Computer Networks
Dr. Muhammad Ashraf
Department of Software Engineering,
BUITEMS.
TYPES OF COMPUTER NETWORKS
Depending upon the geographical area covered by a network, it is
classified as:
– Local Area Network (LAN)
– Metropolitan Area Network (MAN)
– Wide Area Network (WAN)
– Personal Area Network (PAN)
2
Local Area Network (LAN)
A LAN is a network that is used for communicating among computer
devices, usually within an office building or home.
LAN’s enable the sharing of resources such as files or hardware devices
that may be needed by multiple users
Is limited in size, typically spanning a few hundred meters,
and no more than a mile
Is fast, with speeds from 10 Mbps to 10 Gbps
Requires little wiring, typically a single cable connecting to each device
Has lower cost compared to MAN’s or WAN’s
3
Local Area Network (LAN)
LAN’s can be either wired or wireless. Twisted pair, coax or fibre optic
cable can be used in wired LAN’s.
Every LAN uses a protocol – a set of rules that governs how packets are
configured and transmitted.
Nodes in a LAN are linked together with a certain topology. These
topologies include:
– Bus
– Ring
– Star
LANs are capable of very high transmission rates (100s Mb/s to G b/s).
4
Local Area Network (LAN)
5
Advantages of LAN
Speed
Cost
Security
E-mail
Resource Sharing
6
Disadvantages of LAN
Expensive To Install
Requires Administrative Time
File Server May Fail
Cables May Break
7
Metropolitan Area Network (MAN)
A metropolitan area network (MAN) is a large computer
network that usually spans a city or a large campus.
A MAN is optimized for a larger geographical area than a
LAN, ranging from several blocks of buildings to entire cities.
A MAN might be owned and operated by a single
organization, but it usually will be used by many individuals
and organizations.
8
Metropolitan Area Network (MAN)
A MAN often acts as a high speed network to allow sharing of
regional resources.
A MAN typically covers an area of between 5 and 50 km
diameter.
Examples of MAN: Telephone company network that provides
a high speed DSL to customers and cable TV network.
9
Metropolitan Area Network (MAN)
10
Wide Area Network (WAN)
WAN covers a large geographic area such as country,
continent or even whole of the world.
A WAN is two or more LANs connected together. The LANs
can be many miles apart.
To cover great distances, WANs may transmit data over leased
high-speed phone lines or wireless links such as satellites.
11
Wide Area Network (WAN)
Multiple LANs can be connected together using devices such
as bridges, routers, or gateways, which enable them to share
data.
The world's most popular WAN is the Internet.
12
Wide Area Network (WAN)
13
Personal Area Network (PAN)
A PAN is a network that is used for communicating among
computers and computer devices (including telephones) in
close proximity of around a few meters within a room
It can be used for communicating between the devices
themselves, or for connecting to a larger network such as the
internet.
PAN’s can be wired or wireless.
14
Personal Area Network (PAN)
A personal area network (PAN) is a computer network used for
communication among computer devices, including
telephones and personal digital assistants, in proximity to an
individual's body.
The devices may or may not belong to the person in question.
The reach of a PAN is typically a few meters.
15
Personal Area Network (PAN)
16
