LAN, WAN, or CAN?

[iolair]

This is not a Cisco Certification question, but I couldn't find another forum to post this to. If anyone can point me to a more appropriate forum, please do so.

I work at an educational institution that is physically located on 100 acres, with several buildings connected via various means. One building, 1/2 mile away on the south end of campus connects to the data center via outdoor wireless. Another building is connected via copper in the ground at T1 speed, another building connected via 64KB line, and another building, about 400' from the Data Center is connected via outdoor wireless.

Do I have a LAN, a WAN, or a CAN? What determines which one I have, the line speeds, the number of users, or the physical distance?

Iolair MacWalter
Network Engineer

 

[kodr]

My question would be, how many subnets?

 

[lerdalt]

I'd have to say, yes, you have all three. I consider everything I have within a city limits to be more of the Metro Area Network. Comprised of combination of leased T1 and Ethernet connections, wireless bridges, fiber, etc.

 

[NetworkTek]

I would say you most definitely have a LAN and CAN. Because the scenario you are desribing is multiple LAN's interconnected together in a limited geographical area. A WAN is thought of as spanning a much larger area typically over the internet. So say you have a remote office in Dallas and one in New York that both have lans that are interconnected by a VPN you have then formed a WAN. Then there is also a MAN which are multiple LAN's interconnected together within the same city to form a MAN(Metro Area Network). That's my thoughts on it anyways.

Network+
Inet+
MCP
MCSA 2003
MCTS

 

[Textron68]

LAN – Local Area Network – comprises of a single logical network segment. It does not go beyond a routing device. Routers are used to connect multiple LANs together.

LANs are interconnected with topologies such as CAN, MAN or WAN (All amount to the same thing when looking at the topography)

CAN – Campus Area Network – You own all interconnects between the Routing Devices, whether copper, fiber or wireless. You are not paying a carrier to provide circuits between locations.

MAN – Metropolitan Area Network – Leased circuits within a single carrier region. For example, Leased T1 Point to Point circuit from one side of a city street to the other or across town.

WAN – Wide Area Network – Leased circuits which cross multiple carrier regions.

 

[iolair]

Currently have three subnets, about to add a fourth. The fourth subnet is a new building that will be mostly student access to the internet and for course material.

I have routers on site, and we have a T1 line (hope to convert that soon) to connect us to the internet and to another site that is not managed by me. It's kind of a sister site, I'd have to say without getting into the politics too much.

I'm about to have to give a presentation on this, so I wanted to check and make sure I have my nomenclature right. Thanks very much.

Iolair MacWalter
Network Engineer