IT - Learning Aim B - Types of Networks 

Personal Area Network 

A personal area network (PAN) is a computer network for providing data transmission between devices in an individual's workspace, typically within a range of about 10 metres. Devices might include a desktop computer, laptop, smartphone and tablet. 

A PAN can be used to transmit data between devices and connect to a higher-level network or the Internet, with one device taking the role of gateway. 

Devices may be connected via USB, or wirelessly, for example using Bluetooth. 

The difference between a PAN and a wireless LAN is essentially that a PAN is usually centred around one individual, while a WLAN serves multiple users.

Local Area Network 

A local area network (LAN) connects devices within a building or a group of adjacent buildings on a single site such as a school, university campus, hospital or office building. One LAN can be connected to another over any distance, possibly in another country, through telephone lines and radio waves. 

There are two types of local area network: 

• Client- server network

• Peer - to - peer network 

Client-server Architecture 

A local area network within an organisation is typically organised as a client-server network. It has one or more servers, which are computers performing specific functions on the network. Some functions can be combined on a single server, so that for example a single powerful computer can act as both file server and print server. 

The network devices (called clients) are connected to the servers via one or more switches or routers. The connections from the client devices to the switch can be wired or wireless.  

A large network may have several servers each performing one or more functions, for example: 

• Filer server, which holds and manages data for all the client computers 

• Web server, which manages requests to access the internet 

• Mail server,  which manages the email system 

• Print Server, which collects information sent by clients computers to a shared printer, and prints everything in an orderly manner 

Client Side Network diagram

Peer to Peer Networks 

In peer to peer networks, there is no central server. Individual computers are connected to each other, either locally or over a wide area network so they can share files. In small local area network, such as in a home or a small office, a peer-to-peer network is a good choice because: 

• It is cheap to set up

• It enables users to share resources such as a printer or a router

• It is not…