1. © ExplorNet’s Centers for Quality Teaching and Learning 1 Classify various types of networks. Objective 109.01 Course Weight 2%

2. © ExplorNet’s Centers for Quality Teaching and Learning 2 LANs and WANs Local Area Network (LAN)  A geographically small network consisting of a group of computers connected in a room or a building. The devices used to connect these computers are composed of routers and simple switches. Wide Area Network (WAN)  A geographically large network consisting of connected LANs. Routers are used to route data from one network to another.

3. © ExplorNet’s Centers for Quality Teaching and Learning 3 Metropolitan Area Network Metropolitan Area Network (MAN)  Are geographically larger than LANs but limited to relatively small geographical areas. MANs typically cover cities or large campuses.  MANs have an IT staff which control the network and, in this respect, differ from WANs because WANs are managed by public communication lines.

4. © ExplorNet’s Centers for Quality Teaching and Learning 4 Personal Area Network Personal Area Network (PAN)  One that covers the area around one person is typically about a 10 foot area.  The technologies used in PANs are Bluetooth and Infrared. Mobile devices on each person connect to other devices in the general vicinity of that person for the purpose of sharing information.  Examples are a person downloading pictures to a photo kiosk at a department store through Bluetooth, a person using a Bluetooth headset, or using a mobile device to control a television through the infrared port.

5. © ExplorNet’s Centers for Quality Teaching and Learning 5 Topologies Topologies are the physical and logical layouts of computer networks.  Physical topology is the way that network devices are laid out on the network.  Logical topology is the way data actually flows through the network.

6. © ExplorNet’s Centers for Quality Teaching and Learning 6 Bus Topology The bus topology has a single cable to which all of the network devices, or nodes, are connected.

7. © ExplorNet’s Centers for Quality Teaching and Learning 7 Star Topology The Star Topology has all network devices connected to a central device such as a hub or a switch.

8. © ExplorNet’s Centers for Quality Teaching and Learning 8 Ring Topology In the Ring Topology, each device is connected to two other devices.

9. © ExplorNet’s Centers for Quality Teaching and Learning 9 Mesh Topology In a Mesh Topology, each network device is connected to every other device. It is the most fault tolerant and most expensive type of topology.

10. © ExplorNet’s Centers for Quality Teaching and Learning 10 Hybrid Topology  A Hybrid Topology consists of two or more types of network topologies. Examples are the Star Ring network or the Star Bus network.  A Star Ring network consists of two star networks that are connected by a multistation access unit used by ring topologies.  A Star Bus network consists of two star networks that are connected by a single cable (bus).