This key facts covers Quick Reference - LAN vs WAN within LAN and WAN for GCSE Computer Science. Revise LAN and WAN in Networks for GCSE Computer Science with 15 exam-style questions and 16 flashcards. This topic appears less often, but it can still be a useful differentiator on mixed-topic papers. It is section 10 of 10 in this topic. Use this key facts to connect the idea to the wider topic before moving on to questions and flashcards.
Topic position
Section 10 of 10
Practice
15 questions
Recall
16 flashcards
Quick Reference - LAN vs WAN
LAN - Local Area Network:
- Coverage: Small area (single building/campus)
- Owner: Private (one organization)
- Speed: Very fast (1-10 Gbps)
- Cost: Low (one-time hardware)
- Infrastructure: Ethernet, WiFi, switches (owned)
- Example: School network, home WiFi
WAN - Wide Area Network:
- Coverage: Large area (cities/countries/global)
- Owner: Third-party telecoms providers
- Speed: Slower (10-1000 Mbps)
- Cost: High (monthly rental fees)
- Infrastructure: Fiber, satellite, phone lines (rented)
- Example: The Internet, corporate WAN
The Golden Rule:
LAN = Small, fast, privately owned. WAN = Large, slower, third-party infrastructure. Always mention BOTH size AND ownership!