Wide Area Networks (WAN) refers to the technologies used to connect offices at remote loactions. The
size of a network is limited due to size and distance constraints. However networks may be connected
over a high speed communications link (called a WAN link) to link them together and thus become a
WAN. WAN links are usually:
l Dial up connection
l Dedicated connection - It is a permanent full time connection. When a dedicated connection is
used, the cable is leased rather than a part of the cable bandwidth and the user has exclusive use.
l Switched network - Several users share the same line or the bandwidth of the line. There are two
types of switched networks:
1. Circuit switching - This is a temporary connection between two points such as dial-up or
ISDN.
2. Packet switching - This is a connection between multiple points. It breaks data down into
small packets to be sent across the network. A virtual circuit can improve performance by
establishing a set path for data transmission. This will shave some overhead of a packet
switching network. A variant of packet switching is called cell-switching where the data is
broken into small cells with a fixed length.
WAN Connection Technologies
l X.25 - This is a set of protocols developed by the CCITT/ITU which specifies how to connect
computer devices over a internetwork. These protocols use a great deal of error checking for use
over unreliable telephone lines. Their speed is about 64Kbps. Normally X.25 is used on packed
switching PDNs (Public Data Networks). A line must be leased from the LAN to a PDN to
connect to an X.25 network. A PAD (packet assembler/disassembler) or an X.25 interface is used
on a computer to connect to the X.25 network. CCITT is an abbreviation for International
Telegraph and Telephone Consultative Committee. The ITU is the International
Telecommunication Union.
l Frame Relay - Error checking is handled by devices at both sides of the connection. Frame relay
uses frames of varying length and it operates at the data link layer of the OSI model. A permanent
virtual circuit (PVC) is established between two points on the network. Frame relay speed is
between 56Kbps and 1.544Mbps. Frame relay networks provide a high-speed connection up to
1.544Mbps using variable-length packet-switching over digital fiber-optic media.
l Switched Multi-megabit Data Service (SMDS) - Uses fixed length cell switching and runs at
speeds of 1.533 to 45Mbps. It provides no error checking and assumes devices at both ends
provide error checking.
l Telephone connections
m Dial up
m Leased lines - These are dedicated analog lines or digital lines. Dedicated digital lines are
Wide Area Networks
called digital data service (DDS) lines. A modem is used to connect to analog lines, and a
Channel Service Unit/Data Service Unit or Digital Service Unit(CSU/DSU) is used to
connect to digital lines. The DSU connects to the LAN and the CSU connects to the line.
m T Carrier lines - Multiplexors are used to allow several channels on one line. The T1 line is
basic T Carrier service. The available channels may be used separately for data or voice
transmissions or they may be combined for more transmission bandwidth. The 64Kbps
data transmission rate is referred to as DS-0 (Digital Signal level 0) and a full T1 line is
referred to as DS-1.
Signal System Total Kbps Channels Number of equivalent T1 lines
DS-1 T1 1544 24 1
DS-2 T2 6312 96 4
DS-3 T3 44736 672 28
DS-4 T4 274760 4032 3668
T1 and T3 lines are the most common lines in use today. T1 and T2 lines can use standard
copper wire. T3 and T4 lines require fiber-optic cable or other high-speed media. These
lines may be leased partially called fractional T1 or fractional T3 which means a customer
can lease a certain number of channels on the line. A CSU/DSU and a bridge or router is
required to connect to a T1 line.
m Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN) - Comes in two types and converts analog
signals to digital for transmission.
n Basic Rate ISDN (BRI) - Two 64Kbps B-channels with one 16Kbps D channel.
The D-channel is used tor call control and setup.
n Primary Rate ISDN (PRI) - 23 B-channels and one D channel.
A device resembling a modem (called an ISDN modem) is used to connect to ISDN. The
computer and telephone line are plugged into it.
m Switched-56 - A switched line similar to a leased line where customers pay for the time
they use the line.
l Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) - May be used over a variety of media with both
baseband and broadband systems. It uses fixed length data packets of 53 bytes called cell
switching. 5 bytes contain header information. It uses hardware devices to perform the switching
of the data. Speeds of up to 622 Mbps can be achieved. Error checking is done at the receiving
device, not by ATM. A permanent virtual connection is established (PVC).
l Synchronous Optical Network (SONET) - a physical layer standard that defines voice, data, and
video delivery methods over fiber optic media. It defines data rates in terms of optical carrier
(OC) levels. The transmission rate of OC-1 is 51.8 Mbps. Each level runs at a multiple of the first.
