Seven types of networks and their use cases

A computer network is a system of interconnected devices, represented as network nodes, that share information, data, and resources with each other.

Depending on the type of network, a device can be as simple as a computer or smartphone connected to the network. Larger networks use devices such as routers and switches to create the underlying network infrastructure.

Not all networks are the same. There are several main types of networks, each supporting the equipment, size, and location of your system. These networks also have different levels of access and forms of connectivity.

Here are seven common network types, along with their benefits and use cases.

1. Personal Area Network

A personal area network (PAN) is the smallest and simplest type of network. A PAN connects devices within a personal range, no more than about 10 meters (m). Because PANs operate in such a limited spatial area, most are wireless and provide short-range connectivity via infrared technology.

An example of a wireless PAN is when a user connects a Bluetooth device, such as wireless headphones, to a smartphone or laptop. Although most PANs are wireless, wired PAN options also exist, including USB.

(1) PAN advantages

• Portability. Most of the devices connected in a PAN are small and portable.
• Affordability. No additional wiring is required to connect two devices in a PAN, which is generally less expensive than a wired network.
• Reliability. PAN guarantees a stable connection between devices, provided the devices remain within a 10-meter range.
• Security. A PAN is not connected directly to a larger network, but rather to other devices within the larger network. The security of devices in a PAN depends on the security of the intermediate devices within the larger overall network.

(2) PAN use cases

A PAN is a configuration where individual users can connect their devices in their vicinity. An example of this is a body area network, where the user actually wears the connected device. A small home network with computers, printers, and other wireless devices is also considered a PAN.

Looking ahead, PAN could become a key network type in the field of futurology. Some network experts predict that PAN may be able to optimize and enable IoT systems in offices and homes.

2. Local Area Network

A local area network (LAN) is a network of computers and other devices connected to each other within a single area. While a PAN connects devices around an individual, a LAN can range from a few meters in a home to hundreds of meters in a large corporate office. The network topology determines how the devices in a LAN are interconnected.

LANs use both wired and wireless connection options. Wireless LANs (WLANs) have surpassed traditional wired LANs in popularity, but wired LANs are still a more secure and reliable option. Wired LANs use physical cables, such as Ethernet and switches; WLANs use devices such as wireless routers and access points to interconnect network devices via radio frequency waves.

Network administrators can implement security protocols and encryption standards to protect wireless networks. Wired LANs are generally more secure because they require physical cables to form a connection and are less susceptible to compromise.

(1) LAN advantages

LAN supports home office and corporate network environments alike. Users in individual home offices can connect their devices and transfer data between each device with little to no errors. Employees in corporate offices can quickly communicate, share, and access the same data and services provided by their organizations.

The most common use case for WLAN is Wi-Fi. A wireless network can connect multiple devices in one location using Wi-Fi radio signals. But it is important to note that there are differences between WLAN and Wi-Fi. A Wi-Fi network is a WLAN, but not all WLANs use Wi-Fi.

(2) Virtual LAN

A virtual LAN (VLAN) is a LAN configuration that virtually groups network components into segments. Network administrators create VLANs to operate segments as separate systems from the rest of the LAN. VLANs prevent the network from isolating LAN traffic for each segment, thereby improving network performance and efficiency, simplifying network management, and increasing security.

3. Metropolitan Area Network

A metropolitan area network (MAN) is the interconnection of multiple LANs throughout a city, town, or municipality. Like LANs, MANs can use a variety of wired or wireless connection options, including fiber optics, Ethernet cable, Wi-Fi, or cellular networks.

(1) MAN advantages

• Municipal coverage. A MAN can span an entire city or town, extending the network for tens of miles.
• Efficient network standards. MAN configurations typically use the IEEE 802.11 network standard to increase bandwidth capacity and frequency levels, thereby improving network performance.
• High-speed connections. Fiber optic cables are the most popular form of MAN connections because they provide secure and fast connection data rates.

(2) MAN use case

The main purpose of MAN is to provide the same network in multiple locations. In LAN, the network can be accessed at one location. In MAN, organizations that have LANs in the same city (such as different office buildings) can extend their network connectivity to these different locations.

Government entities can also configure MANs to provide public network connections to users. For example, municipalities use wireless metropolitan area network technology to provide free public Wi-Fi to city residents.

4. Campus Network

A campus network (sometimes also called a campus area network or CAN) is a network of interconnected, decentralized LANs. Like a MAN, a campus network extends coverage to nearby buildings. The difference between the two configurations is that a campus network connects LANs within a limited geographic area, while a MAN connects LANs within a larger metropolitan area. The geographic range of a campus network varies from 1 km to 5 km, while a metropolitan area network can extend up to 50 km.

