Network Types

Network Types

Network Types -

PAN (Personal Area Network) -

This is a type of network that is used on a personal level.

Used for connecting things like computer, phones using bluetooth.

Used for transferring small files such as music, photos etc.

LAN (Local Area Network) -

Group of devices such as computers, servers and printers that are basically located in the same building or in close proximity to each other.

The most common type of LAN is ethernet LAN where two or more computers are connected to CAT5 ethernet cables using switch.

MAN (Metropolitan Area Network) -

This is a larger network than a LAN.

It is a network that spans over several buildings and a city or town.

MANs are typically connected using a high speed connection such as fibre optic cable.

WAN (Wide Area Network) -

WAN is the largest type of network.

It is a network that spans over a large geographical area such as a country, continent or even the entire globe.

A good example of WAN is internet.

SCADA/ICS -

SCADA stands for Supervisory Control And Data Acquisition.

This is a software that is used for controlling and monitoring equipment that is used in industrial facilities such as power plants, water treatment or refineries.

SCADA communicates with sensors and systems in real time that are out in these industrial facilities and those sensors and systems send back information to PLCs (Programmable Logic Controllers) and RTUs (Remote Terminal Units) which then sends it to the SCADA computers to be analyzed.

This information could be things like how to reduce waste or how to improve efficiency or if there are any problems.

SCADA is also often referred to as ICS (Industrial Control System).

GSM and CDMA -

GSM stands for Global System for Mobiles.

It is the largest radio system that is being used around the world.

Used by AT&T and T-Mobile.

Widely used in Europe.

Works by changing voice into a digital form and that data is assigned a time slot.

Then as the data is received on the other end, the assigned time slotted data puts the call back together.

CDMA stands for Code Division Multiple Access.

Another radio technology that is not as widely used as GSM.

Used by carriers Verizon and Sprint.

Works by data being encoded with a unique key.

4G LTE/3G/Edge -

4G LTE (4th Generation Long Term Evolution)

Technology developed by 3rd Generation Partnership Project.

Currently is the fastest wireless communication speed.

Speeds of over 100 Mbps.

3G (3rd Generation) -

Speeds anywhere from 384 Kbps - 2 Mbps.

Prior to 3G was EDGE.

EDGE (Enhanced Data rates for GSM Evolution) -

Very slow.

Speeds starting at 75 Kbps.