What is a WAN Network? – Advantages and Disadvantages of Wide Area Network

WAN stands for Wide Area Network. A WAN network is a computer network that connects computers over a wide geographic area. WAN networks are commonly used to connect offices and remote sites together.

Computers in a WAN are often connected through telephone lines. WANs can be a great way to connect to parts of the world that might be out of reach for a LAN. They can also help to connect two or more LANs together, which can come in handy for businesses with multiple locations. WAN is more expensive than LAN. WAN is not as fast as LAN.

The typical transmission rate for a WAN is anywhere from 56 Kbps to 50 Mbps. This means that you can expect your data to travel at around those speeds when using this type of network.

• A network is like a group of roads that lead from one place to another. It can be used for different things, like connecting ATMs of a bank located in different cities, or NADRA offices in different cities of Pakistan.
• Internet connects millions of users all over the world to share information

Advantages of WAN

Some important advantages of WAN are as follows:

Communication Facility

A large company may operate in multiple locations in a country. The employees can communicate within their establishments using a Wide Area Network (WAN). It saves long-distance phone calls. Videos can be transmitted during conversations.

WAN is another use of the internet, where users can communicate with each other by using the computer systems in their area.

Remote Data Entry

One of the great things about working in a WAN environment is that you can be based in any location and still have access to all of the data you need. For example, if you’re based in Faisalabad but need to access data located in Karachi, you can do so easily through the WAN. This makes working with remote data a breeze and helps you stay organized no matter where you are.

Centralized data

In order to face the internationally expanding business, we need to access all data from the centralized server. By installing WAN, you can access the entire data from all over the world in real-time. It is true that the WAN offers many advantages over LAN. It is cost-effective, reliable, and more secure.

Entertainment

WAN can be a great way to facilitate many types of games and entertainment for users. For example, the Internet is a great source of entertainment. There are many multiplayer games that can be played over WAN.

Disadvantages of WAN

Some important disadvantages of WAN are as follows:

Hardware, Software & Setup Costs

When it comes to setting up a WAN, there’s a lot that goes into it. You need to invest in hardware, software, and manpower, and the costs can add up quickly. However, if you take the time to plan and design your WAN correctly, it can pay off in the long run.

Hardware & Software Management Costs

Managing a WAN can be complex and requires managers to have specialized training. As a result, companies often employ network managers to handle this type of work.

Data Security Concerns:

A poorly-secured WAN puts critical data at risk.

It may expose data to hackers, unauthorized access, and even sabotage. The virus can spread quickly across the WAN if it enters the central backing store. The reason for this is it has the ability to replicate itself and change the program code to its own unique code. This is a very dangerous virus indeed.

Failure of Server

If a server fails, all computers connected to the server are affected. It can cause big problems for the computers that are connected to it.