2. What is the fundamental distinction between a MAN and a WAN?
The fundamental distinction between a MAN (Metropolitan Area Network) and a WAN (Wide Area Network) lies in their geographical coverage and scope.
1. Geographical Coverage:
- MAN: A MAN covers a larger geographical area than a Local Area Network (LAN) but smaller than a WAN. It typically spans a city or metropolitan area, connecting multiple LANs across different locations within that area.
- WAN: A WAN covers a larger area, such as a country, continent, or even globally. It connects multiple networks across wide geographic distances, often spanning multiple cities or countries.
2. Scope:
- MAN: A MAN is designed to interconnect various LANs and can be privately owned or operated by service providers. It provides high-speed communication within a specific metropolitan area and is usually restricted to a certain region or locality.
- WAN: A WAN connects multiple LANs or MANs together, providing long-distance communication over a large-scale network infrastructure. It allows for communication between different regions, branches, or even countries. WANs are typically owned and operated by telecommunications companies or internet service providers.
In summary, the key distinction is that a MAN covers a smaller area like a city or metropolitan area, while a WAN is designed to span larger distances, connecting multiple LANs or MANs across wider regions or even globally.
The fundamental distinction between a Metropolitan Area Network (MAN) and a Wide Area Network (WAN) lies in their geographical coverage and scale.
1. Metropolitan Area Network (MAN):
- A MAN covers a larger area than a Local Area Network (LAN) but is smaller in scale compared to a WAN.
- It typically spans within a city or metropolitan area.
- It interconnects various LANs and network devices within the same geographical region.
- The transmission technology used for MAN can vary, such as Ethernet, Fiber Distributed Data Interface (FDDI), or Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM).
2. Wide Area Network (WAN):
- A WAN covers a much larger geographic area, often spanning multiple cities, countries, or even continents.
- It interconnects various LANs and MANs across different locations.
- WAN connections can be established using technologies like leased lines, satellites, or public networks like the Internet.
- WANs are designed to provide long-distance communication capabilities and connect geographically dispersed offices or networks.
In summary, a MAN covers a smaller geographic area compared to a WAN and typically connects LANs within a city or metropolitan area, while a WAN covers a much larger area and connects networks across different locations or even countries.