Network Types - CompTIA A+ 220-1101 - 2.7

Summary

This script explores various network types, focusing on Local Area Networks (LANs) with high bandwidths like Ethernet and 802.11 wireless networks, typically used within buildings or nearby areas. It contrasts these with Wide Area Networks (WANs), which span greater distances and exhibit slower speeds, employing diverse technologies like MPLS and satellite links. The script also touches on Personal Area Networks (PANs) for short-range device connectivity, Metropolitan Area Networks (MANs) for city-wide connections, Storage Area Networks (SANs) for high-speed data access to centralized storage, and the use of Wireless Local Area Networks (WLANs) within buildings, often extended by access points.

Takeaways

• 📡 A LAN is a Local Area Network typically encompassing devices within a building or nearby buildings, characterized by high bandwidths for communication.
• 🔌 Ethernet and 802.11 wireless networks are commonly used for LANs due to their high-speed capabilities.
• 🚫 If your network connection is slower than what these two can provide, you're likely not on a LAN.
• 🌐 A WAN, or Wide Area Network, is used for communication over long distances, such as to another city or country, and generally has slower speeds than a LAN.
• 🌐 WANs can utilize various technologies, including point-to-point serial connections, MPLS, and even satellite links.
• 🎧 A PAN, or Personal Area Network, is used for close proximity connections like connecting a phone to wireless earbuds, and can use technologies like Bluetooth, infrared, or NFC.
• 🏢 PANs are often used in automobiles to connect mobile phones to audio systems and integrate applications like maps and contact lists.
• 🏙️ A MAN, or Metropolitan Area Network, connects locations within the same city or geographical area, often using Metro Ethernet.
• 🏢 MANs are common for governments due to their ability to extend fiber connections between remote sites through existing rights of way.
• 💾 A SAN, or Storage Area Network, is a high-speed network that provides centralized storage access with block-level efficiency, requiring high bandwidth for large file transfers.
• 📡 Wireless Local Area Networks, or WLANs, operate within a limited range and may require additional access points for extended coverage.

Q & A

What is a Local Area Network (LAN)?

A Local Area Network (LAN) is a network that connects devices within a limited geographical area such as a single building or a group of nearby buildings, providing high bandwidth for communication.

What are the typical technologies used for high bandwidth in a LAN?

Ethernet and 802.11 wireless networks are the typical technologies used for high bandwidth in a LAN.

What is the difference between a LAN and a Wide Area Network (WAN)?

A LAN is for local communication within a building or nearby buildings, while a WAN is used for communication over larger distances, such as between cities or countries, and typically has slower speeds due to the greater distances involved.

What are some of the technologies used to connect a Wide Area Network?

Technologies used to connect a WAN include point-to-point serial connections, MPLS, and other wide area network technologies, as well as fiber or satellite links.

What is a Personal Area Network (PAN) and how is it commonly used?

A Personal Area Network (PAN) is a network that covers a small area around an individual and is commonly used for connecting devices such as wireless earbuds to a phone, using technologies like Bluetooth, infrared, or NFC.

How are Metropolitan Area Networks (MAN) different from LANs and WANs?

Metropolitan Area Networks (MANs) connect locations within the same city or geographical area over distances longer than a LAN but shorter than a WAN, often using technologies like Metro Ethernet.

Why are MANs commonly used by governments?

MANs are commonly used by governments because they often have the right of way to install conduits and extend fiber connections between their remote sites within the same city.

What is a Storage Area Network (SAN) and how does it differ from a LAN?

A Storage Area Network (SAN) is a high-speed network that provides centralized storage access, similar to local storage devices but with a much larger capacity. Unlike a LAN, a SAN requires very high bandwidth for efficient data transfer.

What is the role of block-level access in a SAN?

Block-level access in a SAN allows for efficient reading and writing to the centralized storage facility, as it operates at the level of data blocks rather than files, similar to how local storage devices function.

What is a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) and how does it differ from a LAN?

A Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) is a LAN that uses 802.11 wireless networks to connect devices within a building or localized area. It differs from a LAN in that it does not require physical cables for connectivity.

How can the range of a Wireless Local Area Network be extended?

The range of a Wireless Local Area Network can be extended by adding additional access points, which help to increase the total coverage area of the network.