Networks

A personal area network (PAN)

is a computer network used for data transmission amongst devices such as computers, telephones, tablets and personal digital assistants.

Typically within a range of 10 meters. For example, a person traveling with a laptop, a personal digital assistant, and a portable printer could interconnect them without having to plug anything in, using some form of wireless technology. Typically, this kind of personal area network could also be interconnected without wires to the Internet or other networks.

another usage, a personal area network (PAN) is a technology that could enable wearable devices to communicate with other nearby computers and exchange digital information using the electrical conductivity of the human body as a data network.

Local Area Network (LAN)

A local area network (LAN) is a group of computers and associated devices that share a common communications line or wireless link to a server. Typically, a LAN encompasses computers and peripherals connected to a server within a distinct geographic area such as an office or a commercial establishment. Computers and other mobile devices use a LAN connection to share resources such as a printer or network storage.

Wide Area Network (WAN)

A wide area network (WAN) is a network that exists over a large-scale geographical area. A WAN connects different smaller networks, including local area networks (LANs) and metro area networks (MANs). This ensures that computers and users in one location can communicate with computers and users in other locations. WAN implementation can be done either with the help of the public transmission system or a private network.

WANs are similar to a banking system, where hundreds of branches in different cities are connected with each other in order to share their official data.

A WAN works in a similar fashion to a LAN, just on a larger scale. Typically, TCP/IP is the protocol used for a WAN in combination with devices such as routers, switches, firewalls and modems.

Virtual Private Network (VPN) A virtual private network extends a private network across a public network, and enables users to send and receive data across shared or public networks as if their computing devices were directly connected to the private network. With a VPN, all your traffic is held inside a private, encrypted tunnel as it makes its way through the public internet. You don't access the destination until after you've reached the end of the VPN tunnel.