What is it for?

So I've tried reading up on the wiki's and some other place on the net and I searched tek's forums, but I still don't understand; What exactly is a WAN and why do I need it, and whats it's purpose. I want to set up a pfsense box and get rid of my linksys router for this. Thanks in advance.

WAN is wide area network, in most cases this means the internet. What a router does is route traffic between two (or more) networks. Therefore by definition a router needs at least two network interfaces. The internet is a network of networks which is made up of routers, and you need a router in order to connect your network to it.

alright that makes sense, so the WAN is in terms the dedicated port to the internet, like from the router to the modem and so on.

 

Yeah, for the purposes of a home network it is the interface that you connect your modem to.

WAN is a type of network, there are 3 types of networks. 

PAN ( Personal Area Network) this is Bluetooth connections and tethering.  

LAN (Local area Network) this is your Home network, all devices that communicate with each other in your home. All devices here must hit your Modem to exit the LAN

WAN ( Wide Area Network) AKA THE INTERWEBS!!! 

I hope that was helpful LMK if I was confusing. 
 

 

EDIT just saw the post date..... SORRY FOR THE BUMP.