A network is any number of in­de­pend­ent computer systems that are in­ter­con­nec­ted so that data exchange is possible. For this to happen, networked systems must be connected logically in addition to phys­ic­ally. The latter is es­tab­lished by special network protocols, such as TCP (Trans­mis­sion Control Protocol). Even just two computers connected to each other can be clas­si­fied as a network.

Networks are set up to transfer data from one system to another, or to share resources, such as servers, databases, and printers on the network. Depending on the size and range of the computer network, you can dif­fer­en­ti­ate between different network di­men­sions. The most important network types include: 

  • Personal Area Networks (PAN)
  • Local Area Networks (LAN)
  • Met­ro­pol­it­an Area Networks (MAN)
  • Wide Area Networks (WAN)
  • Global Area Networks (GAN)

The physical con­nec­tion, which these network types are based on, can be cable-connected or im­ple­men­ted based on wireless tech­no­logy. Physical com­mu­nic­a­tion networks often form the basis for several logical com­mu­nic­a­tion networks, so-called virtual private networks (VPNs). These use a common physical transfer medium e.g. a glass fibre cable, when trans­fer­ring data and are assigned to logically different virtual networks by means of tun­nel­ling software.

Each type of network was developed for specific areas of ap­plic­a­tion, is based on its own tech­niques and standards, and brings different ad­vant­ages and lim­it­a­tions with it.

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Personal Area Network (PAN)

To enable data exchange, modern devices such as smart­phones, tablets, laptops, and desktop computers can be in­teg­rated into a network. This can be wired in the form of a Personal Area Network (PAN).  Common transfer tech­niques include USB or FireWire. The wireless variety is known as Wireless Personal Area Network (WPAN) and is based on tech­no­lo­gies such as Bluetooth, Wireless USB, Insteon, IrDA, ZigBee, and Z-Wave. A wireless Personal Area Network, which can be achieved via Bluetooth, is called Piconet. PANs and WPANs usually only stretch over a few metres, and are therefore not suitable for con­nect­ing devices in different rooms or even buildings.

In addition to the com­mu­nic­a­tion between in­di­vidu­al devices, a Personal Area Network also makes it possible to establish a con­nec­tion to other networks, usually larger ones. This is known as an uplink. Due to the limited range and a com­par­at­ively low data transfer rate, PANs are primarily used to connect peri­pher­al devices in the hobby and en­ter­tain­ment sector. Typical examples include wireless head­phones, game consoles, and digital cameras. Within the Internet of Things (IoT)’s framework, WPANs are re­spons­ible for the com­mu­nic­a­tion of control and mon­it­or­ing ap­plic­a­tions with a low data rates. Protocols such as Insteon, Z-Wave, and ZigBee have been spe­cific­ally designed for smart homes and home auto­ma­tion.

Local Area Network (LAN)

If more than one computer is to be connected to a network, this usually takes the form of a Local Area Network (LAN). Networks like these can include two computers in a private household or several thousand devices in a company. Networks in public in­sti­tu­tions such as those used by public au­thor­it­ies, schools, or uni­ver­sit­ies, are also im­ple­men­ted as LANs. A widely-used standard for wired Local Area Networks is Ethernet. Net­work­ing tech­no­lo­gies such as ARCNET, FDDI, and Token Ring are less common and widely outdated. Data trans­mis­sion is either elec­tron­ic­ally based on copper cables or via fibre optic cables.

If more than two computers are to be connected in one LAN, ad­di­tion­al network com­pon­ents such as hubs, bridges, and switches are needed, which act as coupling elements and dis­tri­bu­tion nodes. The network type LAN was developed to enable fast trans­mis­sion of large amounts of data. Depending on the structure of the network and the trans­mis­sion medium used, a data through­put of 10 to 1,000 Mbit/s is normal. LANs enable con­veni­ent in­form­a­tion exchange between the various devices connected to the network. In a business context, it’s common to share files, network printers, and ap­plic­a­tions via LAN with several computers.

If a local network is im­ple­men­ted via radio, it is referred to as a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN). The WLAN standard’s technical basis is defined by the IEEE 802.11 family of standards. Wireless local networks offer the ability to easily integrate devices into home or corporate networks, and are com­pat­ible with wired Ethernet LANs. However, the data through­put is lower than for an Ethernet con­nec­tion.

