The Complete Guide to Wide Area Networks (WAN)

What is a Wide Area Network?

A wide area network is a network that connects areas of different sizes and shapes. The word “wide” refers to the connection between two or more areas, as opposed to “narrow” which refers to a single connection between two or more small areas.

A WAN is a network of networks that connect different locations to each other. A WAN is the most common way for companies to communicate with each other.

Advantages of WAN (Wide Area Network)

WAN (Wide Area Network) is a type of network where data can be exchanged between different parts of the network. It is a form of communication that allows multiple users to share files, send and receive data and perform other tasks such as file transfers, voice and video calls.

A WAN can also be used for long-distance communication between two points at the same time. In this case, the distance between two points is measured in hops which are called “hops” in networking terms. The number of hops increases with the size of the network; therefore, it can be used to measure how long it takes for a certain amount of data to travel from one point to another point on a WAN link.

Some of the advantages of WAN are as follows:

• Covers vast area – Wan covers an extended geographical area of 1000 km or more If your office is in different cities or countries, you can connect branches of your office via Wan. ISP (Internet Service Provider) can provide you with leased lines from which separate offices can be connected.
• Global Market – Now anyone with computer skills can do internet business and extend their business worldwide. There are also companies such as a shopping cart, selling, and stock sales, etc.
• High bandwidth – when you have leased cables, you have high bandwidth than a standard broadband connection. You can have a high transfer rate which can improve the profitability of your business.

Disadvantages of WAN (Wide Area Network)

A wide area network (WAN) is a type of network which connects multiple computers and phone lines together. It is the backbone of the internet and one of its unique characteristics is that it allows for data to be transmitted across any distance. WANs are used in many different industries such as telecommunication, finance, manufacturing, agriculture and transportation.

When a company needs to transmit large amounts of data from one location to another, it may use WANs instead of using high-priced dedicated satellite or terrestrial cables. The main advantage of using WANs over other types of networks is that they are much cheaper than satellite or terrestrial cables.

However, there are some disadvantages associated with using these networks:

Requires firewalls and antivirus software – The firewall must be activated on the device because data transmitted over the internet could be accessed and modified by a hacker.

Maintenance Issues – Once a WAN network has been created, it is a full-time job that needs high-tech network supervisors and technicians.

Difference between LAN (Local Area Network) and WAN (Wide Area Network)

A LAN is a local area network, which is usually used to share files and printers. A WAN is a network that spans multiple geographical locations.

LANs are more stable than WANs, so they are better suited for short-term tasks such as sending email or uploading files. However, they are not suitable for long-term projects because of the need to constantly update the files being shared on the LAN.

WANs are more reliable than LANs and can be used for long-term projects because of their greater stability. They can also be used to share data across multiple geographical locations without having to worry about updates or security issues.

The difference between LAN (Local Area Network) and WAN (Wide Area Network) is that LAN is a local network, but WAN is a global network.

The main difference between LAN and WAN is in the way of access to the internet. LANs are limited in terms of the number of users that can connect to them, whereas WANs have unlimited connectivity.

The main advantage of using a LAN over a WAN is speed and security.

A LAN will allow you to connect with your friends or colleagues without having to worry about security issues or being worried about your data being stolen.

What Is the Purpose of a WAN Connection?

The purpose of a WAN connection is to connect two systems in order to exchange data. Typically, a WAN connection is used for voice and video communication. However, the same can be achieved with other types of communication as well. A WAN connection can also be used for file transfer or application installation and update.

A WAN connection also has a point of use (PON) and a point of exchange (POE). The PON is the end station that sends and receives data to and from another system. In a POE, there is an intermediate device that receives data from other systems. Data traffic can be transmitted between the end station and the POE.