(1) Campus Network Advantages

• Affordability. Campus networks cover a smaller geographic area than MANs, so the infrastructure is cheaper to maintain.
• Easy to configure. Compared with metropolitan area networks, campus networks are easier to build and manage because they cover a smaller area and support fewer devices.
• Wi-Fi hotspot creation. Universities and other organizations with campus networks can set up free Wi-Fi hotspots in high-traffic areas to facilitate access to the network.

(2) Campus Network Use Case

Network administrators often set up campus networks to create a network large enough to cover a school or university. The term campus network might imply that these networks are only for university environments, but enterprises also set up campus networks to distribute a standardized network between buildings in a local area.

5. Wide Area Network

A Wide Area Network (WAN) is the most widespread type of computer network configuration. Like a MAN, a WAN is a connection of multiple LANs that belong to the same network. However, unlike a MAN, a WAN is not limited to within a city. A WAN can extend to any area of ​​the globe. For example, an organization with a corporate office in New York can connect a branch office in London in the same WAN. Users in both locations can access the same data, files, and applications and can communicate with each other.

(1) WAN advantages

• Wide area coverage. WAN provides wider connectivity because the network can be connected from anywhere in the world.
• Improved performance. WANs connect LANs together using links with dedicated bandwidth. These links increase network speeds and provide faster data transfer rates than LANs.
• Improved security. Dedicated links also improve the security of the entire network because the network is only connected to itself, reducing the chances of an attacker hijacking the system.

(2) WAN use case

The main appeal of a WAN is that it improves long-distance network connections. Businesses use WANs to connect branch offices that are far from their headquarters. But businesses aren't the only organizations that can use a WAN. Today, an estimated two-thirds of the world's population uses the Internet, which is the world's most popular and largest WAN.

6. Content Delivery Network

A content delivery network (CDN) is a network of globally distributed servers used to deliver dynamic multimedia content (such as interactive ads or video content) to web-based Internet users. CDNs use specialized servers to deliver bandwidth-intensive rich media content by caching and speeding up delivery times. CDN providers deploy these digital servers at the edge of the global network, creating geographically distributed points of presence.

When a user requests data on the network, the proxy server forwards the data to the nearest CDN server, which encrypts it into a smaller, more manageable file for the network to process, and then passes it to the origin server. The origin server delivers the content to the user.

CDN configuration is fairly simple, and there are many CDN providers to choose from, from which you can purchase services.

(1) CDN advantages

• Fast content delivery. The main goal of a CDN is to quickly load rich media content on your website and reduce latency between requests.
• Improved security. When traffic passes through CDN servers, potential viruses attached to the data are also rerouted to the servers. CDN services mitigate these threats by sending unaffected data over the network.
• Improved site performance. Websites managed by CDNs experience fewer latency and bandwidth limitations. Network downtime caused by traffic spikes is also less likely to occur in networks using CDNs.

(2) CDN Use Cases

CDNs enable the delivery of rich (i.e. dynamic) media. Most websites and applications contain some form of dynamic content, from embedded social media posts to video streaming players. With the large amounts of complex data shared between millions of Internet users every day, CDNs are more important than ever.

7. Virtual Private Network

A Virtual Private Network (VPN) creates a private network overlay over an existing public network. A VPN uses tunneling protocols to create an encrypted connection between the network and the client device. Network traffic travels through the VPN service's secure, encrypted tunnel instead of over the public network, effectively hiding the user's IP address and data from ISPs and network security hackers. The user's location appears to be wherever the VPN server is located.

(1) VPN Advantages

• Privacy and anonymization. Users can browse the web without their ISP monitoring their activities.
• Improved security. Users must authenticate before they can access the VPN. Enterprises can protect corporate data by preventing unauthenticated users from accessing sensitive information.
• Geo-spoofing. Users connected to a VPN appear to be in the same location as the server, whether that’s in an office building or in another country entirely. Users can retrieve company data or access geo-blocked content outside of their country’s borders.

(2) VPN use cases

Research shows that VPNs have grown in popularity in recent years as internet users seek ways to browse the web without being monitored by their ISPs. ISPs can monitor users’ web activity, including sites visited and the type of content downloaded. VPNs hide this information from ISPs while still providing users with access to web services.

VPNs also facilitate remote work for individuals who work away from their office location. A user's device with VPN client software can connect to their organization's VPN server and gain access to their office data center. Using that connection, they can access the same files and resources as employees who are physically in the building. This capability has made VPNs an important tool during the COVID-19 pandemic, when more than a third of the U.S. workforce is working from home, according to the Pew Research Center.

Which network type is best?

There are many more network types, related topologies, and connection methods than the seven listed in this article. Network professionals learning to design networks may wonder which design is best for them. The simple answer: None. Choosing the type of network to configure depends largely on the purpose of the system.

Before network professionals decide which type of network to configure, they should first ask a series of questions about the system. Determining the use case for the network, the types of users and devices the network will serve, and the location of the network will aid in the process of selecting the type of network and connectivity to deploy.