The range of a LAN depends on the standard and the trans­mis­sion medium, but can be increased by signal amp­li­fi­ers, known as repeaters. Regarding gigabit Ethernet via glass fibres, a signal range of several miles is possible. However, Local Area Networks rarely stretch across more than one building complex. Multiple LANs can be connected to a superior Met­ro­pol­it­an Area Network (MAN) or Wide Area Network (WAN).

Met­ro­pol­it­an Area Network (MAN)

Met­ro­pol­it­an Area Network (MAN) is a broadband tele­com­mu­nic­a­tion network that connects several LANs in close proximity. As a rule, these are in­di­vidu­al es­tab­lish­ments in a company that are connected to a MAN via leased lines. High-per­form­ance routers and high-per­form­ance fibre-based con­nec­tions are used, which enable a sig­ni­fic­antly higher data through­put than the internet. The transfer speed between two remote nodes is com­par­able to that of com­mu­nic­a­tion within a LAN.

The in­fra­struc­ture for MANs is provided by in­ter­na­tion­al network operators. As a Met­ro­pol­it­an Area Network, wired cities can be in­teg­rated na­tion­ally into Wide Area Networks (WAN) and in­ter­na­tion­ally in Global Area Networks (GAN).

With Metro Ethernet, a special trans­mis­sion tech­no­logy is available for MANs, which can be used to build powerful Metro Ethernet networks (MEN) based on Carrier Ethernet (CE 1.0) or Carrier Ethernet 2.0 (CE 2.0).

A standard for larger regional radio networks, known as Wireless Met­ro­pol­it­an Area Networks (WMAN), was developed with IEEE 802.16. This tech­no­logy known as WiMAX (Worldwide In­ter­op­er­ab­il­ity for Microwave Access) makes it possible to set up WiFi hotspots. These are several WiFi access points working together in different locations. The current trans­mis­sion standard DSL is tech­nic­ally only available where copper cables have been laid.

Wide Area Network (WAN)

While Met­ro­pol­it­an Area Networks connect areas that are near each other in rural or urban areas, Wide Area Networks (WANs) extend across large geo­graph­ic areas, such as countries or con­tin­ents. The number of local networks or in­di­vidu­al computers connected in a WAN is unlimited, in principle. While LANs and MANs can be im­ple­men­ted because of their geo­graph­ic­al proximity to the computers and networks based on Ethernet that are to be connected, tech­no­lo­gies such as IP/MPLS (Mul­ti­pro­tocol Label Switching), PDH (Ple­siochron­ous Digital Hierarchy), SDH (Syn­chron­ous Digital Hierarchy), SONET (Syn­chron­ous Optical Network), ATM (Asyn­chron­ous Transfer Mode) and sometimes the outdated X.25 are used. Wide Area Networks are usually owned by an or­gan­isa­tion or company, and are operated privately or rented. In addition, internet service providers use WANs to connect local company networks and consumers to the internet.

Global Area Network (GAN)

A global network, such as the internet, is referred to as the Globe Area Network (GAN). The internet is, however, not the only computer network of its kind. In­ter­na­tion­ally operating companies also support local networks that comprise of several WANs and connect company computers across the world. GANs use the fibre optic in­fra­struc­ture from wide area networks and combine these with in­ter­na­tion­al undersea cables or satellite trans­mis­sions.

Virtual Private Network (VPN)

A Virtual Privat Network (VPN) is a virtual com­mu­nic­a­tion network that uses the in­fra­struc­ture of a physical network to logically connect computer systems. This can be any of the network types in­tro­duced above, however, the internet is the most common transport medium. This connects nearly all computers worldwide and is available free of charge, as opposed to privately operated MANs or WANs. Data transfer takes place within a virtual tunnel, which is built between a VPN client and a VPN server. If the public network is used as a transport medium, Virtual Private Networks are generally encrypted to ensure that data stays con­fid­en­tial. VPNs are utilised to link LANs over the internet or to enable remote access to a network or a single computer via public con­nec­tion.

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