A metropolitan area network (MAN) is a type of computer network that links computers in an area with many buildings, such as a single large metropolis, several smaller cities, or any other sizeable area. The size of a MAN is more than that of a LAN. But it is less than that of a WAN (WAN). The name “metropolitan” emphasizes the scale of the network, not the demographics of the area it covers. Hence MANs do not need to be in urban areas.
