WAN (Wide Area Network)

A wide-area network (WAN) is a computer network that connects smaller networks, or local-area networks (LANs), across great distances. WANs are used by businesses and governments to connect offices, data centers, cloud applications, and other networked sites.

WANs are important for a number of reasons, including:

Communication

WANs allow employees and customers to communicate and share information across regions and countries.

Access to information

WANs allow employees to access the information they need to do their job, even when they're traveling. Students can use WANs to access library databases and university research.

Sharing information with customers

WANs help organizations share information with customers and partner organizations.

WANs can use a variety of technologies for links, including circuit-switched telephone lines, radio wave transmission, and optical fiber. The internet is the worlds largest WAN.