WAN stands for Wide Area Network, literally translated as “global network”. In other words, it refers to the Internet. With this connection, an external network is created, allowing multiple groups of users to be formed, regardless of their location.
The WAN port in your router is used to connect your router to the Internet with a special cable. However, you can access the Internet without using an intermediary such as a router. You can simply connect the Internet cable directly to your PC or laptop.
It’s at this point that the WAN Miniport can come into play. So, here’s what you need to know about WAN Miniport.
What is WAN Miniport used for
This is a software adapter that is used by the operating system to access the WAN. The WAN Miniport is usually used to connect to the Internet via point-to-point protocol over an Ethernet connection.
A Miniport is the hardware-dependent part of a pair of drivers on Windows. The common part is provided by the operating system and performs common tasks for the entire class of devices. The other half is provided by the device manufacturer in most cases and provides device-specific functionality.
In order for you to connect via WAN Miniport, you have to set up a valid PPPoE connection.
There are two types of WAN Miniports:
- CoNDIS WAN
- NDSIS WAN
These Miniport drivers can manage data connections through your PC’s network adapter. When it comes to managing your WAN data connections. CoNDIS has many features compared to NDIS WAN.
NDIS is supported by both older and newer versions of the operating system, while CoNDIS is only supported by newer versions.
How to connect to the Internet via a WAN Miniport
If you want to connect to the Internet via a WAN Miniport, you have to follow these steps:
- First of all, open “Control Panel” and select view by “Category”.
- Then, select “View network status and tasks” in the “Network and Internet” section.
- Click on the “Set up a new connection or network” link.
- After that, select “Connect to the Internet” and click “Next”.
- Now, click on the “Broadband (PPPoE)” option, and enter your user name in the “User Name” box and your password in the “Password” box.
- Type a name for your new connection in the “Connection Name” box.
- Finally, click on the “Connect” button to create and test the PPPoE connection.
Once you have completed these steps, you will be able to connect to the Internet via a WAN Miniport.
How to update the WAN Miniport driver
In order for your Internet connection to run smoothly and quickly, the WAN Miniport driver must always be up to date. Well, if you want to update the WAN Miniport driver, you have to follow these steps:
- At first, click on the “Search” icon from “Taskbar”.
- Type “Device manager” and click the relevant search result to open this app.
- Double-click the “Network Adapters” category and select “WAN Miniport”.
- After that, right-click on it to select the “Update driver” option.
- Then, you can select the “Search automatically for updated driver software” option and Windows will search your PC and the Internet for the latest drivers for your device.
If a newer update is available, it will be downloaded and installed automatically. Afterward, update Windows and see if the problem persists.
What does PPPoE mean
PPPoE is a protocol for transferring data. Most often used to establish a secure connection to a server. It stands for Point-to-Point Protocol over Ethernet. The MTU is 8 bytes lower than Ethernet and is 1492 bytes.
In the past, many ISPs used this protocol to provide access to the WAN via their servers. However, due to low stability and constant discontinuities, this is rarely used now. Nevertheless, many routers still support the ability to set up a login and password to connect via PPPoE.
A more advanced replacement is IPoE (Internet Protocol over Ethernet). It has a simpler way to connect without the need for additional configuration and authentication. Typically, subscriber verification is done by MAC address.
What does LAN mean
This abbreviation stands for Local Area Network or translated as “local network”. It refers to the connection of different devices to a single router, which creates a single network environment.
A result is a group of PCs and peripherals connected together in a local network using wires, switches, and wireless connections.
You also need to know what the LAN port on the modem means. This is a connector designed to connect peripheral equipment to it. This includes computers, printers, SIP phones, and other equipment.
LAN is sometimes referred to as an Ethernet port, which requires proper configuration. In particular, you must assign an IP address to the router for connection from other PCs to work properly. Manual IP address reservation in the router is required to avoid confusion if DHCP is used.
