What does PAN refer to in networking?

PAN stands for Personal Area Network, which is a technology used for connecting devices in a limited area, typically within the range of a few meters. It is generally utilized for personal devices like smartphones, tablets, laptops, and wearable technology. The main characteristic of a PAN is its focus on short-range communication, often utilizing technologies like Bluetooth or infrared.

Personal Area Networks are designed to facilitate communication among devices that might be carried by a single user. This makes them particularly useful for scenarios such as connecting a smartphone to a wireless headset, syncing data with a smartwatch, or transferring files between devices without requiring an intermediary network.

Understanding PAN helps differentiate it from other types of networks, such as LAN (Local Area Network) or WAN (Wide Area Network), which cover larger geographic areas and support more extensive networking capabilities.