 Network (WAN) A WAN is a network that is used to connect LANs by way of a third-party pro- vider. An example would be a frame-relay cloud (provided by a telecom provider) connecting corporate offices in New York, Boston, Los Angeles, and San Antonio. Campus Area Network (CAN) A CAN is a network that connects LANs and/or buildings in a discrete area owned or controlled by a single entity. Because that single entity controls the environment, there may be underground conduits between the buildings that allow them to be connected by fiber. Examples include college campuses and industrial parks. Metropolitan Area Network (MAN) A MAN is a network that connects LANs and/or buildings in an area that is often larger than a campus. For example, a MAN might be used to connect a company's various offices within a metropolitan area via the services of a tele- com provider. Again, be careful of absolutes. Many companies in Manhattan have buildings or data centers across the river in New Jersey. These New Jersey sites are considered to be in the New York metropolitan area, SO they are part of the MAN, even though they are in a different state. Terminology and language are like any protocol: be careful how you use the terms that you throw around in your daily life, but don't be pedantic to the point of annoy- ing other people by telling them when and how they're wrong. Instead, listen to those around you, and help educate them. A willingness to share knowledge is what separates the average IT person from the good one. What Is a Network? CHAPTER 2 Hubs and Switches In the beginning of Ethernet, 10Base-5 used a very thick cable that was hard to work with (it was nicknamed thicknet). 10Base-2, which later replaced 10Base-5, used a much smaller cable, similar to that used for cable TV. Because the cable was much thinner than that used by 10Base-5, 10Base-2 was nicknamed thin-net. These cable technologies required large metal couplers called N connectors (10Base-5) and BNC connectors (10Base-2). These networks also required special 