The world of LAN and WAN networking can be daunting for newcomers. There are many issues that need to be considered. Such as security, reliability, redundancy, and cost. This article will walk you through the main aspects of the network installation process so that you understand all the complexities involved in setting up a network. It will discuss LAN / WAN 5 tips for Newcomers.

What do LAN and WAN mean?

Local area networks, or LANs, are what you commonly find in homes and offices.
Wide area networks, or WANs, is a network that spans a huge geographical area. You commonly find these in schools, governmental organizations, and bigger businesses.
The biggest WAN in the world is the internet.

These two types of networks are what make the internet and e-commerce possible. Both networks are responsible for all the business that goes on online. With billions of dollars worth of transactions taking place every year on the internet, they are essential to our economy.

Whether it’s a tiny blog on the internet or a huge e-commerce store where you buy things at the click of a button, computer networks are what help make all this happen. This article will walk you through setting up a network and jumping on the internet.

Here Are 5 Tips

1. Get Your Equipment In Order

You’ll need to get your hands on the following:

  • A router
  • Ethernet cables
  • An internet service provider

Once you’ve got everything you need, connect your computer to the router with the help of the Ethernet cables. Congratulations! You’ve taken your first step in starting your LAN Network.

To set up a WAN Network, you have to acquire a router that’s capable of connecting to a WAN circuit.

If you’re installing security accessories for office space, you’ll want to consult this guide to set up your security alarms.

2. Make Sure You’re Connected

If you’ve connected all the cables right, your Windows PC should prompt you with a setup wizard for your LAN Network setup. If you’re using Mac, simply find the system preferences and follow the instructions.

A WAN network setup will ask you to connect your network switch to your router. This keeps all the connections in one place and makes them easy to work with.

3. Make Sure Your WiFi Is Ready

Once the setup wizard is complete, your computers should be able to connect via WiFi as well. If you’re on windows, you’ll need to install the appropriate WiFi drivers that are compatible with your computer. Linux computers rarely need any driver installations.

If your office is too big, then your router’s WiFi signal might not reach far enough to connect with all your computers. In this case, you’ll need to boost your WiFi signals. If you want to boost your WiFi signal to speed up your internet connection or to make sure all your systems are connected right, read our blog that helps do just that.

4. Ready The Firewalls

Once you finish your LAN Network install, you don’t want to find out that half your systems are offline despite all the work you’ve done. Use remote connection software to make sure each computer has the right user name and password entered so things go smoothly.

It’s especially important to have a good firewall for your WAN Network install. as a strong firewall prevents hackers and crackers from accessing your systems and stealing your valuable personal data.

Your WAN network might use more than one switch, which is perfectly okay.

If you’ve finished configuring all the computers in your office, you’ll want to make sure your computers are secure by installing a surveillance system as well.

We recently outlined 8 Pros About Surveillance Systems You Need To Know. This article will explain how a good surveillance system can protect your computer systems from theft.

5. Don’t Forget Your Smartphones, Printers, and Tablets

Access your router to see what systems are connected. You’ll have the computers with their MAC IDs to tell them apart from one another.

You’ll need to enter the right user names and passwords for all the printers, smartphones, IoT devices, and everything else.

You may have a hard time connecting these devices because people carry them outside the range of the routers.

Conclusion

We hope that the LAN / WAN 5 tips for Newcomers we have outlined in this article have been useful to you.

To sum up you need to:

1. Get Your Equipment In Order
2. Make Sure You’re Connected
3. Make Sure Your WiFi Is Ready
4. Ready The Firewalls
5. Don’t Forget Your Smartphones, Printers, and Tablets

If you have questions about connecting your computers to a network, contact us.
We have trained and well-qualified technicians always available for your IT needs.