How many types of networks are there?

Types of Networks

Local Area Network (LAN)

A LAN connects devices within a limited area like a home, school, or office building. It allows for high-speed data transfer and resource sharing, such as printers and files.

Wide Area Network (WAN)

WANs cover larger geographic areas, often spanning cities, countries, or even continents. The internet is the most prominent example of a WAN, enabling global communication and data exchange.

Metropolitan Area Network (MAN)

A MAN covers a city or a large campus. It’s larger than a LAN but smaller than a WAN, providing high-speed connectivity within metropolitan regions.

Personal Area Network (PAN)

PANs are used for personal devices within a very short range, typically within a single room. Examples include Bluetooth connections between a smartphone and headphones.

Storage Area Network (SAN)

SANs are specialized networks designed to provide high-speed data transfer between storage devices and servers. They are crucial for data centers and enterprise storage solutions.

Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN)

WLANs are similar to LANs but use wireless communication methods like Wi-Fi. They offer flexibility and mobility for connected devices within a local area.

Campus Area Network (CAN)

CANs connect multiple LANs within a limited geographic area, such as a university campus or a corporate complex, facilitating resource sharing across different buildings.

Virtual Private Network (VPN)

VPNs create a secure connection over a public network, allowing remote users to access a private network safely. They are essential for secure remote work and data protection.

Peer-to-Peer Network (P2P)

In P2P networks, devices connect directly to each other without a central server. This setup is commonly used for file sharing and collaborative applications.

Utilize the Right Resources

Courses

• Grokking System Design Fundamentals: Perfect for beginners to understand networking basics within system design.
• Grokking the System Design Interview: Ideal for interview preparation with a focus on system and network design.

Blogs

• Essential Software Design Principles You Should Know Before the Interview: Covers key networking principles in software systems.
• A Comprehensive Breakdown of Systems Design Interviews: Includes networking's role in system design.

YouTube Resources

• System Design Interview Questions: Focuses on how networking integrates into system design interviews.
• System Design Interview Basics: Provides foundational knowledge for system and network design interviews.

Mock Interviews

• System Design Mock Interview: Get personalized feedback from experienced engineers to enhance your networking interview skills.
• Coding Mock Interview: Improve your problem-solving and technical communication skills relevant to networking scenarios.

By familiarizing yourself with these network types and leveraging the recommended resources from DesignGurus.io, you'll be well-prepared to tackle any networking topic in your studies or interviews!