| Aspect | LAN (Local Area Network) | WAN (Wide Area Network) |
|---|---|---|
| Geographic Spread | Small - single building or campus (up to ~1km) | Large - cities, countries, continents (unlimited) |
| Ownership | Privately owned by organization/individual | Uses third-party telecoms infrastructure |
| Setup Cost | Moderate - one-time hardware purchase | High - ongoing rental/subscription fees |
| Running Costs | Low - just maintenance and electricity | High - monthly fees to telecoms providers |
| Speed | Very fast (100 Mbps - 10 Gbps typical) | Slower (10-1000 Mbps, limited by distance) |
| Latency | Very low (< 1ms) - short cable runs | Higher (10-100ms+) - long distances |
| Reliability | Very reliable - controlled environment | Less reliable - depends on third-party infrastructure |
| Infrastructure | Ethernet cables, WiFi, switches owned by you | Fiber, satellite, phone lines owned by telecoms |
| Maintenance | You maintain and control it | Telecoms company maintains it |
| Security | More secure - physical access control | Less secure - shared infrastructure |
| Example | School network, home WiFi, office network | The Internet, corporate multi-site network |
This comparison covers LAN vs WAN - Direct Comparison within LAN and WAN for GCSE Computer Science. Revise LAN and WAN in 3.5 Fundamentals of Computer Networks for GCSE Computer Science with 18 exam-style questions and 16 flashcards. This topic appears regularly enough that it should still be part of a steady revision cycle. It is section 6 of 11 in this topic. Use this comparison to connect the idea to the wider topic before moving on to questions and flashcards.
Practice questions for LAN and WAN
What does LAN stand for?
State three differences between a LAN and a WAN. [3 marks]