A Metropolitan Area Network (MAN) is a type of network infrastructure that serves as an intermediary between Local Area Networks (LANs) and Wide Area Networks (WANs). It encompasses a geographic area larger than that covered by a LAN but smaller than the scope of a WAN. Generally, a MAN spans across a city or a metropolitan region.

In some cases, the term “Metropolitan Area Network” is also applied to the integration of multiple individual LANs within a city, achieved by connecting them through backbone or high-speed communication lines. This interconnection allows for seamless data exchange and resource sharing among the constituent LANs, effectively forming a single, larger network that covers the metropolitan area.