As the advantages of networking became known, business saw the need to expand the networks. LANs could not adequately support the network needs of a large business, with offices and operations spread over a wide area. This led to the development of Wide Area Networks.
When a network is spread over wide areas, such as across cities, states or countries, it is called a Wide Area Network (WAN). Communication on a WAN takes place via telephone lines, satellites or microwave links, rather than through a physical cable.