Types of Networks

• Local Area Network (LAN)

A local area network (LAN) is a computer network that interconnects computers within a limited area such as a home, office. A LAN have wires,routers, switches, access points between others. For example inside a office could have more than one local area network separating by departments.

• Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN)

A wireless local area network (WLAN) is a wireless distribution method for two or more devices that use high-frequency radio waves and include an access point to the Internet. A WLAN allows users to move around the coverage area like a home, office, airport while maintaining a network connection.

• Wide Area Network (WAN)

A wide area network (WAN) is a networt that not restricted to a geographical location, although it might be delimited within the bounds of a country or state. In definition a wide area network connects multiples LANs.

• Virtual Private Network (VPN)

A virtual private network (VPN) extends a private network across a public network and encrypts a device’s Internet access through a secure server. It is used for remote employees accessing a business potentially sensitive information or individual users who want to maintain Internet privacy away from home which enables users to send and receive data across shared or public networks as if their computing devices were directly connected to the private network.

• Metropolitan Area Network (MAN)

A metropolitan area network (MAN) is a network that interconnects devices in a geographic area or region larger than that covered by a local area network (LAN) but smaller than the area covered by a wide area network (WAN).

• Personal Area Network (PAN)

A personal area network (PAN) is a computer network for interconnecting electronic devices centered on an individual person's workspace which provides data transmission among devices such as computers, tablets,phones and personal digital assistants in an individual user’s environment.

• Campus Area Network (CAN)

A Campus Area Network (CAN) is a computer network that links the campus like buildings and consists of more than one local area networks (LANs) within the limited geographical area. It can be university campus area network or corporate area network.

• Global Area Network (GAN)

A global area network (GAN) refers to any network that is composed of different interconnected networks (WAN's) that cover an unlimited geographical area.