How Home Networks Actually Work: LAN, WAN, VLAN, VPN and More Explained
A home network connects local devices to the internet through a router that bridges two distinct environments: the internal LAN and the external WAN. Key networking concepts such as DHCP, NAT, subnetting, VLANs, and firewalls all work together beneath this simple setup. The WAN side of a router carries the upstream IP address assigned by the ISP, which may be a public IP or a private address if the provider uses Carrier-Grade NAT. CGNAT means multiple subscribers share a single public IP, so a router's WAN address is not always the same as a true public IP. The article further explores advanced topics including VLANs for network segmentation and VPNs, as well as WISP configurations for wireless internet service scenarios.
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