[Tex/LaTex] How to vertically center content in a cell

Question

How can I vertically center the content in the cells of the left table (marked 1) so that it looks like the cells of the right table (marked 2):

My code thus far:

\begin{table}[H]
    \setcellgapes{5pt}
    \makegapedcells
    \caption{Local Area Network vs Wide Area Network.}
    \label{tab:lanvswan}
    \centering
    \begin{tabular}{
        >{\centering\arraybackslash}p{3.5cm}
        |>{\centering\arraybackslash}p{4.5cm}
        |>{\centering\arraybackslash}p{4.5cm}
        }
        \thead{Características}     & \thead{LAN}                           & \thead{WAN}                                                       \\  \hline
        Extensión Geográfica        & Pequeña                               & Extensa                                                           \\  \hline
        Dispositivos                & Host, Switches (L2 y L3) y Routers    & Especializados de ATM y Frame Relay, Switches (L3) y Routers      \\  \hline
        Tecnologías                 & Ethernet                              & MPLS, ATM, Frame Relay y X.25
    \end{tabular}
\end{table}

Answer 1

Try:

\documentclass{article}
\usepackage{array,makecell}
\usepackage{caption}

\begin{document}
    \begin{table}[htb]
\renewcommand\arraystretch{1.5}
%    \setcellgapes{5pt}
%    \makegapedcells
    \caption{Local Area Network vs Wide Area Network.}
    \label{tab:lanvswan}
    \centering
\begin{tabular}{
    >{\centering\arraybackslash}m{3.5cm}% instead of "p" is "m"
    |>{\centering\arraybackslash}m{4.5cm}
    |>{\centering\arraybackslash}m{4.5cm}
    }
    \thead{Características}     & \thead{LAN}                           & \thead{WAN}                                                       \\  \hline
    Extensión Geográfica        & Pequeña                               & Extensa                                                           \\  \hline
    Dispositivos                & Host, Switches (L2 y L3) y Routers    & Especializados de ATM y Frame Relay, Switches (L3) y Routers      \\  \hline
    Tecnologías                 & Ethernet                              & MPLS, ATM, Frame Relay y X.25
\end{tabular}
    \end{table}
\end{document}

\makegapedcells is not compatible with m{...} column type, so instead gaped cells I suggest to increase \arraystretch, for example as it used in above MWE.