Different types of networks

Different types of (private) networks are distinguished based on their size

(in terms of the number of machines), their data transfer speed, and their
reach. Private networks are networks that belong to a single organization.
There are about eight types of networks which are used world wide these
days, both in houses and commercially. These networks are used on the
bases of their scale and scope, historical reasons, preferences for
networking industries, and their design and implementation issues. LAN
and WAN are mostly known and used widely. LAN, local area network was
first invented for communication between two computers

LAN operates through cables and network cards. Later WLAN, Wireless
local area network was formed through LAN concept, there are no wires
involved in communication between computers, and Wireless LAN cards
are required to connect to wireless network. LAN is the original network out
of which other networks are formed according to requirements.
The network types are as follow.
LAN - Local Area Networks
WLAN - Wireless Local Area Networks
WAN - Wide Area Networks
MAN - Metropolitan Area Networks
SAN - Storage Area Networks, It can also refer with names like System
Area Network, Server Area Network, or sometimes Small Area Networks
CAN - Campus Area Network, Controller Area Network, and often Cluster
Area Network
PAN - Personal Area Networks
DAN - Desk Area Networks.
There are two other types of networks: TANs (Tiny Area Network), which
are the same as LANs but smaller (2 to 3 machines).CANs (Campus Area
Networks), which are the same as MANs (with bandwidth limited between
each of the network's LANs).

LAN
LAN stands for Local Area Network. It's a group of computers which all
belong to the same organization, and which are linked within a small
geographic area using a network, and often the same technology (the most
widespread being Ethernet).
A local area network is a network in its simplest form. Data transfer speeds
over a local area network can reach up to 10 Mbps (such as for
an Ethernet network) and 1 Gbps (as with FDDI or Gigabit Ethernet). A
local area network can reach as many as 100, or even 1000, users.
By expanding the definition of a LAN to the services that it provides, two
different operating modes can be defined:
In a "peer-to-peer" network, in which communication is carried out from one
computer to another, without a central computer, and where each computer
has the same role.
in a "client/server" environment, in which a central computer provides
network services to users.
LAN connects networking devices with in short spam of area, i.e. small
offices, home, internet cafes etc. LAN uses TCP/IP network protocol for
communication between computers. It is often but not always implemented
as a single IP subnet. Since LAN is operated in short area so It can be
control and administrate by single person or organization.

MANs
MANs (Metropolitan Area Networks) connect multiple geographically
nearby LANs to one another (over an area of up to a few dozen kilometres)
at high speeds. Thus, a MAN lets two remote nodes communicate as if
they were part of the same local area network.
A MAN is made from switches or routers connected to one another with
high-speed links (usually fibre optic cables).
This kind of network is not mostly used but it has its own importance for
some government bodies and organizations on larger scale. MAN,
metropolitan area network falls in middle of LAN and WAN, It covers large
span of physical area than LAN but smaller than WAN, such as a cit.

WANs
A WAN (Wide Area Network or extended network) connects multiple LANs
to one another over great geographic distances.
The speed available on a WAN varies depending on the cost of the
connections (which increases with distance) and may be low.
As word Wide implies, WAN, wide area network cover large distance for
communication between computers. The Internet it self is the biggest
example of Wide area network, WAN, which is covering the entire earth.
WAN is distributed collection of geographically LANs. A network connecting
device router connects LANs to WANs. WAN used network protocols like
ATM, X.25, and Frame Relay for long distance connectivity.