Different Types of Computer Network. What is PAN, LAN, MAN and WAN?

What are different types of Computer Network communicated till date? Basics of PAN, LAN, MAN & WAN Network.

          There are various types of computer network are used in every day's work & activities. Starting from the very common devices like

Typical Ethernet LAN Diagram

mobile phone, tablets and laptops connected through Wi-Fi, GPRS or Bluetooth within a single room to millions of computers across globally. All these devices are connected either through wire or wireless connectivity. There are basically four types of Network communicate in the computer networking based on area coverage, rate of data transfer ad numbers of devices connected. 

These are as follows: 

1) Personal Area Network(PAN).
2) Local Area Network(LAN).
3) Metropolitan Area Network(MAN).
4) Wide Area Network(WAN).

Personal Area Network (PAN): A few personal devices such as mobile phones, tablet, laptop, desktop computer, printer scanner, OMR are inter connected within the range of 10 meter. This type of network is called Personal Area Network(PAN). This may be connected with wire or without wire. Obviously wire connected network is highly reliable for high speed data transfer. Home network is generally considered as Personal Area Network that is connected via wireless Bluetooth technology is called WPAN.

Local Area Network (LAN): It connects computer, laptop, mobile phone, printer which are placed at a limited distance within a premises or campus of a institute, college, university, laboratory, factory or corporate office. This connection is done via fibre optics, Ethernet cables or Wi-Fi. These type of network can be extended up to one Kilometer. data transfer through LAN Connection is quite high and can be range from 10Mbps to 1000Mbps. More over this network is highly secure because of known user can access other computer within the network.

Metropolitan Area Network (MAN): This is extended form of multiple LAN connectivity within a town or city. Data transfer rate is comparatively lesser than LAN connection. The most well known MAN Connectivity is TV Cable Network or Cable base broadband network. This network can be extended up to range of 50KM Radius.

Wide Area Network (WAN): It is the network among different computers of PAN, LAN, MAN across different geographical location of a country or in different countries or continents. This is wire or wireless connection between different business offices, Educational & Research Centers of an organization located at different places in the world. Internet is best example of WAN that connects billion of computers globally.

Know More at:

1.Evolution of Computer Networking.
2.Different Types of Computer Network.
3.Different Network Devices.
4.Networking Topology.
5.Internet, Web and the Internet Communication.
6. Internet Protocols.
7. Domain Name System.
8. Web Hosting Server.
9. Uniform Resource locator.
10.Web Design & Connectivity.

This tutorial is as per National Council of Educational Research and Training(NCERT) nd National Open School Syllabus.

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