Wide Area Network
What is WAN (Wide Area Network)?

A wide area network (WAN) can connect multiple computers together across a large geographical area, often spanning multiple cities or even countries. Typically, organizations use private WAN links to connect their branch offices to their headquarters or their corporate data center. In most cases, organizations don’t build WAN connections themselves, and instead rent leased lines to service providers. Technologies such as SD-WAN and Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS) are often used in WAN connections. Other technologies were used in the past such as X.25, Frame Relay and Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM).

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  • WAN explained
  • How does WAN work?
  • History of WAN
  • Traditional WAN vs SD-WAN
WAN explained
Two people walk by a man working on a laptop.

WAN explained

WAN interconnects multiple Local Area Networks (LAN) over large geographical areas spanning cities, states and even continents using routers installed at each end of the network.

There are two types of WAN: private and public. A private WAN is a network owned and operated by a single organization. It is used to connect devices that are in different parts of the organization, such as different branch offices. A private WAN is typically built using leased lines or dedicated circuits, which provide a high level of security and reliability.

A public WAN, on the other hand, is a network used to connect devices belonging to different organizations. The most common example of a public WAN is the Internet.

HPE Aruba Networking EdgeConnect SD-WAN

Power branch, WAN and security with a secure SD-WAN as the foundational component for architecting a secure access service edge (SASE).

Related topics

What is SD-WAN?

What is SASE?

What is SSE?

What is Intelligent Edge?