Network Basics: What Is WAN Port & How Does it Differ from LAN?

Searching for the ultra common question what is WAN port? It seems like yes as you have landed at a page where we will lay down everything related to this topic. 

What Is WAN Port?

WAN (wide-area network) is the point-to-point network between a device and a router. A LAN is wireless and wireless routers can be connected with WAN ports for connecting the router's signal. A WAN port is an ordinary single/dual jack ethernet/copper wire port that connects to the Internet, usually in a home or office. It can be used for:

• Connecting to the network from your computer through a DSL or cable modem.
• Connecting a router, switch, and other devices on your network (such as gaming consoles). 

To find the WAN port on your router, you'll need to check its user guide or physically check the device. The user manual will have information about how to access and use the router's settings pages. If you're using an older router, the WAN port will be listed as a normal outlet port. This means that you can plug in your modem and cable or DSL modem into the back of this device, then plug in your router and Ethernet cables from the router into outlets on either side of your home network. 

What is LAN Port?

A LAN port is a normal single/dual jack ethernet/copper wire port that connects to your internal network. This type of connector is commonly found on desktop computers, laptops, and other devices with built-in networking capabilities. A LAN is a point-to-point connection between two devices typically using some smaller physical media such as a twisted pair or fiber optic cable. 

LANs are used to connect computers, printers, and other networked devices in one building or campus. They provide the same services as WANs (see below), but operate at a local level instead of connecting multiple users across long distances via satellite links. 

LAN Vs WAN:

The main difference between WAN and LAN is protocol. WAN has layered protocols that allow data to travel from one side of a line to the other, while LAN uses one protocol (IP). WAN and LAN are both point-to-point networks, but they differ in how the data travels from one side of the line to another. LAN uses a single protocol (IP) that allows data to travel across entire networks. This means all devices on your network can use this protocol, regardless of whether they're located in different rooms or buildings. In contrast, WAN ports are best used for low-bandwidth connections where you want something like an Ethernet cable between two computer systems. 

WAN ports are used for connecting WAN devices to a router. WAN ports have less range than LAN ports, but since they're not physically connected, a computer can be on one side of a line and completely disconnect from the network behind it. WAN ports are used in some networking setups like VPNs and small networks. They are also a great way to connect your router to other devices like printers and servers. 

A LAN is made up of computers that are all connected via an Ethernet cable. Each computer has its IP address and can communicate with other computers on the same network. The Internet is like this too—it's made up of millions of networks connecting millions more devices across the world to share information. A WAN is similar except that instead of having one big network per location (such as your home), it uses multiple smaller ones that aren't necessarily related by geography or purpose but rather just happen to be nearby each other so they can share resources such as bandwidth capacity or security certificates used for encryption purposes between them (more on this later). When you use a broadband connection (CAT5, or HD-P2P) to connect 2 computers, you're creating a LAN; when you connect them to the Internet, you're creating a WAN. 

Wrapping Up:

To conclude the topic "what is WAN port", is short for wide area network and is the port that connects with the external internet network and provides a wireless network in a home, office, or more. A typical example of a WAN would be when you're surfing the internet on your laptop, but want to watch some TV shows on your tablet at home.