CHAPTER
7 Wide Area Networks
The physical and data link layer protocols used to build local area networks (LANs) are quite efficient over relatively short distances. Even for campus connections between buildings, fiber-optic solutions enable you to use a LAN protocol such as Ethernet throughout your whole internetwork. However, when you want to make a connection over a long distance, you move into an entirely different world of data communications called wide area networking. A wide area network (WAN) is a communications link that spans a long distance and connects two or more LANs.
WAN connections make it possible to connect networks in different cities or countries, enabling users to access resources at remote locations. Many companies use ...
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