Networking is one of the most important things in our life, network providers use different ways to provide network or internet connections to their users. Two of the most important way through which we can use the network in our daily life are the Personal Area Network and Metropolitan Area Network. The function of these network systems is the same i.e. to cater network services to its users then what is the difference between the two? To know the answer, let’s begin with the article.
Personal Area Network vs Metropolitan Area Network
The main difference between Personal Area Network and Metropolitan Area Network is that a Personal Area Network (PAN) is a computer network centered on a single individual inside a single structure in a house or an office. On the other hand, a Metropolitan Area Network (MAN) is a system that links computers within a metro region, which can be a single large metropolis or any significant area with several properties.
Personal Area Network: Professionals can utilize PAN in a small area of the network, such as inside a small office or home. One or more workstations, cell phones, peripheral devices, game systems, and other personal entertainment systems make up a typical Personal Area Network. It is the interconnectivity of personal gadgets that allows them to communicate across a short distance or within the reach of a single person, generally using wireless automation.
Metropolitan Area Network: A MAN is a computerized network that spans a city, a university campus, or a local region. A MAN is much broader than a LAN, which is usually restricted to a single building or location. Such type of network can span a range of distances from a few miles to dozens of miles, based on the arrangement. A Metropolitan Area Network is frequently used to join multiple LANs to construct a larger network.
Comparison Table BetweenPersonal Area Network and Metropolitan Area Network
What isPersonal Area Network?
A Personal Area Network (PAN) is a computing network that links computers and gadgets within a user’s proximity. It gives a network range often within a range of 10 meters. A Personal Area Network consists of a laptop, smartphone, tablet, printer, PDA (Personal Digital Assistant), and additional entertainment systems such as loudspeakers, gaming systems, and so on.
The notion of PAN was created by Thomas Zimmerman as well as other scholars at M.I.T.’s Media Lab. Its great efficacy in respect of flexibility and efficiency makes it ideal for usage in homes, workplaces, and small network regions.
Classification ofPersonal Area Network: PAN can be classified into two types based on their connection: Wireless PANs and Wired PANs.
1.Wireless Personal Area Network: This type of connection does not require any wire, the connection is possible through wireless technologies such as ultra-wideband, Bluetooth, ZigBee, etc.
2. Wired Personal Area Network: In Wired PAN the connection is made using a wired device such as Firewire or USB.
Advantage of Personal Area Network: PAN spans a small geographical area and it is suitable for personal use. Besides these, there is numerous advantage of a Personal Area Network, such as:
- For small network ranges, Personal Area Network is reasonably versatile and provides great efficiency.
- It is simple to set up and relatively inexpensive.
- It does not necessitate frequent setup and upkeep.
- It is lightweight and portable.
- It is easier to operate and requires less technical knowledge.
What isMetropolitan Area Network?
In communication networks, a Metropolitan Area Network (MAN) typically covers a whole city center or university. It uses high-speed core technologies like fiber optics to link and offers up-link capabilities to the wide-area network and the web.
Communication via a MAN is usually quick, and high-speed transport, such as fiber optic cables, can be used. With the introduction of wireless phones and subsequent networks, a wider range of signal transmission methods is being accessible.
Classification of Metropolitan Area Network: Metropolitan Area Network can be classified into three types, they are as follows:
1.Fiber distribution data connection –The most often used technique for building a Metropolitan Area Network is the fiber channel data interface. Optical fiber is used in its network
2.Asynchronous transfer mode (ATM): It is an electronic transmission technology that was invented in 1980 to make real-time data transfer easier. Similar packets are separated in the ATM database and transmitted over the period.
3.Switch Multi-Megabit Data Service (SMDS) — It is a method of data transmission technique that does not require a connection. Data is transmitted to a connectionless application by saving it on a header that can be sent across any channel to its destination.
Advantage of Metropolitan Area Network: Connection over a large area is possible with the use of MAN, it has improved the communication system which aided the growth and development of an area or a nation as a whole. Besides these, there are other advantages of MAN, such as:
- Because MAN employs fiber optics, data speeds can quickly reach 1000 Mbps. File and database transfers are lightning quick.
- By using MANs, users can share their internet connection. This allows a large number of individuals to share the same high-speed internet connection.
- Metropolitan Area Network offers superior security.
- MAN has a high data efficiency. All MAN data may be readily controlled from a central location.
- Backups can be done fast and easily from a variety of locations.
Main Differences BetweenPersonal Area Network andMetropolitan Area Network
1. Personal Area Network covers an area of 10 meters while Metropolitan Area Network covers an area of 50-60 km.
2. USB, WiFi, IrDA, Zigbee, etc are the methods used for data transmission of Personal Area Network, while Modem and Wire/Cable are the methods used for data transmission in Metropolitan Area Network.
3. Network connection between a Bluetooth earpiece and a phone is an example of Personal Area Network while telephone company network that supplies a high-speed DSL line to its client is the example of Metropolitan Area Network
4. Personal Area Networks are very flexible and portable as compared to Metropolitan Area Networks.
5. Error rates are lowest in Personal Area Network whereas the error rates in Metropolitan Area Network are moderate.
Conclusion
Personal Area Network and Metropolitan Area Network are the two types of networks that provide an internet connection to its user. The main differences between them are the area they cover for transmission of signal and the mode through which the network is provided to its users.
Personal Area Network is suitable for personal networking as it covers smaller areas and uses both wired and wireless connections whereas Metropolitan Area Network is suitable for large-scale networking as it covers a wide range of areas and uses optic fibers for networking which has high speed. Although the manner of network transmission differs between the two, they have the same end purpose, which is “Networking.”
References
- https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S138912860500126X
- https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/abstract/document/1259150/