What Is A Wide Area Network?

A wide area network (WAN) is the physical Internet. A WAN is a collection of different types of networks that are used to connect one location with another. The term “wide area” refers to the distance between the two locations and does not refer to how big or small either network may be.

A WAN is the network of physical communications lines, fiber optic cables and satellite routes that connect multiple LANs in different locations.

A WAN is the network of physical communications lines, fiber optic cables and satellite routes that connect multiple LANs in different locations. A WAN can be used to connect LANs within a single building or campus, but it also connects sites that are located hundreds or thousands of miles apart.

The most common transmission media used by WANs include copper wire; fiber optic cable; microwave radio waves; satellite systems like Iridium Satellite or Globalstar Satellite; cellular networks such as CDMA2000 1XRTT/EVDO Rev A 3G networks (including UMTS/UMTS-based LTE), GSM/GPRS/EDGE 2G networks (including HSPA+ 4G), CDMA 1xEV-DO Rev B 3G network

A WAN typically consists of one or more intermediate data switches that are used to connect the LANs.

A WAN typically consists of one or more intermediate data switches that are used to connect the LANs. The intermediate data switch can be located anywhere and can consist of a router, an IP-telephone system (IPT), or a private branch exchange (PBX).

The actual physical connections may be made using any technology that supports the desired transmission speed, such as twisted pair copper cabling and fiber optic cable.

The WAN can also include a wide variety of transmission media, including telephone lines and radio frequency links.

The WAN can also include a wide variety of transmission media, including telephone lines and radio frequency links. In fact, the …

An Overview of Wireless Local Area Network Technology

Wireless Local Area NetworkA WLAN provides wireless connectivity over short to long distances with radio waves rather than traditional electrical network cabling. A WLAN extends already existing wired local area networks (LAN) to computers not attached to the LAN directly. The term ‘wireless’ denotes that the system does not require any wires connecting the computers or devices to the network. It uses radio signals for this purpose.

There are four main types of wireless local area networks: single-mode, multimode, bridged, and a packet switch. Each has its pros and cons and can be used for various applications. In single-mode networks, the primary (and least important) mode of connectivity is fixed and the secondary mode covers either one or two modes. Bridged and packet switch networks combine the features of both single and dual-mode networks. The fourth network type offers faster connectivity and provides more efficient power consumption.

An example of a single-mode network involves a laptop computer or a computer in its mobility mode being able to connect to other computers in its home network. Such a situation can be achieved by a wired connection between the laptop and other wireless devices within the home. These devices can be laptops, notebook PCs, cell phones, wireless internet access points (wifi ids), cordless phones, and other wireless local area network devices. Such a scenario would allow the laptop to stay connected to other wireless devices in its home network even when the laptop is moved between locations.

On the other hand, in a multimode arrangement, there are two or more computers that can be securely connected. The most commonly used example is a two-way wireless connection between the laptop and one or more desktops in a home or an office. In this case, the desktop acts as a primary gateway and the laptop is connected …