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How is a wide area network different from a local area network?
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information system
A woman taking a driver's license test on a computer, an example of a government using an information system to provide services to citizens.
The primary difference between a local area network (LAN) and a wide area network (WAN) is the geographic scope they cover and the infrastructure used to connect them.12
- Local Area Network (LAN): A LAN connects computers and peripheral devices within a limited physical area, such as an office building, laboratory, or college campus. These networks typically use high-speed links like Ethernet cables, fiber optics, or Wi-Fi to allow users to share resources like printers, storage, and data rapidly.12
- Wide Area Network (WAN): A WAN connects computers and smaller networks across vast geographic distances, spanning cities, countries, and even continents. While they may use cables or fiber optics, they often rely on telephone lines, modems, and satellites to facilitate communication. The Internet is the largest example of a WAN, functioning as a global network of networks.312
In short, while LANs provide high-speed connectivity for localized sites, WANs provide the infrastructure necessary to link those sites over long distances.12