Date First Published: 29th January 2022
Topic: Computer Networking
Subtopic: Network Setups
Article Type: Computer Terms & Definitions
Difficulty: MediumDifficulty Level: 5/10
Learn more about what a WAN is in this article.
Short for a wide area network, a WAN is a large computer network that is not fixed to a single location and covers a wide geographical area, such as multiple cities. It is the opposite of a LAN, which is a network that connects nearby devices within a limited area. A WAN is designed to connect devices, such as computers, laptops, smartphones, and tablets, that are far apart and can also be known as a 'network of networks'. Any type of network that covers a wide area and is not locally nearby a device is known as a WAN.
WANs are commonly used by large businesses, schools, and government entities to connect their office networks. Each office normally has its own LAN, which connects through a WAN, allowing devices to have an internet connection, regardless of their location. An example of a business having a WAN is that a large business has offices in the United Kingdom and in Turkey. A WAN would be used to enable the employees to share a network or multiple LANs could be connected in different locations to create a WAN.
The internet itself is considered the largest WAN because ISPs are used, which connect a large number of smaller LANs, allowing smaller networks from a range of locations to communicate, regardless of the distance.
The main difference between a WAN and a LAN is that a LAN is used for connecting nearby devices within a limited area rather than a large geographical area, such as homes, offices, buildings and schools. A WAN is the opposite of this. It is a wide area network that can be known as a 'network of networks' as it is a network of computers within a large area. The connection is also far apart, usually formed in different ways, such as a private telecommunications circuit (leased line), a VPN, or an IP tunnel.
A MAN (metropolitan area network) is much larger than a LAN, but smaller than a WAN as a MAN is only used to provide connections across multiple buildings and between 5-50 kilometres in range. A WAN covers a much larger geographical area. The range that a WAN can cover is unlimited.
In the late 1950s, the first WAN was created by the US Force to connect sites in the Semi-Automatic Ground Environment radar defence system. The sites were connected by a large network of exclusive phone lines, telephones, and modems. WANs became established during the 1960s.
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