WAN Type Facts

WAN Type Facts

WAN types include the following:

Method	Description
Point-to-Point	A point-to-point connection is a single, pre-established path from the customer's network through a carrier network, such as a telco, to a customer's remote network. A point-to-point line is usually leased from a carrier and thus is often called a leased line.
Circuit Switching	A circuit switching network allows data connections that can be initiated when needed and terminated when communication is complete, working much like a telephone line for voice communication. A circuit switched network uses a dedicated connection between sites. It is ideal for transmitting data that must arrive quickly in the order it is sent, as is the case with real-time audio and video.
Packet Switching	A packet switched network allows data to be broken up into packets and sent across the shared resources. Packets are transmitted along the most efficient route to the destination. Packet switching is ideal for transmitting data that can handle transmission delays, as is often the case with Web pages and e-mail.