Wireless wide area network (WWAN), is a form of
wireless network
A wireless network is a computer network that uses wireless data connections between network nodes. Wireless networking allows homes, telecommunications networks, and business installations to avoid the costly process of introducing cables int ...
.
The larger size of a
wide area network
A wide area network (WAN) is a telecommunications network that extends over a large geographic area. Wide area networks are often established with leased telecommunication circuits.
Businesses, as well as schools and government entities, use ...
compared to a
local area network
A local area network (LAN) is a computer network that interconnects computers within a limited area such as a residence, campus, or building, and has its network equipment and interconnects locally managed. LANs facilitate the distribution of da ...
requires differences in technology.
Wireless networks of different sizes deliver data in the form of telephone calls, web pages, and video streaming.
A WWAN often differs from
wireless local area network (WLAN) by using
mobile telecommunication
Mobile telephony is the provision of wireless telephone services to mobile phones, distinguishing it from fixed-location telephony provided via landline phones. Traditionally, telephony specifically refers to voice communication, though t ...
cellular network
A cellular network or mobile network is a telecommunications network where the link to and from end nodes is wireless network, wireless and the network is distributed over land areas called ''cells'', each served by at least one fixed-locatio ...
technologies such as
2G,
3G,
4G LTE
LTE may refer to:
Science and technology
* LTE (telecommunication) (Long-Term Evolution), a mobile telephony standard
** LTE Advanced, an enhancement
** LTE Advanced Pro, a further enhancement
* Compaq LTE, a line of laptop computers
* Leukotrie ...
, and
5G to transfer data. It is sometimes referred as
Mobile Broadband
Mobile broadband is the marketing term for Wireless broadband, wireless Internet access via mobile network, mobile (cell) networks. Access to the network can be made through a portable modem, wireless modem, or a Tablet computer, tablet/smartp ...
. These technologies are offered regionally, nationwide, or even globally and are provided by a
wireless service provider
A mobile network operator (MNO), also known as a mobile network provider, mobile network carrier, mobile , wireless service provider, wireless carrier, wireless operator, wireless telco, or cellular company, is a telecommunications provider of se ...
. WWAN connectivity allows a user with a laptop and a WWAN card to surf the web, check email, or connect to a
virtual private network
Virtual private network (VPN) is a network architecture for virtually extending a private network (i.e. any computer network which is not the public Internet) across one or multiple other networks which are either untrusted (as they are not con ...
(VPN) from anywhere within the regional boundaries of cellular service. Various computers can have integrated WWAN capabilities.
A WWAN may also be a closed network that covers a large geographic area. For example, a
mesh network or
MANET with nodes on buildings, towers, trucks, and planes could also be considered a WWAN.
A WWAN may also be a low-power, low-bit-rate wireless WAN, (
LPWAN
A low-power, wide-area network (LPWAN or LPWA network) is a type of wireless telecommunication wide area network designed to allow long-range communication at a low bit rate between IoT devices, such as sensors operated on a battery.
Low pow ...
), intended to carry small packets of information between
things, often in the form of battery operated sensors.
Since
radio
Radio is the technology of communicating using radio waves. Radio waves are electromagnetic waves of frequency between 3 hertz (Hz) and 300 gigahertz (GHz). They are generated by an electronic device called a transmitter connec ...
communications systems do not provide a physically secure connection path, WWANs typically incorporate encryption and
authentication
Authentication (from ''authentikos'', "real, genuine", from αὐθέντης ''authentes'', "author") is the act of proving an Logical assertion, assertion, such as the Digital identity, identity of a computer system user. In contrast with iden ...
methods to make them more secure. Some of the early GSM encryption techniques were flawed, and security experts have issued warnings that cellular communication, including WWAN, is no longer secure.
UMTS (3G) encryption was developed later and has yet to be broken.
See also
*
Private Shared Wireless Network
A Private Shared Wireless Network (PSWN) is a wide area wireless radio telecommunications network developed and provided by different entities specifically for the use of public safety, utilities, machine to machine, and business communications. I ...
*
Wide area network
A wide area network (WAN) is a telecommunications network that extends over a large geographic area. Wide area networks are often established with leased telecommunication circuits.
Businesses, as well as schools and government entities, use ...
*
Wireless LAN
A wireless LAN (WLAN) is a wireless computer network that links two or more devices using wireless communication to form a local area network (LAN) within a limited area such as a home, school, computer laboratory, campus, or office building ...
*
Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi () is a family of wireless network protocols based on the IEEE 802.11 family of standards, which are commonly used for Wireless LAN, local area networking of devices and Internet access, allowing nearby digital devices to exchange data by ...
*
Satellite Internet access
Satellite Internet access is Internet access provided through communication satellites; if it can sustain high-speed Internet, high speeds, it is termed satellite broadband. Modern consumer grade satellite Internet service is typically provide ...
References
{{reflist
Wide area networks
Wireless networking