This document provides an overview of wide area networks (WANs) and common WAN technologies. It defines WAN terminology like customer premises equipment and demarcation. It describes different WAN connection types and protocols like HDLC, PPP, Frame Relay and VPNs. PPP is examined in detail, including its components, establishment process and authentication methods. Frame Relay is also covered in depth, discussing its encapsulation, DLCI addressing, subinterfaces, mapping and monitoring. Troubleshooting tips are provided for common Frame Relay issues. Finally, an introduction to VPN technologies is given for remote access, site-to-site and extranet deployments.