Which type of network typically connects multiple buildings and is used within urban areas?

A Metropolitan Area Network (MAN) is designed to connect multiple buildings within a specific geographic area, generally spanning a city or a large campus. This type of network allows for the effective transmission of data between different locations that are relatively close to one another, unlike a Local Area Network (LAN), which serves a much smaller area such as a single building or a home.

MANs play a crucial role in urban infrastructures, providing high-speed connectivity for various services such as internet access, phone systems, and private data networks for businesses and public institutions. They typically use fiber optics and other high-bandwidth technologies to ensure that data can be transmitted efficiently across the larger distances compared to a LAN.

In contrast, personal and wide area networks (PANs and WANs) serve different purposes. A PAN generally caters to very small areas like a room or a person's personal devices, while WANs extend over much larger geographical areas, possibly covering countries or continents, making them less practical for connecting urban buildings directly.