When seeking to understand the different network types and their uses, it is important to first know what a computer network actually is.
What is a Computer Network?
A computer network refers to a connection between two or more computing devices with the intent of transmitting and sharing data, resources, and services available. The devices we are referring to include computers, mobile devices (although you could say these are technically just computers), routers, and hubs. These connections are typically wired or wireless.
When thinking of a wireless network, it is almost impossible to not immediately think of WiFi. When you connect to Wifi, whether it be at the airport, a restaurant, or even at home, you are connecting to that establishment’s wireless network. You are able to roam untethered to any wires that would otherwise be connected to the network’s router. When we connect to wireless networks in places like airports or malls, which typically are pretty large in size, we don’t usually see a drop in our connection. But wait, why is it that when we take 2 steps outside of the front door, our connection to our home’s wifi immediately starts to diminish? Is it because these large establishments purchased some ultra strong wifi packages from their ISP that aren’t available to everyday consumers? Well, not necessarily. These places are likely using a network device known as an Access Point. Access points are used to amplify wifi signals, so that devices on a wireless network can roam further from the network’s router without fear of a diminishing signal.
A wired network is a network that uses cables to connect devices like computer’s mobile devices, and desktops to the internet, or in other cases, another network. The obvious difference between a wired computer network and a wireless computer network, is that with a wired connection, you are tethered to a router. Now, wired networks are widely considered to be faster, and more secure than wireless networks. But it can be argued that with all of the continuous enhancements to wireless networking technology and to networking standards such as WiFi 6, the edge that wired networks once had, is starting to disappear.
There are many different types of Networks. These include PAN, (personal area network), LAN (local area network), WAN (wide area network), MAN (metropolitan area network), and the widely forgotten and least talked about SAN (storage area network). I will provide a brief overview of each of these different types of networks as well as an example of when each of these would be used in a real world setting.
PAN – Personal Area Network
The easiest way to comprehend what a PAN is and the extent of its services is to think about bluetooth. Two devices connecting together within a user’s immediate personal area. When you connect your bluetooth earpiece to your smartphone, you are creating a personal area network. In this specific case your phone is acting as the wireless router. Another example of a PAN that not a lot of people think of is using Apple Pay to checkout at the store. Apple Pay at checkout uses a communication protocol known as NFC (near field communication), to create a connection between your phone and the machine used to accept payment.
LAN – Local Area Network
A local area network is most commonly known as a group of devices that are connected under one physical location. Examples of these locations include offices, buildings, or homes. LANs are probably the most common network types that we connect to on a daily basis. Most of us connect to our employer’s LAN when we walk into work each morning, or maybe we connect to our local coffee shop’s LAN when we decide to get some work done in a social setting.
Shifting our focus to LANs in an office setting. Computers throughout the office will all be connected under the single LAN. The most common LAN connections go through ethernet and wifi (wireless/wired). Once plugged or connected to an office network, users can access companies files, tools and other resources. LANs usually consist of 3 elements, a modem with an internet connection, a router that lets devices connect, and WIFI access points. It is common to have one device that combines all of these functions. Switches are commonly used in larger settings like an office for both enhanced packet delivery and a means for exchanging data when an internet connection is non existent.
WAN – Wide Area Network
Wide area networks are essentially just a collection of connected LANs. These LANs are usually very far away from each other. When trying to understand WANs, I like to think of the company I work for. They have offices that span the entire United States and each office has its own LAN. These LANs then connect to each other via WAN. WANs enable the users to share and access applications, services and other centrally located resources among a corporate headquarters, branch offices across the country, and sometimes data center facilities.
WANs are designed to provide network connectivity over long distances, while LANs typically exist within a confined space. WANs are also known to be much slower than LANs.
MAN – Metropolitan Area Network
Metropolitan area networks can span over several buildings over a city or town. You will usually see MANs connected through fiber optic cables. Personally, when I think of MANs, I associate it with government ownership. This is because they have the ‘right of way’ to put conduit in the ground and extend fiber connections between all of their remote sites.
SAN – Storage Area Network
Storage Area network is a high speed network that stores and provides access to large amounts of data. The data is sometimes referred to as ‘block level’ data. Communicating with SANs usually requires a lot of bandwidth so it is good to keep them isolated on their own high speed networks.
Mak Hurst 