Basic WAN Technology

Priya G

WAN (Wide Area Network)

A Wide Area Network (WAN) is a computer network covering multiple distance areas, which may spread across the entire world. WANs often connect multiple smaller networks, such as local area networks (LANs) or metro area networks (MANs).

WAN Terms

Customer Premise Equipment These Equipments should be managed by customer.

A CSU/DSU (Channel Service Unit/Data Service Unit) is a digital-interface device used to connect a DTE, such as a router, to a digital circuit, such as a T1 line.

WAN terms continued

The CSU/DSU implements two different functions. The Channel Service Unit (CSU) receives and transmits signals from and to the WAN line and provides a barrier for electrical interference from either side of the unit. CSU provides echo signal from telephone company for testing purposes. The DSU manages timing errors and signal regeneration

WAN terms continued

Demarcation refers to the point of last responsibility for the service provider. The modern demarcation point is the network interface device (NID). A two-port or four-port patch-panel will be used as a physical Demarc.

Fig: Outdoor Demarcation Point

Fig: Indoor Demarcation Point

WAN Terms continued

The Smart Jack physically terminates the T1 line. If there is a connectivity issue, the provider will perform a ping test to thesmart jack. If communication to the smart jack is successful, the provider will assume the issue resides on the customers side of responsibility. The smart jack is often locked in a glass enclosure, and labeled with the T1s circuit number. In telephony, the local loop (also referred to as a subscriber line) is the physical link or circuit that connects from the demarcation point of the customer premises to the edge of the common carrier or telecommunications service provider's network.

WAN connection types

Point-to-Point Technologies Circuit Switched Technologies Packet Switched Technologies

Leased Line Technology

Point-to-Point connection between two computers or Local Area Networks (LANs).

Advantage:
Most Secure Guaranteed bandwidth Disadvantage: Expensive Eg: PPP, HDLC

Circuit-Switched Technology
A connection between 2 stations is a dedicated path made of one or more links.

Three phases: Setup phase Data Transfer phase Teardown phase

Circuit Switching

 Advantages: less expensive Drawback Lack of efficiency in using resources Eg: ISDN, Dial-up

Packet-Switched Technology
Devices transport packets via a shared single point-to-point or point-to-multipoint link across a carrier internetwork. Before information can be exchanged between two end points, they first establish a Virtual Circuit.

Advantage: Better Efficiency Disadvantage: delay shared media across link Eg: X.25, Frame-relay, ATM,

Packet Switching

WAN Link Options

WAN Link Options

Analog Dialup

ISDN

ISDN

Router with standard serial interface, connected to a terminal adapter

Router with native ISDN BRI U or S/T interface or PRI

Leased Line

Leased lines are not only used to provide direct point-topoint connections between Enterprise LANS, they can also be used to connect individual branches to a packet switched network.

WAN with X.25

X.25 provides a low bit rate, shared-variable capacity that may either be switched or permanent

Frame Relay
Most Frame Relay connections are based on PVCs rather than SVCs. It implements no error or flow control. This leads to reduced latency. Frame Relay provides permanent shared medium bandwidth connectivity that carries both voice and data traffic.

ATM
Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) is a technology capable of transferring voice, video, and data through private and public networks. It is built on a cell based architecture rather than on a frame-based architecture.

DSL

DSL uses existing twisted-pair telephone lines to transport high-bandwidth data

DSL service is considered broadband, as it uses multiple frequencies within the same physical medium to transmit data

ADSL Technology

Splitter

The local loop connects the splitter to the DSLAM DSLAM connected to ISP using ATM technology Voice and data use separate frequency ranges (voice 0-4Khz, data 20Khx 1Mhz)

Cable Modem

Enhanced Cable Modems enable two-way. High speed data transmissions using the same coaxial lines that transmit cable television.

Cable Data Network Architecture

Modern WAN