One way to categorize the different types of computer network designs is by the scope or scale of the network. For historical reasons, the networking industry refers to almost any type of design as a type of area network.

Common types of local area networks include:

LAN and WAN are the two most important and well-known categories of local area networks. The other categories have emerged due to technological advancements.

A LAN connects network devices over a relatively short distance. A networked office building, school, or home usually contains a single LAN, although sometimes a single building contains a few small LANs (perhaps one per room), and occasionally a LAN spans a group of nearby buildings. In TCP/IP networks, a LAN is often, but not always, implemented as a single IP subnet.