Which of the following is a characteristic of a Wide Area Network (WAN)?

A Wide Area Network (WAN) is specifically designed to facilitate communication and data transmission over large geographical areas, often spanning cities, countries, or even continents. This characteristic is crucial for organizations that need to connect remote offices or branches to a central office or to enable users in different locations to communicate and share resources.

In contrast, options that mention connecting devices within a limited area or only connecting local devices pertain to Local Area Networks (LANs), which operate over much smaller, confined regions typically within a single building or campus. The option that indicates a WAN functions without any internet connection misrepresents the nature of WANs, as they often rely on public and private telecommunication networks, which may include internet infrastructure, to achieve their extensive connectivity. Therefore, the defining characteristic of a WAN is its capability to support communication over large distances.