Encryption converts data during network communication so that others cannot access it, according to set regulations. A virtual private network (VPN) uses a public circuit like a leased line to connect networks between locations like business sites, suppressing costs compared to a leased line. A wide area network (WAN) connects computers over lines and leased lines. A firewall is hardware and software that controls communication between a computer network and outside to maintain the internal network's security, analogous to a wall blocking a fire from spreading.