The OC-5 data rate is 5 times 51.8 Mbps which is 259 Mbps. SONET also defines synchronous
transport signals (STS) for copper media which use the same speed scale of OC levels. STS-3
runs at the same speed of OC-3. Mesh or ring topology is used to support SONET. SONET uses
multiplexing. The ITU has incorporated SONET into their Synchronous Digital Hierarchy (SDH)
recommendations.
size of a network is limited due to size and distance constraints. However networks may be connected
over a high speed communications link (called a WAN link) to link them together and thus become a
WAN. WAN links are usually:
l Dial up connection
l Dedicated connection - It is a permanent full time connection. When a dedicated connection is
used, the cable is leased rather than a part of the cable bandwidth and the user has exclusive use.
l Switched network - Several users share the same line or the bandwidth of the line. There are two
types of switched networks:
1. Circuit switching - This is a temporary connection between two points such as dial-up or
ISDN.
2. Packet switching - This is a connection between multiple points. It breaks data down into
small packets to be sent across the network. A virtual circuit can improve performance by
establishing a set path for data transmission. This will shave some overhead of a packet
switching network. A variant of packet switching is called cell-switching where the data is
broken into small cells with a fixed length.
WAN Connection Technologies
l X.25 - This is a set of protocols developed by the CCITT/ITU which specifies how to connect
computer devices over a internetwork. These protocols use a great deal of error checking for use
over unreliable telephone lines. Their speed is about 64Kbps. Normally X.25 is used on packed
switching PDNs (Public Data Networks). A line must be leased from the LAN to a PDN to
connect to an X.25 network. A PAD (packet assembler/disassembler) or an X.25 interface is used
on a computer to connect to the X.25 network. CCITT is an abbreviation for International
Telegraph and Telephone Consultative Committee. The ITU is the International
Telecommunication Union.
l Frame Relay - Error checking is handled by devices at both sides of the connection. Frame relay
uses frames of varying length and it operates at the data link layer of the OSI model. A permanent
virtual circuit (PVC) is established between two points on the network. Frame relay speed is
between 56Kbps and 1.544Mbps. Frame relay networks provide a high-speed connection up to
1.544Mbps using variable-length packet-switching over digital fiber-optic media.
l Switched Multi-megabit Data Service (SMDS) - Uses fixed length cell switching and runs at
speeds of 1.533 to 45Mbps. It provides no error checking and assumes devices at both ends
provide error checking.
l Telephone connections
m Dial up
m Leased lines - These are dedicated analog lines or digital lines. Dedicated digital lines are
Wide Area Networks
called digital data service (DDS) lines. A modem is used to connect to analog lines, and a
Channel Service Unit/Data Service Unit or Digital Service Unit(CSU/DSU) is used to
connect to digital lines. The DSU connects to the LAN and the CSU connects to the line.
m T Carrier lines - Multiplexors are used to allow several channels on one line. The T1 line is
basic T Carrier service. The available channels may be used separately for data or voice
transmissions or they may be combined for more transmission bandwidth. The 64Kbps
data transmission rate is referred to as DS-0 (Digital Signal level 0) and a full T1 line is
referred to as DS-1.
Signal System Total Kbps Channels Number of equivalent T1 lines
DS-1 T1 1544 24 1
DS-2 T2 6312 96 4
DS-3 T3 44736 672 28
DS-4 T4 274760 4032 3668
T1 and T3 lines are the most common lines in use today. T1 and T2 lines can use standard
copper wire. T3 and T4 lines require fiber-optic cable or other high-speed media. These
lines may be leased partially called fractional T1 or fractional T3 which means a customer
can lease a certain number of channels on the line. A CSU/DSU and a bridge or router is
required to connect to a T1 line.
m Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN) - Comes in two types and converts analog
signals to digital for transmission.
n Basic Rate ISDN (BRI) - Two 64Kbps B-channels with one 16Kbps D channel.
The D-channel is used tor call control and setup.
n Primary Rate ISDN (PRI) - 23 B-channels and one D channel.
A device resembling a modem (called an ISDN modem) is used to connect to ISDN. The
computer and telephone line are plugged into it.
m Switched-56 - A switched line similar to a leased line where customers pay for the time
they use the line.
l Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) - May be used over a variety of media with both
baseband and broadband systems. It uses fixed length data packets of 53 bytes called cell
switching. 5 bytes contain header information. It uses hardware devices to perform the switching
of the data. Speeds of up to 622 Mbps can be achieved. Error checking is done at the receiving
device, not by ATM. A permanent virtual connection is established (PVC).
l Synchronous Optical Network (SONET) - a physical layer standard that defines voice, data, and
video delivery methods over fiber optic media. It defines data rates in terms of optical carrier
(OC) levels. The transmission rate of OC-1 is 51.8 Mbps. Each level runs at a multiple of the first.
The OC-5 data rate is 5 times 51.8 Mbps which is 259 Mbps. SONET also defines synchronous
transport signals (STS) for copper media which use the same speed scale of OC levels. STS-3
runs at the same speed of OC-3. Mesh or ring topology is used to support SONET. SONET uses
multiplexing. The ITU has incorporated SONET into their Synchronous Digital Hierarchy (SDH)
recommendations.
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