What are the three characteristics of a WAN (Wide Area Network)?

Wide geographic coverage interconnecting LANs, administered by multiple service providers, and slower links than a LAN.

* A WAN's three traits: wide coverage interconnecting LANs, multiple providers, and slower links than a LAN. *

1. Wide geographic coverage: Interconnects LANs over large areas (cities, states, countries)
2. Multiple service providers: Usually administered by multiple service providers
3. Slower speeds: Typically provides slower speed links between LANs (compared to LAN speeds)

Go deeper:

• Wide area network (Wikipedia) — covers large geographic span, interconnecting LANs via leased lines from service providers, and the historic slower-link trade-off.