Network Types (Professor Messor) Comptia A+ core 1 220-1201

Local Area Network (LAN)

A high-speed network covering a small geographic footprint, such as a building or campus, commonly using Ethernet or Wi-Fi.

Wide Area Network (WAN)

A network spanning large geographic distances to connect distant LANs, typically operating at lower speeds using technologies like MPLS, point-to-point serial, or satellites.

Personal Area Network (PAN)

A small network centered around an individual's personal devices, operating via short-range communication technologies like Bluetooth, IR, and NFC.

Metropolitan Area Network (MAN)

A network covering a city or metropolitan region—larger than a LAN but smaller than a WAN—commonly using Metro Ethernet and relying on right-of-way permissions.

Storage Area Network (SAN)

A high-bandwidth, specialized network providing block-level access to storage devices so they behave like locally attached drives.

Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN)

A wireless LAN based on IEEE 802.11 (Wi-Fi) standards that provides device mobility and can expand coverage using multiple access points.

Right-of-Way (MAN Context)

Legal permission or property arrangements allowing network providers to lay infrastructure along specific geographic pathways.

Geographic Scope Hierarchy of Networks

PAN (smallest) $\rightarrow$ LAN $\rightarrow$ MAN $\rightarrow$ WAN (largest).