AQA · GCSE · Computer Science
Course version: 8525 · Version from Sept 2020
WAN – know that the Internet is the biggest example of a WAN.
Full specification wording
Fundamentals of computer networks: WAN – know that the Internet is the biggest example of a WAN.
A wide area network (WAN) links devices across a large area, often using infrastructure the organisation does not own, such as leased telecommunications lines.
Checked against the AQA 8525 specification (opens in a new tab) on .
- Point 9 of 50
Study notes
From the checked teaching notes for this specification point.
The idea
A wide area network (WAN) links devices across a large area, often using infrastructure the organisation does not own, such as leased telecommunications lines. The Internet is the largest WAN because it connects millions of separate networks and devices worldwide through shared public infrastructure. Learn to distinguish this from a LAN, which covers a small area such as one building or site, and from a single private WAN, which links only one organisation's sites. A useful test: ask how far the network reaches and who owns the connecting links. If the answer is global reach over public shared infrastructure, it is the Internet acting as a WAN. In a multiple-choice question, select the option that identifies the Internet as the biggest WAN, and reject options describing a LAN, a single server or a personal hotspot as the biggest WAN.
What earns the marks
- Identifies the Internet as the largest example of a WAN.
- Recognises that a WAN covers a wide geographic area, unlike a LAN.
- Distinguishes the Internet (a global public WAN) from a private organisation's WAN.
- Rejects options that describe a LAN, a single device or a local hotspot as the biggest WAN.
Common mistakes and how to put them right
Confusing a WAN with a LAN.
Put it right by noting a LAN covers a small area such as one building, whereas a WAN spans a wide area.
Thinking the World Wide Web is the same as the Internet.
Put it right by stating the Internet is the global network of networks, and the web is one service that runs on it.
Assuming a WAN must be privately owned.
Put it right by noting the Internet is a WAN built on shared public infrastructure.
Exam tips
- Read every option and eliminate those describing small-area networks before choosing.
- Link the term WAN to 'wide area' to confirm the scale of the network described.
- If two options seem plausible, choose the one with the greatest geographic reach and shared infrastructure.
Try the lesson
The start of the Fundamentals of computer networks: WAN – know that the Internet is the biggest example of a WAN. lesson, made from checked teaching notes for this specification point.
Have a go first
Which of these is the largest example of a wide area network (WAN)?
There is more to this lesson
The full lesson goes on to check your understanding and help you earn the marks. Create a free account to carry on, with your progress saved.
A week of Premium from your first lesson · Then the free plan continues · No card, no charge
Test your understanding of Fundamentals of computer networks: WAN – know that the Internet is the biggest example of a WAN.
Active recall beats re-reading. Take an instant quiz now to test what you’ve learned and lock it into long-term memory.
A week of Premium from your first lesson · Then the free plan continues · No card, no charge