CompTIA A+ Certification All-in-One For Dummies
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The following outlines common networking terms you should understand when preparing for the A+ Exams, including local area network (LAN) and wide area network (WAN):
  • LAN: A local area network (LAN) is a network that typically involves one office building, or maybe even networked systems on one floor. The major point to remember when identifying a LAN is that there is not a lot of distance between the systems on the network.
  • WAN: Comparatively, a wide area network (WAN) is a network environment that involves connecting two or more LANs. Each LAN typically covers its own building or office location. Companies typically link each office location to network with the other office locations. Connecting all office locations creates the WAN.
  • MAN: A metropolitan-area network (MAN) is a network bigger than a LAN but not as big as a WAN environment. The MAN covers a small metropolitan area, while a WAN could cover areas across the country or the world.
  • PAN: A personal-area network (PAN) is a network created by smaller personal devices typically using Bluetooth.

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