• What is a WAN network?
• WAN network types
• WAN network examples
• Other types of network

We explain what a WAN network is and the types that exist. Also, various examples and other types of computer networks.

WAN networks incorporate several smaller networks into one.

What is a WAN network?

In computing, is called a WAN network.Wide Area Network, that is, Wide Area Network) to the largest computer connections, that is, the most comprehensive and fastest, covering a large geographic portion of the planet, when not to the whole world.

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

This implies the need for machines dedicated entirely to the execution of programs from Username (hosts), the presence of devices routers and switches, or the use of subnet masks to connect severalhosts.

WAN network types

WAN networks They can be of different types, for example:

• Circuit WAN network. These are telephone dialing networks, which receive the full dedication of the bandwidth while the telephone line is used, but they are slow and occupy the telephone line.
• WAN network per message. It is made up of computers (switches) that accept the traffic from each of the terminals of the net and manage the flow of the information through messages (and information in the header thereof) that can be deleted, redirected or answered automatically.
• Packet WAN network. The information in these cases is divided into small parts (packets) and once they reach their destination they are again integrated into the original message.

WAN networks promise to be the technology integration of the future, allowing even more the communication instantaneous and at all levels of various sectors of the day to day (work, leisure, documentation, shopping, etc.).

WAN network examples

The Internet allows connection to a huge set of data online.

A perfect example of a WAN network is the Internet, also known as world Wide Web (Global Reach Network), which allows connection to a huge set of data available online, from anywhere in the world that has an access point and an ISP (Internet Service Provider, "Internet Service Provider").

The same occurs with national banking networks, which manage secret financial information, or with networks of TV by subscription, they employ satellites and other mechanisms to issue a paid signal to subscribed households.

Other types of network

The scope of a LAN is limited to a defined area of ​​small proportions.

Apart from WAN networks, there are two other types of networks based on their reach:

• LAN networks (Local Area Network). As its name indicates (acronym in English for Local Area Network), these are those networks whose scope is limited to a well-defined area and smallproportionssuch as an apartment, an office, an airplane, and even a building. Without public means of interconnection, LANs operate as a single location network, although they can serve multiple users at the same time.
• MAN networks (Metropolitan Area Network). Its name comes from the acronym in English for Metropolitan Area Network, and it is about high-speed networks and intermediate coverage, which cover a larger geographical area than a LAN (or may contain several of them), such as a portion of a town or a college campus.