A computer network allows sharing of information and resources between connected computers. There are three main types of networks: local area networks (LANs) which connect computers in a limited area like a home or office; wide area networks (WANs) which span large geographical areas like countries; and metropolitan area networks (MANs) which interconnect users in a region larger than a LAN but smaller than a WAN. Other network types include personal area networks (PANs) around an individual, home networks, enterprise private networks, storage area networks (SANs), campus area networks (CANs), and global area networks (GANs).

1. About
Computer Networking
By: Muhammad Arslan

2. Networking:
A computer network is a communication that allows sharing information and
resource.
Types of Networking
Three major types of networking:
1 ) LAN 2 ) MAN
3 ) WAN
Other types of networking:
i ) Personal Aria Network (PAN)
ii ) Home Network
iii ) Enterprise Private Network

3. LAN (Local Area Network)
A local area network is a computer network that connects computer in
a limited area such as home, school, office building. A LAN is useful for
sharing resource like files, printers, games and other application.

4. WAN (Wide Area Network)
A wan spans a large geographical area, such as a state, country. WAN
connects multiple smaller networks such as local area network or
metro area networks.

5. MAN (Metropolitan Aria Network)
A metropolitan area network is a network that interconnects users with
computer resource in a geographical area or a region than that covered by even
a large local area network but smaller area network covered by WAN .it is used
for interconnection of several local area networks by bridging them backbone
line.

6. Personal Area Network (PAN):
This is a computer network organized around an individual
person. Personal area networks typically involve a mobile
computer, a cell phone or a handheld computing device
such as a PDA. You can use these networks to transfer files
including e-mail and calendar appointments, digital phones
and music.
Home Area Network (HAN):
A home network is two or more computers
interconnected to form a local area network (LAN) within
the home. In the United States, for example, it is estimated
that 15 million homes have more than one computer. A
home network allows computer owners to interconnect
multiple computers so that each can share files, programs,
printers, other peripheral devices, and Internet access with
other computers.
Enterprise Private Network :
An enterprise private network is a computer network that
helps enterprise companies with a number of disparate
offices connects those offices to each in a secure way over a
network. An enterprise private network is mainly set up to
share computer resources

7. Some Other New Types of Networking
Storage Area Network (SAN):
A Storage area network (SAN) is a dedicated network
that provides access to consolidated, block level data
storage. SANs are primarily used to make storage
devices, such as disk arrays, tape libraries, and optical
jukeboxes.
Campus Area Network (CAN):
A Campus area network (CAN) is made up of an
interconnection of LANs within a limited geographical
area.
For example, a university campus network is likely to
link a variety of campus buildings to connect academic
colleges or departments, the library, and student
residence halls.
Global Area Network (GAN):
A Global area network (GAN) is a network used for
supporting mobile across an arbitrary number of
wireless LANs, satellite coverage areas, etc.