Local area networks (LANs) are the building blocks of a WAN. A LAN consists of interconnected computers and other devices limited to a small place, such as a building, school, or office.
LAN vs. WAN
LANs are smaller networks with limited capacity but higher speeds. They are easier and more cost effective to design, set up, and manage. They are private networks that typically use a single connection technology.
On the other hand, WANs connect LANs together. A single WAN can have many different types of networking technologies to communicate across LANs. Its communication speed is slow, but its capacity is high. Because a WAN is a large network, you may find it more complex to set up and manage.