How to connect two LANs to make a WAN.

[ChristopherP]

I've just started my computing GCSE and our networking teacher has asked us to research "How do you connect two LANs to create a WAN?" I've spent a while looking online, but most things I'm finding are quite advanced and because I have only just started this subject, I need it a bit more simplified.
If anyone can help, I would appreciate it a considerable amount.

 

[jsmithepa]

One way is to connect the two LANS through dedicated telecom leased lines. Corporations do this all the time to connect HQ to all subsidiaries. They lease private telecomm "pipes" to each site they want to connect. A business pays a fixed monthly fee for a minim guaranteed bandwidth from the telecomm provider.

Since Internet is so prevalent these days and relatively inexpensive, you can substitute private lease lines with Internet but since Internet=the wild-wild west, connecting two LANS through Internet requires "protection" and that thing is called VPN. Bandwidth is not guaranteed.

 

[bill001g]

You take a really long fiber and run it over to the next city? He must mean something else. WAN means wide area network. It generally does not even include connections within the same city but the actual definition is a little vague.

So even if you went out and bought some high end MPLS switches and then hooked your lan to them. If they are still in the same building or group of building it is still all LAN. Just because you are running devices or protocols used mostly in wide area networks does not make the network connection WAN.

The key difference is the distance the connection goes. So of I connect 2 lans it is still a lan at short distance. It only become a WAN at long distance.

 

[ChristopherP]

Thanks so much!
That helps quite a lot!