Table of Contents
Difference between LAN, MAN, and WAN Networks
What is LAN?
LAN stands for local area network. It is a collection of network hardware that enables communication among multiple linked devices. The local area network is under private ownership rather than public authority. In comparison to MAN and WAN, LAN has a shorter propagation latency. It includes smaller regions like universities, schools, hospitals, and so forth.
What is MAN?
MAN stands for metropolitan area network. Compared to LAN, it spans a wider region, including cities and small towns. MAN links computers that are located in the same city or in other cities. MAN is expensive and ought to be owned by one organization, but it might not.
What is WAN?
WAN stands for wide area network. It covers a larger region than both a LAN and a MAN, such as an entire country or continent. A single organization should own a WAN because it is expensive. For broad area networks, satellite or PSTN media are employed.
Fig: Difference between LAN, WAN, and MAn network
What is the Difference between LAN MAN and WAN Networks
| Parameters | LAN (Local Area Networks) | MAN (Metropolitan Area Networks) | WAN (Wide Area Networks) |
| Scope | Small geographic area | Metropolitan area (city) | Wide geographical area |
| Size | Typically covers a building or campus | Covers a city or town | Covers multiple cities, regions, or countries |
| Ownership | Private or corporate | Private or public | Private or public |
| Transmission Speed | High speed (e.g., 10 Mbps to 1 Gbps) | High speed (e.g., 10 Mbps to 1 Gbps) | Variable speed (e.g., 56 Kbps to 10 Gbps) |
| Technologies | Ethernet, Wi-Fi, etc. | Ethernet, SONET, DWDM, etc. | MPLS, SD-WAN, Internet, etc. |
| Distance | Internet, Global Corporate networks | Medium range (tens of kilometers) | Short range (a few kilometers) |
| Topology | Bus, Star, Ring, Mesh, etc. | Ring, Star, Mesh, etc. | Point-to-point, Hub and Spoke, etc. |
| Cost | Relatively lower cost | Higher cost than LAN, but lower than WAN | Higher cost than LAN and MAN |
| Examples | Home or office networks | City-wide network for universities or government | Internet, Global corporate networks |
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