W
Wide Area Network (WAN)
Definition
(Context: General)
1) A network that provides communication services to a geographic area larger than that served by a local area network or a metropolitan area network, and that may use or provide public communication facilities.
2) A data communications network designed to serve an area of hundreds or thousands of miles; for example, public and private packet-switching networks, and national telephone networks.
3) (IRM) A computer network that links multiple workstations and other devices across a large geographical area. A WAN typically consists of multiple LANs that are linked together.