What is a WAN?

• A. A local network confined to a single room.
• B. A network covering a large area, often regional or company-wide.
• C. A wireless personal area network.
• D. A storage area network for servers.

Answer: (B)

A WAN is a network that covers a large geographic area, linking multiple sites such as regional offices or campuses. The Internet is the largest example of a WAN. This differs from a LAN, which is confined to a small area like a single building or room. A wireless personal area network describes very short-range wireless use, such as Bluetooth between nearby devices. A storage area network focuses on connecting storage devices, typically within a data center, not spanning broad distances. In practice, WANs are built over carrier links or the public Internet and often use technologies like MPLS, leased lines, or VPNs to securely connect sites across longer distances.