Advantages and Disadvantages of WAN (Wide Area Network)| Characteristics and Features

Through this article, we will explore about many advantages and disadvantages of WAN; involving with characteristics and features of WAN (Wide Area Network) with ease. Make ensure that after reading this post, you will definitely educate about various pros and cons of WAN networks without any hassle.

Introduction of Wide Area Network

WAN stands for ‘Wide Area Network’ that is connected a group of telecommunication networks , which are going to distributed across a enlarge geographical area spanning the multiple territories, nations, or cities so that the element network can get exchange the data along with the defined WAN networks group. WANs users are going to get range from educational institutes, government entities, and business to make communication and transfer data to several users consisting of clients, students, and supplier spread across the entire globe.

advantages-and-disadvantages-of-WAN

Advantages of WAN (Wide Area Network)

Here, we will introduce various benefits and pros of WAN networks in detail; below mentioned each one, you can check them:

Also Read: Advantages and Disadvantages of Ring Topology | Features & Benefits

Geographical Coverage Area:

Usually, WAN network can cover the enlarge coverage areas as geographically for example (1000 KMs or more than). If your business offices are situated at the different many areas, then your all branches are able to make communication via WAN network without any hassle. So, doing cover this goal internet service provider (ISPs) can offers the leased lines.

Centralized Data:

WAN networks can also offer you the facility of data sharing to all of your linked network devices over the network. For instance, by using of WAN networks; all branches are capable to share all data through head office server; and you can also get fully back up, support, and other precious data from the head office and all data are getting synchronized along with all other company’s branches.

Get Updated Files and Data:

Wide Area Networks also allows you facility for getting the all updated files and data from the server side. When the server is updated being new data then all attached devices obtain that updated data with in fraction of seconds.

Message Exchange:

With going to advancement of IoT (Internet of Things) and LAN network, at once the growth of WAN based components can be seen. This communication via messages can be done fastest along with the help of most popular apps like as Whatsapp and Messenger.

Sharing of Software and Resources:

Same as LAN, you can also share the software applications and other resources along with other users over the internet.

Increased Bandwidth:

WAN networks usually a enlarge geographically area for example 1000 KM or more than; so Wide Area Networks have higher bandwidth than LAN and MAN networks.

Assured Uptime:

Another biggest benefit of WAN network is that they provide the guaranteed uptime. The WAN providers always offer the uptime weekly, quarterly or annually. This is the portion of the SLA; and it doesn’t matter that which industry is the uptime can be assured.

Other Advantages of WAN Over LAN Networks

  • Improve efficiency
  • Easily to make communication
  • Can be easily shared information over the enlarge geographical area
  • Support the global market and global business
  • Enhanced your privacy
  • Centralized IT infrastructure
  • WAN networks can be used for online tickets booking, railway reservations, and airlines ticket booking.
  • Online education is the biggest advantage of WAN
  • It offers the incredible speed
  • Their ownership can be public or private.

Disadvantages of Wide Area Network

In this section, we will explore about various limitations and cons of WAN (Wide Area Network) with ease; below shown each one in detail, you can read them:

Also Read: What is Hybrid Topology? With their Advantages and Disadvantages!!

Security Issue:

WAN network has more technologies mergered to each other, and then it is getting to face more security problems than LAN and MAN networks. It can open a security gap, which paves the way for occurring the malicious attacks and identity intruders. Instead of this, WAN networks cover wide area that can be going to use negatively by people of different computer systems.

Requires Security Solutions:

As WAN is facing the security issues, so it is a basic requirement of WAN networks to use the firewalls and other antivirus programs to provide the protection, while data transferring over the internet that can be get access and modified by the hackers. Few people can also inject the virus into the computers, therefore antivirus program is also most required to install.

Expensive Installation Costs:

WAN networks are usually complicated and complex by default because of their enlarge geographically coverage area. So, they are expensive to get installation setup; as well as WAN also needs to buy of routers, switches and other security solutions.

Disconnection Problems:

In some remote locations is not provided proper electricity supply or line structure. Cause of this, mostly users is facing the disconnection problems more frequently. For getting solution of this problem; customers are needed to buy a dedicated line from the ISP (Internet Service Provider).

Troubleshooting Issues:

It is the big challenge to troubleshoot the WAN networks issues and require more time. If any issue is occurred into computer network, and then it is going to more difficult to pinpoint the proper cause due to their broad coverage are. More wires of WAN networks goes under the river and sea; if those wires get damage, then you have to need a lot of hard work to solve this problem under the sea.

Maintenance Issues:

Once set up; it could be a difficult task to carry out. You have a big challenge to keep maintain the data center that is running 24*7 time. It requires the full time job that needs help from networks supervisors and technicians.

Characteristics of WAN in Computer Network

  • Like LAN network, WANs also allows to share multiple applications and other resources with other people over the internet.
  • WANs also can offer you to share the all data to the all connected network devices.
  • Its transmission speed is fastest but sometime can go slow.
  • It also use the Carriers like as phone companies otherwise network providers
  • WAN networks also offer the connecting linkage area in between the LAN and MAN to the computer network.
  • Use the serial connection
  • WAN network has the massive capacity and link a enlarge number of computer attached over the large geographical coverage area.
  • Multiple users are able to connect and make communication with each other to get share data and precious information over the one network.
  • It needs the wireless access point to attach users to the network.
  • WANs also provide the functionality for getting to update the files and data from the server from update along with the new data and then the whole devices is linked to the network is getting updates.

Final Verdicts

Now, i can hope that you have been completely learnt about many advantages and disadvantages of WAN; involving with characteristics and features of WAN (Wide Area Network) with ease. If this article is useful for you, then please share it along with your friends, family members or relatives over social media platforms like as Facebook, Instagram, Linked In, Twitter, and more.

Also Read: Bus Topology: Advantages, Disadvantages, Examples, & Uses!!

If you have any experience, tips, tricks, or query regarding this issue? You can drop a comment!

Happy Learning!!

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