Exam Tips - LAN and WAN

Exam Tips - LAN and WAN

Most common exam questions:

• "Difference between LAN and WAN?" → Geographic spread (small vs large) AND ownership (private vs third-party)
• "Example of LAN?" → School network, home WiFi, office network
• "Example of WAN?" → The Internet, corporate multi-site network
• "Why is LAN faster?" → Shorter distances, data doesn't travel far
• "Why is WAN more expensive?" → Need to pay telecoms companies for infrastructure
• "Who owns LAN?" → The organization/individual using it
• "Who owns WAN infrastructure?" → Third-party telecoms providers (BT, Virgin, etc.)

Key comparison facts to memorize:

Aspect	LAN	WAN
Size	Small (1 building)	Large (cities/countries)
Ownership	Private (one organization)	Third-party telecoms
Speed	Fast (1-10 Gbps)	Slower (10-1000 Mbps)
Cost	Low (one-time)	High (monthly fees)

Common mistakes to avoid:

• Only mentioning size without ownership - ALWAYS mention BOTH!
• Saying "LAN is WiFi, WAN is cables" - NO! Both can be wired or wireless
• Forgetting The Internet is a WAN (the biggest one!)
• Not explaining WHY LAN is faster (short distances)
• Not explaining WHY WAN costs more (third-party infrastructure fees)

Perfect exam answer structure:

"Compare LAN and WAN" (4 marks):

LAN covers small geographical area like single building (1 mark).
WAN covers large geographical area like cities or countries (1 mark).
LAN is privately owned by one organization (1 mark).
WAN uses third-party telecommunications infrastructure (1 mark).