This key facts covers WAN - Wide Area Network 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 5 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 5 of 10
Practice
15 questions
Recall
16 flashcards
WAN - Wide Area Network
What is a WAN?
A network spanning large geographical areas - across cities, countries, or even continents. WANs connect multiple LANs together over long distances.
Key Characteristics:
- Geographic spread: Cities, countries, continents - potentially worldwide
- Coverage area: Unlimited - can span entire planet
- Ownership: Uses third-party telecommunications infrastructure
- Infrastructure: Relies on telecoms companies (BT, Virgin, Vodafone) for cables, fiber, satellites
- Speed: Slower than LAN - typically 10-1000 Mbps (but improving with fiber)
- Connection: Fiber optic cables, telephone lines, satellite links, microwave links
- Latency: Higher (10-100ms+) - data travels hundreds/thousands of miles
Common WAN Examples:
- The Internet: The world's largest WAN, connecting billions of devices globally
- Corporate WAN: Multinational company linking offices in London, New York, Tokyo
- Banking network: Bank's ATMs and branches connected nationwide
- Mobile networks: 4G/5G networks operated by Vodafone, EE, O2
- Cloud services: AWS, Azure, Google Cloud connecting data centers worldwide
Typical WAN Components:
- Fiber optic cables: High-speed undersea and underground cables
- Satellites: For remote areas or global coverage
- Telephone lines: Older copper infrastructure (ADSL, DSL)
- Routers: Specialized WAN routers at connection points
- Leased lines: Dedicated connections rented from telecoms providers