12.6 NETWORK ORGANIZATION
Computer networks are often classified according to their geographic service areas. The smallest networks are local area networks (LANs). Although they can encompass thousands of nodes, LANs typically are used in a single building, or a group of buildings that are near each other. When a LAN covers more than one building, it is sometimes called a campus network. Usually, the region (the property) covered by a LAN is under the same ownership (or control) as the LAN itself. Metropolitan area networks (MANs) are networks that cover a city and its environs. They often span areas that are not under the ownership of the people who also own the network. Wide area networks (WANs) can cover multiple cities or span the entire ...
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