Title: Differentiate between network types.
Course: Cybersecurity Fundamentals (10302-I) > Section: Examining Computer Networks as a Foundational Element of Cybersecurity

Differentiation may include the following:

- Local Area Networks (LAN)―a collection of computers, peripherals, and other devices that communicate across a network (e.g., wire, fiber optic, wireless) in a single network segment; LANs differ from Wide Area Networks (WANs) in their reliance on local addressing schemes and their ability to operate without knowledge of neighboring networks.
  - LANs rely on local addressing and local network communications protocols (e.g., Address Resolution Protocol [ARP] that are the core differentiator between a LAN and a WAN; LANs are often characterized as being small in size, such as being contained within a room or a building.
  - LANs are frequently referred to by other terms that indicate their tendency for limited size, such as Personal Area Network (PAN), Home Area Network (HAN), or Storage Area Network (SAN).
  - LANs use addressing schemes (e.g., Media Access Control [MAC] addressing) for communication
  - Wireless LANs (WLAN) use wireless technology rather than cables (e.g., WiFi, cellular).
- Wide Area Networks (WAN)―a network of LANs; WANs are primarily focused on routing traffic between local network segments and use technologies and protocols that differ from those employed by LANs.
  - The Internet is the most widely known example of a wide area network.
  - While WANs are sometimes characterized in terms of size as having regional, national, or global scope, the difference in the technologies used is the core differentiator between LANs and WANs.
  - WANs are frequently referred to by other terms that describe the scope of a specific implementation, such as Campus Area Network (CAN), Metropolitan Area Network (MAN), or Global Area Network (GAN).
  - WANs most commonly route traffic at the Internet layer, where routing is determined based on IP addresses and the network identifier (i.e., subnet mask).