Wide Area Network (WAN)

A wide area network, or WAN, is a network connection connecting one or more LANs together over some distance. For example, the means of connecting two office buildings separated by several kilometers would be referred to as a WAN connection. The size of a WAN and the number of distinct LANs connected to a WAN is not limited by any definition. Therefore, the Internet may be called a WAN.

See Also: Local Area Network (LAN), Metropolitan Area Network (MAN)