CAN and MAN, Campus Area Network (CAN)and Metropolitan Area Network (MAN)

Most important Categories of Computer Networks are Local Area Networks (LAN) and Wide Area Networks (WAN). LAN and WAN are the most widely used terms to describe about Computer Networks. However, another Categories of Computer Networks are also rarely used to describe about Computer Networks. Following are the two other categories, which are used to describe about Computer Networks.

1) Campus Area Networks (CAN) 2) Metropolitan Area Network (MAN).

You can consider Campus Area Networks (CAN) and Metropolitan Area Network (MAN) as the larger versions of Local Area Networks (LAN).

Campus Area Networks (CAN)

Campus Area Networks (CAN) is a computer network consisting of multiple Local Area Networks (LANs), which is connected together in a huge Campus. For example; inside a huge University, a huge Business Park or a huge Hospital, spanned over multiple buildings, spread over 100s of Acres of land area.

Metropolitan Area Network (MAN)

Metropolitan Area Network (MAN) is larger than Campus Area Networks (CAN) when considering the area covered, but, smaller than a Wide Area Networks (WAN). Metropolitan Area Network (MAN) interconnects a number of Local Area Networks (LANs) using a high-bandwidth backbone links inside a city.