Networking Essentials: Spotlight on the 6 Types of Network

We can characterize 6 types of networks with the size of the area covered, the number of users connected, the number and types of services available, and the area of responsibility. The most important and famous kinds of networks are:

Local Area Network (LAN)

It is the first and most important part of networks. It provides access to users and end devices in a small geographical area, such as a home network, a small business network, or a network in the same building. The following are the key points for LANs:-

Key Characteristics

• Coverage: Limited to a small geographic area (e.g., a single building).
• Speed: High bandwidth (up to 10 Gbps or more with modern Ethernet).
• Control: Privately administered, often using Ethernet (wired) or Wi-Fi (wireless).
• Devices: Switches, routers, and access points.
• Modern Use: VLANs (Virtual LANs) segment traffic for security/performance; software-defined networking (SDN) enables dynamic management.

Examples: Home networks, office workstations, school labs.

Metropolitan Area Network (MAN)

Metropolitan Area Network (MAN) is the second in the network types that span a physical area, which is more significant than a LAN but smaller than a WAN (e.g., a city). A single entity, such as a large organization, typically operates MANs.  MAN provides a link to the internet in the long run. A MAN usually incorporates several LANs to form a network. This extensive network of MAN’s backbone comprises an optical fiber setup. It is a hybrid network between a LAN and a WAN. It also connects two or more LANs in the same geographic area.

A MAN might connect two different buildings or offices in the same city. However, whereas WANs typically provide low to medium-speed access, MANs offer high-speed connections, such as T1 (1.544Mbps) and optical services. The optical services also provided SONET (the Synchronous Optical Network standard) and SDH (the Synchronous Digital Hierarchy standard). With these services, carriers can give high-speed services, including ATM and Gigabit Ethernet. Devices connecting MANs include high-end routers, ATM, and optical switches.

Key Characteristics:

• Coverage: A city or large campus (e.g., university branches, government offices).
• Speed: High-speed fiber optics (e.g., Metro Ethernet, dark fiber) supporting 10 Gbps–100 Gbps.
• Technologies: MPLS, SONET/SDH, and emerging 5G backhaul.
• Providers: Managed by ISPs or large enterprises.

Examples: City-wide surveillance systems, interconnected hospital networks, and municipal Wi-Fi.

Wide Area Network (WAN)

It is the 3rd type of network providing access to other networks over a wide geographical area, such as across cities, states, and countries, called a Wide Area Network (WAN), which is typically owned and managed by a telecommunications service provider.

The WAN is the opposite of the personal area networks (PANs), local area networks (LANs), campus area networks (CANs), or metropolitan area networks (MANs), which are usually limited to their area of responsibility. The easiest way to understand a WAN is to think of the Internet as a whole, which is the world’s most extensive WAN. The internet is a WAN because, through the use of ISPs, it connects lots of smaller local area networks (LANs) or metro area networks (MANs).

On a smaller scale, a business may have a WAN comprising cloud services, headquarters, and smaller branch offices. In this case, the WAN would connect all of those sections of the business. Computers connected to a wide-area network are often connected through public networks like the telephone. We can also connect them through leased lines or satellites. A WAN gives access through a serial interface, which is generally slow. It provides full-time and part-time connectivity.

Key Characteristics:

• Coverage: Global (e.g., the internet) or private corporate networks.
• Technologies: Leased lines, SD-WAN, VPNs, cellular (4G/5G), and satellite links.
• Speed: Variable (low-latency fiber to slower satellite connections).
• Devices: Core routers, firewalls, and cloud gateways.

Examples: Multinational corporate networks, cloud service backbones.

Wireless LAN(WLAN)

This type of network is similar to a Local Area Network but wirelessly interconnects users and endpoints in a small geographical area. Wireless access points and a network of Wi-Fi routers are examples of WLAN.

Key Characteristics:

• Standards: IEEE 802.11 (Wi-Fi 6/6E offers up to 9.6 Gbps).
• Security: WPA3 encryption, enterprise authentication (RADIUS).
• Use Cases: IoT integration, mesh networks for large spaces.

Examples: Coffee shop Wi-Fi, stadium hotspots, and smart home systems.

Storage Area Network (SAN)

A network infrastructure designed to support file servers and provide data storage, retrieval, and replication.

Key Characteristics:

• Performance: Fibre Channel (16–128 Gbps), iSCSI, or FCoE.
• Redundancy: Dual paths for fault tolerance.
• Use Cases: Database hosting, virtual machine storage, disaster recovery.

Examples: Enterprise SANs using NetApp or Dell EMC solutions.

Personal Area Network (PAN)

A Personal Area Network (PAN) is a computer network for communication between computer devices, including telephones and personal digital assistants, near an individual’s body. The devices may or may not belong to the person in question. A PAN’s reach is typically a few meters.

Key Characteristics:

• Range: Short (up to 10 meters).
• Technologies: Bluetooth, NFC, USB, Zigbee.
• Use Cases: Wearables (smartwatches), file transfers, and smart home devices.

Examples: Smartphone tethering and wireless headphones.

Emerging Trends

• 5G MANs: Enabling low-latency city networks for smart cities.
• SD-WAN: Cloud-driven WAN management, reducing reliance on MPLS.
• Wi-Fi 7: Upcoming 30 Gbps speeds for dense environments.

Before going to the next lessons, take your self-assessment with our free quiz test using the following links.

Quiz 3 Basic Network Component CCNA

Quiz Comparing Switch and Router – CCNA

Quiz What is a Network – CCNA

Types of Network Self-Assessment Quiz CCNA