NETWORK TYPES One way to categorize the different types of computer network designs is y their scope or sca!

e" #or historica! reasons$ the networking industry refers to near!y e%ery type of design as some kind of area network" &ommon e'amp!es of area network types are( )*N + )oca! *rea Network W)*N + Wire!ess )oca! *rea Network W*N + Wide *rea Network ,*N + ,etropo!itan *rea Network S*N + Storage *rea Network$ System *rea Network$ Ser%er *rea Network$ or sometimes Sma!! *rea Network &*N + &ampus *rea Network$ &ontro!!er *rea Network$ or sometimes &!uster *rea Network P*N + Persona! *rea Network -*N + -esk *rea Network )*N and W*N were the origina! categories of area networks$ whi!e the others ha%e gradua!!y emerged o%er many years of techno!ogy e%o!ution" )*N + )oca! *rea Network * )*N connects network de%ices o%er a re!ati%e!y short distance" * networked office ui!ding$ schoo!$ or home usua!!y contains a sing!e )*N$ though sometimes one ui!ding wi!! contain a few sma!! )*Ns .perhaps one per room/$ and occasiona!!y a )*N wi!! span a group of near y ui!dings" 0n T&P10P networking$ a )*N is often ut not a!ways imp!emented as a sing!e 0P su net" 0n addition to operating in a !imited space$ )*Ns are a!so typica!!y owned$ contro!!ed$ and managed y a sing!e person or organization" They a!so tend to use certain connecti%ity techno!ogies$ primari!y Ethernet and Token Ring" W*N + Wide *rea Network( *s the term imp!ies$ a W*N spans a !arge physica! distance" The 0nternet is the !argest W*N$ spanning the Earth" * W*N is a geographica!!y+dispersed co!!ection of )*Ns" * network de%ice ca!!ed a router connects )*Ns to a W*N" 0n 0P networking$ the router maintains oth a )*N address and a W*N address" * W*N differs from a )*N in se%era! important ways" ,ost W*Ns .!ike the 0nternet/ are not owned y any one organization ut rather e'ist under co!!ecti%e or distri uted ownership and management" W*Ns tend to use techno!ogy !ike *T,$ #rame Re!ay and 2"34 for connecti%ity o%er the !onger distances" )*N$ W*N and 5ome Networking( Residences typica!!y emp!oy one )*N and connect to the 0nternet W*N %ia an 0nternet Ser%ice Pro%ider .0SP/ using a road and modem" The 0SP pro%ides a W*N 0P address to the modem$ and a!! of the computers on the home network use )*N .so+ca!!ed pri%ate/ 0P addresses" *!! computers on the home )*N can communicate direct!y with each other ut must go through a centra! gateway$ typica!!y a road and router$ to reach the 0SP" Other Types of *rea Networks( Whi!e )*N and W*N are y far the most popu!ar network types mentioned$ you may a!so common!y

see references to these others( Wire!ess )oca! *rea Network * )*N ased on Wi#i wire!ess network techno!ogy ,etropo!itan *rea Network * network spanning a physica! area !arger than a )*N ut sma!!er than a W*N$ such as a city" * ,*N is typica!!y owned an operated y a sing!e entity such as a go%ernment ody or !arge corporation" &ampus *rea Network * a network spanning mu!tip!e )*Ns ut sma!!er than a ,*N$ such as on a uni%ersity or !oca! usiness campus" Storage *rea Network connects ser%ers to data storage de%ices through a techno!ogy !ike #i re &hanne!" System *rea Network !inks high+performance computers with high+speed connections in a c!uster configuration" *!so known as &!uster *rea Network"