Compare LAN, MAN and WAN based on the coverage area, speed and cost.

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Accepted Answer

LAN (Local Area Network): covers a small area (100 m to 1000 m, e.g., a school or office), offers very high data transmission speed (up to 1 Gbps or more), and is low-cost since it uses inexpensive hardware. MAN (Metropolitan Area Network): covers a town or city (5 km to 50 km), offers moderate data transmission speed, and costs more than a LAN since it needs more cabling and infrastructure to join distant locations. WAN (Wide Area Network): covers very large areas such as countries or continents, has data transmission speed that fluctuates from very slow to very fast, and has the highest setup, maintenance, and upkeep costs among the three.