In this article, we are going to get to know the types of networks in terms of their geography. Concepts that we may have come across many times in network support and we just do not know the differences between them. These differences are our main topic in this article; thus, we are going to discuss these geographical differences of computer networks. Geographically, there are different types of networks that you, as a network expert, must know, and even if you are not a network expert and are just looking for information, we will do our best to explain these networks in simple words in terms of their geographical extent. So, stay with us in this article to discuss this important issue more than before.
What do we learn about in this article?
Types of networks in terms of geography
How many categories the types of networks are geographically divided into?
Types of networks in terms of geography
Usually, when we talk about the types of networks, our minds may point to things like computer networks, CCTV network support, internal networks, etc. While perhaps one of the most important network divisions is geographical one, as this division of network types is considered the most concrete division in terms of geography, which is also applied on a very large scale. As our network becomes bigger and covers more geographical area, we need more equipment and it is necessary to provide equipment to be able setting up our desired network. In the previous articles, we have discussed enough about different network equipment, it is now time to go to broader concepts in computer network support, stay with us.
How many geographical types of networks are?
Before going to the classification of network types in terms of geography and the topic of network maintenance, it is reasonable to say that these divisions may also include special cases. In this article, we will also discuss these specific cases and we will then point to a series of other divisions whose purpose may not be geographically spread. Geographical types of networks are divided into local network, personal network, wide area network, metropolitan network and home network and include more informal divisions such as university (campus) networks. Let’s explain each of these networks.
Personal network
Personal Area Network or PAN may be considered the smallest type of network in terms of geography. This network is managed by one person and is usually used to communicate between personal devices. In order to be able to create this network, we definitely need a higher-level network to be able establishing communication between personal devices. Network and hardware support services are also easier in this type of networks.
Local network
At the higher level of “geographical network types” we have the Local Area Network or LAN. Despite its simplicity, this network is considered one of the most widely used networks and is employed in many places. This network is used to be able to connect devices and especially computers to each other. This network is usually used in offices, schools, buildings, etc., so that information can be established and exchanged between local computers. If you are into computer games and go to video game centers, you have probably dealt with this network a lot.
LAN also has a subsidiary called WLAN, which stands for Wireless Local Area Network. This network does not use cables and wires and communicates through radio waves. WLAN does not need cabling, and because of it, communication between devices is easily established.
LAN has another type of network called Home Networks, which is connected to the wide area network through an Internet Service Provider (ISP) and by a modem. In this way, our network links to a single IP and all our home network devices can connect to the global network.
University (campus) network
This type of network may also be called an organizational network, but it is usually known as a university network or CAN, which stands for Campus Area Network. A network larger than the local network but smaller than the metropolitan network that is managed from one place and its manager can limit access to it. This network is not officially considered as one of the types of networks in terms of geography, however, since it is mentioned in the network affairs, we also introduced this network to you so that you can get acquainted with it.
Wide or global network
At the highest level, we reach the global or wide area network, which is also called WAN, which stands for Wide Area Network. The same network that we all use, and the Internet is embedded in it. This network covers the entire country and its communication is established over long distances. The connection between local and metropolitan networks is made through this network, and we need very advanced and powerful equipment to set up this network.
Virtual Private Network
The virtual private network that we know as VPN may not be one of the type of network in terms of geography, nevertheless, this network acts in such a way the user is connecting to the global network through another network. This connection is a point-to-point virtual connection that can give you access to other private networks.
Metropolitan network
Again, we go up another level in the types of networks in terms of geography and reach the Metropolitan Area Network or MAN. This network is specific to a city and usually to a big one. To set up this network, the optical fiber cables are usually used, which we have discussed a lot about their benefits and efficiency in previous articles. This network is bigger than LAN and certainly smaller than WAN. Using MAN, we can connect LANs to WANs.
