COMPARISON OF LAN, MAN, AND, WAN

What is the difference between a LAN, a MAN, and a WAN?

A LAN (local area network) is a group of computers and network devices connected together, usually within the same building. By definition, the connections must be high speed and relatively inexpensive (e.g., token ring or Ethernet). Most Indiana University Bloomington departments are on LANs.


A LAN connection is a high-speed connection to a LAN. On the IUB campus, most connections are either Ethernet (10Mbps) or Fast Ethernet (100Mbps), and a few locations have Gigabit Ethernet (1000Mbps) connections.


A MAN (metropolitan area network) is a larger network that usually spans several buildings in the same city or town. The IUB network is an example of a MAN.


A WAN (wide area network), in comparison to a MAN, is not restricted to a geographical location, although it might be confined within the bounds of a state or country. A WAN connects several LANs, and may be limited to an enterprise (a corporation or an organization) or accessible to the public. The technology is high speed and relatively expensive. The Internet is an example of a worldwide public WAN.

ADVANTAGES AND DISADVATANGES OF MAN

ADVANTAGES Of WAN

• Covers a large geographical area so long distance businesses can connect on the one network
• Shares software and resources with connecting workstations
• Messages can be sent very quickly to anyone else on the network. These messages can have pictures, sounds, or data included with them (called attachments).
• Expensive things (such as printers or phone lines to the internet) can be shared by all the computers on the network without having to buy a different peripheral for each computer.
• Everyone on the network can use the same data. This avoids problems where some users may have older information than others.
• Share information/files over a larger area
• large network cover

DISADVANTAGES Of WAN

• Are expensive and generally slow
• Need a good firewall to restrict outsiders from entering and disrupting the network
• Setting up a network can be an expensive and complicated experience. The bigger the network the more expensive it is.
• Security is a real issue when many different people have the ability to use information from other computers. Protection against hackers and viruses adds more complexity and expense.
• Once set up, maintaining a network is a full-time job which requires network supervisors and technicians to be employed.

DEFINITION OF WIDE AREA NETWORK

WIDE AREA NETWORK (WAN)

DEFINITION

A wide area network is two or more local area networks that are connected together over a wide geographic area. This may be networks located across town, across the state, across the country or across the world. To implement a wide area network, you will need to contract with a telecommunications company to establish the data links.

TYPE OF WAN

-ENTERPRISE PRIVATE NETWORK  (EPN)

AN enterprise private network is a network built by an enterprise to interconnect various company sites such as production sites,head officein order to share computer resource

-VIRTUAL PRIVATE NETWORK  (VPN)

A virtual private network is a computer network in whick some of the links between nodes are carried by open connection or virtual circuit by open connection or virtual circuit in some larger network instead of by physical wires

ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF MAN

ADVANTAGES OF MAN

The biggest advantage of MANs is the bandwidth (potential speed) of the connecting links.

This means that resources (such as databases and files) shared on the network can be accessed extremely quickly.

Some installations allow multiple users to share the same high-speed Internet connection, thereby sharing the cost of the service and securing a better quality of service through collective bargaining and economies of scale.

DISADVANTAGES OF MANs

The key disadvantage of MANs is the cost of the cutting-edge technology employed. Also, this equipment generally has to be installed for the first time, as the copper traditionally used for the phone network is generally considered to be too slow to be annexed for this purpose.

The cost is what inhibits the geographical reach of MANs, which is also another drawback.

DEFINITION OF METROPOLITAN AREA NETWORK

METROPOLITAN AREA NETWORK (MAN) 

 DEFINITION

A metropolitan area network (MAN) is a network that interconnects users with computer resources in a geographic area or region larger than that covered by even a large local area network (LAN) but smaller than the area covered by a wide area network (WAN).

TYPE OF MAN

 -CAMPUS AREA NETWORK

A campus area network of computer network made up of an interconnection of LAN within limited geographical area

ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF (LAN)

ADVANTAGES OF LAN

• Files can be stored on a central computer (the file server) allowing data to be shared throughout an organisation.
• Files can be backed up more easily when they are all on a central fileserver rather than when they are scattered across a number of independent workstations.
• Networks also allow security to be established, ensuring that the network users may only have access to certain files and applications.
• Software and resources can be centrally managed.
• Network versions of software often allow for their speedy installation on workstations from the file server.
• Expensive devices such as laser printers or scanners can be shared.
• Users can access their files from any workstation

DISADVANTAGES OF LAN

• Power - a good LAN is required to be on all the times.
• Security - each computer and device become another point of entry for undesirables.
• Upkeep - when things go wrong or the software gets updated.
• Frustration if having a problem setting up.
• A lot of times a network shares one Internet connection - if all computers running at once, can reduce speed for each.
• Area covered is limited.