| CHARACTERISTICS | Local Area Network (LAN) | Metropolitan Area Network (MAN) | Wide Area Network (WAN) |
| DEFINE | A local area network (LAN) is a network that connects computers and devices in alimited geographical area | A metropolitan area network (MAN) is a high speed network that connects local area network (LAN) in a metropolitan area | A wide area network (WAN) is a network that covers a large geographical area |
| AREA OF COVERAGE | LAN located within the same building (closely positioned group of buildings) such as home,office building and school computer laboratory | MAN connect various locations such as campuses,offices and goverment that are frequently used as links between buildings | WAN located within a countryside and worldwide networks (such as city,country or the world) using a communications channel that combines many types of media such as telephone line,cables and radiowaves |
| DISTANCE | LAN span (cover) distance less than a mile | MAN span (cover) distance up to 100 mile (161km) | WAN span (cover) disntance greater than 100 miles |
| OWNERSHIP | LAN owned and operated by individual organizations | MAN owned and operated by a group of users who jointly own and operate the network | WAN have no ownership |
| NETWORK SIZE | Smaller because it cover only in a building home or office | Large because it can cover intercity or campus | Laregest because it can cover large area of country |
| ADVANTAGES | -Hardware and software can be shared -All the users work can be stored in a central place | Can enhance data transfer efficiently because it connect many computers together | WAN support global market and business |
| DISADVANTAGES | -As data is shared there is greater need for security -A virus can spread more easily | When the network connect many computer in many network the connection can become quite slow | -It is slow in speed -WAN is not very much secure |
| TYPE | LAN | MAN | WAN |
| SPEED | LAN is faster than WAN and MAN because small area coverage | Faster than WAN slower than LAN because it cover intercity | Slower than LAN and MAN because it area coverage is worldwide |
| EXAMPLE | -Sharing printer in a building | -Traffic light system in a city | -Worldwide VPN system -Internet access |
