Difference Between LAN & WAN Wireless Routers
A wireless router is a computer networking device that transfers data over the air instead of through cables. This device deals with two varieties of Area Networks: Local and Wide, or "LAN" and "WAN."
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Defining LAN
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A Local Area Network is a group of computers that are in close physical proximity, such as inside a home or a level of an office building.
Defining WAN
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A Wide Area Network, meanwhile, connects multiple LANs that might be geographically distant from one another. The Internet is one example of a WAN.
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The WAN Port
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A wireless router traditionally uses a wired connection to attach itself to your modem, the device that connects your network to the Internet. This connection is labeled as the "WAN" port on the wireless router.
The LAN Ports
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If the wireless router has physical ports on it, the non-WAN ports will be labeled as LAN ports, or they will simply be numbered.
Wireless Modems
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A wireless modem actually contains its own router. The same WAN and LAN connections are taking place, just in a different way.
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References
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