WAN (Wide Area Network)

Running head: WIDE AREA NETWORK 1

WIDE AREA NETWORK 2

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Introduction
A wide area network generally known as WAN is a huge telecommunication network that contain connection of Local area networks and other networks. They generally span a huge geographical area and it is used to connect states, cities or even countries. WANs are operated and structured differently from LANs though they appear to be a version of LAN that is up-scaled. Many wide area networks are built for one specific company and they are private. There several options those are available for WAN connectivity: circuit switching, packet switching, leased line and cell relay. This paper in a wider view will look at the importance of channel in a WAN, the difference between packet switching and circuit switching technique, meaning of multiplexing and how to multiplexing increases bandwidth connection (SearchEnterpriseWAN, 2016).

A channel in telecommunication is a separate path via which signals can flow. It is used to transport an information signal, a good example being a digital bit stream from one or various transmitters to one or many receivers. It has a definite capability for transmitting information and is usually measured by its bandwidth or its data rate.

Packet switching network: this is the approach that is widely used by network protocols to convey data across a local and long distance connection. In this network, data move in separate blocks called the packets and they are based on the destination inscription in each packet. When the packets are received, they are reassembled in the proper arrangement to make up the communication. Breaking the message down into small blocks allows the same data route to be divided among many users in the entire network. This type of data communication between the sender and the receiver is known as connectionless (Copeland, 2016).
Circuit Switching Network: it is the most familiar approach used to develop a communications network. It is usually used for ordinary telephone calls and generally allows communication circuits and equipment be shared among users. In this network, a physical path is secured for and dedicated to a connection between 2 end-points in the network connection for the period of the connection. The ordinary voice call is a good example of a circuit switched network. The telephone company reserves a certain physical path to the number being called for the duration of the call. During that duration of the call, no any other person can use the physical path involved.
Multiplexing is the act of combining multiple signals either analogue or digital for transmission over one line or media. It is also defined as the technique that allows simultaneous transportation of different signals across a sole data link. It is done by using a machine called a multiplexer that combines n input lines to formulate a single output line, meaning many to one. A multiplexer has various input lines and a single output. At the receiving end, a machine called demultiplexer is used to separate signal into its constituent signals. Demultiplexer has 1 input and many outputs. Multiplexing increases bandwidth in a connection because it divides the magnitude of the low level communication path into various higher-level logical paths one for each message signal stream to be transmitted.
Authentication: it is the process of confirming the individuality of a user by securing some sort of credentials and hence using the credentials to confirm the user’s identity. If the entered credentials are valid, the authorization procedure starts. Authentication always spawns to authorization process.
Authorization: this is the process of allowing licensing a person who is already authenticated to have an access to the resources by examining whether the user has the rights to access the system. It assists the developer to have control access rights by denying or granting particular permissions to authenticated users (Net-informations.com, 2016).

Conclusion
Wide area network has completely made it possible for organizations to internally communicate in ways that were never possible before. Due to wide area networks, customers can enjoy merits from organizations, a service that could not be achieved in the past days.

References
Difference between Authentication and Authorization. Retrieved 11 January 2016, from http://net-informations.com/faq/asp/authentication.html
Packet-Switched vs. Circuit-Switched Networks. Computerworld. Retrieved 11 January 2016, from http://www.computerworld.com/article/2593382/networking/networking-packet- switched-vs-circuit-switched-networks.html
What is WAN (Wide Area Network) ? – Definition from WhatIs.com. Retrieved 11 January 2016, from http://searchenterprisewan.techtarget.com/definition/WAN