The Everything Feed - All Packet Pushers Pods N4N028: The Wide World of WANs
May 29, 2025
Discover the evolution of Wide Area Networks (WANs) from their inception to the present day. Dive into how historical developments and infrastructure shaped connectivity. Learn about the complexities of managing data traffic and the rise of software-defined WAN (SD-WAN). Explore the critical role of Internet Performance Monitoring in overcoming network challenges. Finally, uncover the future of networking with low Earth orbit satellites and the shift towards Network as a Service (NaaS) solutions.
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Defining WAN and Its Origins
- A wide area network (WAN) connects smaller local networks (LANs) across large geographic areas.
- The internet itself can be considered the first WAN, linking numerous networks globally.
Building a Municipal Private Fiber WAN
- Ethan shared how state government in Concord, NH, negotiated with telcos to run their own fiber using telco poles and rights of way.
- This created a private fiber network acting as a local WAN with the telco's permission.
WAN as Network Edge Connector
- The WAN acts as the edge or boundary connecting LANs at different locations.
- Typically, a WAN router connects the LAN inside a site to the wider network, bridging local to remote infrastructure.