Internet access is important in business nowadays. It is through the Internet where you can advertise and promote your products or services. The Internet can also allow for better seller-client relationships since you would be able to attend to the needs of your clients easily. In fact, there are many businesses today which will not be able to survive without Internet access.

If you want a stable network within your workplace, you might find it necessary to choose between LAN and WAN. LAN stands for local area network while WAN stands for wide area network. Which option should you consider between the two? Check out their features:

• Speed - When it comes to transfer rate, LAN tends to be a lot faster than a WAN. That is why it is the former is the more popular choice, especially among small businesses. LAN can have a transfer rate of 1000 mbs while a LAN can only reach somewhere up to 200 mbs. There is definitely a big difference. And even with speed, LAN tends to suffer from less data transmission errors compared to a WAN.

• Connection - It is common to think of LAN as having sorts of wires installed throughout the workplace. That is true. But there is already such a thing as wireless a LAN. Computers and other devices within your workplace connect through radio waves. They can connect not only to other LAN’s but to WAN’s as well. On the other hand, devices within a WAN connect through satellites as well as leased lines. Thus, you can expect weak connection at times.

• Cost - Any person interested between LAN and WAN should be concerned about the cost. If you go for a LAN, you can have full control and exclusive access to it. Thus, setting up a LAN might cost a little more than setting up a WAN. Also, most WAN’s utilize public networks, and that is why huge money was not spent on their installation. However, you should take note that LAN’s are a lot less expensive to maintain in the long run compared to their counterparts.

Securing Your Network

No matter what network you choose, it is very important to keep it secure for the benefit of your business. If you ever consider going for WAN, you can always configure it using a Virtual Private Network. With it you can add encryption protection for a higher level of security.If you go for LAN, one of the first things that you have to do is to have your network segmented. You can always create a guest network that non-employees can use. Of course, you can set up a firewall so that those who are connected to your LAN will not have complete access to your network.

Not sure on how a wireless network can benefit your business? Why not contact US Wired. We offer complimentary evaluation so that you can have a grasp on what network solutions you will need for your business. Not only can we redesign your existing network but we can also build you a new and more efficient one.