In some cases, a router may also be a modem, in which case it may connect to a cable line or phone jack instead.Įither way, the ports used to connect computers within your network are typically labeled LAN, since they are for devices on your home or business network. They usually use an Ethernet cable to connect to a modem you receive from your internet service provider. Routers also must be connected to the public internet if they’re going to help send traffic between your computer and the outside world. These wired connections can be faster since they’re not prone to interference. While modern routers are designed to connect computers and other devices wirelessly, they often have some physical ports on them as well where computers can connect directly, often using Ethernet cables. Once connected, these computers can access the Internet and other computers on the LAN, just like those that use Wi-Fi. The LAN ports are used to connect computers that don’t have Wi-Fi access using an Ethernet cable. This port is labeled either “WAN” or “Internet,” depending on the manufacturer. In all homes and most small businesses, the WAN port connects to a high-speed modem, like a DSL or cable modem, which in turn connects the router to the Internet.

Most wireless routers have at least two ports: one WAN port and one or more LAN ports. The internet is the most prominent example of the WAN network type, though other wide area networks exist for scientific purposes, military and government work and to connect far flung offices and data centers within some big corporations. A wide area network usually traverses multiple geographical areas. A LAN can use wireless communication, wired connections or both. For instance, it’s not usually necessary to send a file to the public internet in order to get it to a printer on the same LAN. Devices on a LAN often use the LAN’s infrastructure to connect to the public internet, but they can often communicate with each other directly through the LAN more quickly. Different protocols, or rule systems, exist that let computers understand each other and transmit data.Ī LAN, or local area network, is a small network, often within a home or business or perhaps within a larger environment like a corporate office park or a college campus. WAN Vs LANĪ computer network simply means any set of computers and other devices like smartphones, smart TVs, video game systems and routers that are able to communicate back and forth with each other. Although a network connecting LANs in the same city, like a group of offices belonging to the same company, these are usually called metropolitan area networks. The Internet itself is a type of WAN, because it covers the entire globe. WANs can be as large as a state, a country, or the world. A WAN is a network covering any large geographic area.

Local area connection vs ethernet