Types of networks

Types of Networks






By Size

• personal area network (PAN)  
  
  
  
  
  • wireless PAN
    
  
  
  
• local area network (LAN)  
  
  
  
  
  • wireless LAN
    
  
  
  
• metropolitan area network (MAN)  
  
• wide area network (WAN)  
  

By Functional Relationship
client-server multitier architecture Peer-to-peer By Network Topology
Ring topology  - A ring topology (more commonly known as a token ring topology)  creates a network by arranging 2 or more hosts in a circle. Data is  passed between hosts through a 'token.' This token moves rapidly at all  times throughout the ring in one direction. If a host desires to send  data to another host, it will attach that data as well as a piece of  data saying who the message is for to the token as it passes by. The  other host will then see that the token has a message for it by scanning  for destination MAC addresses that match its own. If the MAC addresses  do match, the host will take the data and the message will be delivered.  A variation of this topology, the 'star ring' topology, is in common  use today.
The ring topology is still regarded as one of the major network topologies of the networking world.
Mesh topology -  A mesh topology creates a network by ensuring that every host machine  is connected to more than one other host machine on the local area  network. This topology's main purpose is for fault tolerance - as  opposed to a bus topology, where the entire LAN will go down if one host  fails. In a mesh topology, as long as 2 machines with a working  connection are still functioning, a LAN will still exist.
The mesh topology is still regarded as one of the major network topologies of the networking world.
Star topology  - A star topology creates a network by arranging 2 or more host  machines around a central hub. A variation of this topology, the 'star  ring' topology, is in common use today.
The star topology is still regarded as one of the major network topologies of the networking world.
Line topology  - This rare topology works by connecting every host to the host located  to the right of it. Most networking professionals do not even regard  this as an actual topology, as it is very expensive (due to its cabling  requirements)and due to the fact that it is much more practical to  connect the hosts on either end to form a ring topology, which is much  cheaper and more efficient.
Tree topology - A  tree topology, similar to a line topology in that it is extremely rare  and is generally not regarded as one of the main network topologies,  forms a network by arranging hosts in a hierarchal fashion. A host that  is a branch off from the main tree is called a 'leaf.' This topology in  this respect becomes very similar to a partial mesh topology - if a  'leaf' fails, its connection is isolated and the rest of the LAN can  continue onwards.
Bus topology - A bus topology  creates a network by connecting 2 or more hosts to a length of coaxial  backbone cabling. In this topology, a terminator must be placed on the  end of the backbone coaxial cabling - in Michael Meyer's Network+  textbook, he commonly compares a network to a series of pipes that water  travels through. Think of the data as water; in this respect, the  terminator must be placed in order to prevent the water from flowing out  of the network.
The bus topology is still regarded as one of the major network topologies of the networking world.
Hybrid topology  - A hybrid topology, which is what most networks implement today, uses a  combination of multiple basic network topologies, usually by  functioning as one topology logically while appearing as another  physically. The most common hybrid topologies include Star Bus, and Star  Ring.
By Class
Classful  Networks (Classes A - E) - IP addresses are currently distributed using  IPv4 - under this addressing method, all IP addresses are given a class,  A through E. However, the only addresses given out for use by civilians  are classed A through C.[/quote]