What is WAN (Wide Area Network)?

In computing, the WAN network (Wide Area Network) refers to the largest computer connections, that is, the most extensive and fastest, which cover a large geographical portion of the planet, if not the entire world.

WAN networks incorporate several smaller networks into one, thus interconnecting users separated by enormous distances, with higher transmission rates, and with different layers of data.

This implies the need for machines dedicated entirely to the execution of user programs, the presence of router and switch devices, or the use of subnet masks to connect several hosts.

WAN Network Types

Wide networks can be of different types, for example:

1. Circuit WAN Network

These are telephone dialing networks, which receive full dedication of the bandwidth while the telephone line is used, but they are slow and occupy the telephone line.

2. WAN Network Per Message

It is made up of computers that accept the traffic from each of the network terminals and manage the flow of information through messages that can be automatically deleted, redirected or answered.

3. Packet WAN Network

The information in these cases is divided into small parts and once they reach their destination they are again integrated into the original message.

WAN networks promise to be the IT integration technology of the future, allowing even more instant communication and at all levels of various sectors of the day to day.

WAN network examples

A perfect example of a Wide Area Network is the Internet, also known as the World Wide Web, which allows connection to a huge set of data available online, from anywhere in the world that has an access point and an Internet Service Provider.

The same occurs with national banking networks, which manage secret financial information, or with subscription television networks, which use satellites and other mechanisms to broadcast paid signals to subscribed households.