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A wide-area network (WAN) is a data communications network that spans a large geographic area. WANs have several important characteristics that distinguish them from LANs. The first lesson in this module will provide an overview of WAN technologies and protocols. It will also explain how WANs and LANs are different, and ways in which they are similar. It is important to have an understanding of the physical layer components of a router. This understanding builds a foundation for other knowledge and skills needed to configure routers and manage routed networks. This module provides a close examination of the internal and external physical components of the router. The module also describes techniques for physically connecting the various router interfaces. Students completing this module should be able to: Identify organizations responsible for WAN standards Explain the difference between a WAN and LAN and the type of addresses each uses Describe the role of a router in a WAN Identify internal components of the router and describe their functions Describe the physical characteristics of the router Identify common ports on a router Properly connect Ethernet, serial WAN, and console ports A wide-area network (WAN) is a data communications network spanning a large geographic area such as a state, province, or country. WANs often use transmission facilities provided by common carriers, for example, telephone companies. These are the major characteristics of WANs: They connect devices that are separated by wide geographical areas. They use the services of carriers such as the Regional Bell Operating Companies (RBOCs), Sprint, MCI, VPM Internet Services, Inc., and Altantes.net. They use serial connections of various types to access bandwidth over large geographic areas. A WAN differs from a LAN in several ways. For example, unlike a LAN, which connects workstations, peripherals, terminals, and other devices in a single building or other small geographic area, a WAN makes data connections across a broad geographic area. Companies use a WAN to connect various company sites so that information can be exchanged between distant offices. A WAN operates at the physical layer and the data link layer of the OSI reference model. It interconnects LANs that are usually separated by large geographic areas. WANs provide for the exchange of data packets and frames between routers and switches and the LANs they support. The following devices are used in WANs: Routers offer many services, including internetworking and WAN interface ports. Switches in the WAN provide connectivity for voice, data, and video communication.
Approximate Word count = 1635
Approximate Pages = 6.5
(250 words per page double spaced)
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