About Lesson
Types of Networks
PAN – Personal Area Network
- Definition → Definition: A small network designed for personal use, connecting devices like laptops, mobile phones, tablets, printers, or wearable devices within a range of a few meters (usually 10 m).
- Examples:
- Bluetooth connection between phone & headphones.
- USB cable connecting phone to PC.
- Wi-Fi hotspot on a smartphone.
- History & Fact:
- The term PAN was first introduced by Thomas Zimmerman (MIT Media Lab, 1990s) during his research on wireless networking.
- Bluetooth (developed in 1994 by Ericsson) is the most common technology used in PANs.
LAN – Local Area Network
- Definition → A network that connects computers and devices within a limited area like home, office, or campus.
- Coverage → Up to a few kilometers.
- Ownership → Usually owned, controlled, and managed by a single organization or person.
- Advantages: High speed, secure, inexpensive.
- Examples: Computer labs in schools/universities. Office networks. Wi-Fi in homes.
- First practical LAN was developed in 1974 at the University of Cambridge (Cambridge Ring).
- Ethernet, invented by Robert Metcalfe at Xerox PARC in 1973, became the most widely used LAN standard.
WAN – Wide Area Network
- Definition → A network that covers a large geographical area (country, continent, or the entire world).
- Coverage → Unlimited distance.
- Ownership → Usually maintained by multiple organizations or service providers.
- Examples: The Internet (largest WAN). Banking networks (ATMs connected nationwide). Railway reservation systems.
- The first WAN was ARPANET (1969), developed by the U.S. Department of Defense, which later evolved into the Internet.
- Fact: In agriculture, WANs are crucial for e-Extension platforms like e-Choupal (ITC, India, 2000) and Digital Green (2008), which connect farmers from remote areas to global markets, government portals, and real-time weather updates.
Comparison Table
Feature | PAN | LAN | WAN |
Full Form | Personal Area Network | Local Area Network | Wide Area Network |
Coverage | 1–10 m | Up to a few km | Worldwide |
Ownership | Individual | Single organization | Multiple organizations |
Speed | Very High | High | Lower compared to LAN |
Examples | Bluetooth, hotspot | Office Wi-Fi, campus network | Internet, banking network |
In short:
- PAN → Very small, personal (Bluetooth, hotspot).
- LAN → Local, organization-based (office, school).
- WAN → Global, covers huge areas (Internet, ATM network).
Quick Fact Recap:
- PAN → Concept by Thomas Zimmerman (1990s), Bluetooth based.
- LAN → First by Cambridge University (1974); Ethernet by Robert Metcalfe (1973).
- WAN → Started with ARPANET (1969) → Became Internet.
