When talking about networking, there are three kinds of area networks that are of importance. They include the:
- local area network;
- metropolitan area network; and
- wide area network.
Local area network
The most common kind of network which spans a small geographical area (e.g., within a building, in a house, or multiple buildings within a campus).
Metropolitan area network
A network that spans a medium-sized geographical area such as a town or city, often spanning across two or more buildings within the same town or city. Not as common as LANs or WANs.
Wide area network
A network that spans across wide geographical locations, often over geographical boundaries (e.g., countries).