The term campus network refers to a smaller network within an organization or region. Campus area networks combine multiple Local Area Networks. They combine the capabilities of the networks within one organization or region. The range of a campus network can be significantly lower than that of a wide area network. To understand this more, it is helpful to understand the definition of each. In this article, we’ll briefly define each of these three terms. You may also want to know how to distinguish between CANs and LANs.
CAN
Compared to wide area networks, campus area networks are much smaller in geographic spread. These networks serve as the network between campuses, government buildings, educational facilities, and military bases. Campus area networks extend from a few hundred meters to five kilometers. They are generally owned by the campus, which may be a university, government department, or corporate entity. While they may differ in size and geographic spread, they all provide the same speed of data transfer.
CANs provide Internet access to students and faculty and enable users to share files within the network. This network type provides lower latency than traditional WANs and MANs. As an example, a university English department might request a digital copy of a book from the library. If the library uses CAN, the digital copies would be sent within the building, rather than across the public Internet. In addition, users can share files more quickly since data transfer speed is higher on CANs.
MAN
A MAN is a campus area network that connects various sites together, usually using a single cable. These networks are often smaller than a LAN but have the same range. They generally operate within Layer 2 of the OSI model. They typically belong to a single network provider or consortium of users. The network provider owns the equipment and sells access to the network to end users. MANs may be private or public.
LANs are a great way to connect to other computers in a small geographic area, but their range is limited to a few hundred meters. By comparison, MANs span a wider geographical area, enabling users to connect to the network from a wide range. They also provide moderate Internet speed. However, LANs are more difficult to maintain than MANs, and they typically require high-security personnel.
LAN
The campus area network is a local network that interconnects the networks of different departments in a college or university. It provides a centralized management system and ensures that sensitive information is only accessible by authorized users. Campus area networks typically contain routers and special networking services. Campus area networks are a good option for schools or colleges because they provide security for the information that students and faculty store. In many cases, students are required to obtain a special network account from their school to gain access to the campus area network.
A campus area network is smaller in geographic coverage than a Metropolitan Area Network, and it is generally used in educational campuses and military bases. The range of a Campus Area Network can be between one and five kilometers. The equipment on the network belongs to the campus owner, which could be a university, government department, or a corporate entity. A typical range for a campus area network is 10 meters, but it can be much greater.
