
Since you went through the types of computer network, you might also want to check out the computer firewall, how it works and more.
