In telecommunications, the term gateway has the following meanings: Telecommunication is the extension of communication over a distance. ...

• In a communications network, a network node equipped for interfacing with another network that uses different protocols.
  • A gateway may contain devices such as protocol translators, impedance matching devices, rate converters, fault isolators, or signal translators as necessary to provide system interoperability. It also requires the establishment of mutually acceptable administrative procedures between the two networks.
  • A protocol translation/mapping gateway interconnects networks with different network protocol technologies by performing the required protocol conversions.
• Loosely, a computer configured to perform the tasks of a gateway. For a specific case, see default gateway.

Routers exemplify special cases of gateways. A telecommunications network is a network of telecommunications links arranged so that messages may be passed from one part of the network to another over multiple links. ... A node is a device connected to a computer network. ... Look up Protocol in Wiktionary, the free dictionary Protocol may mean: Protocol (treaty), a treaty or international agreement that supplements a previous one Protocol (politics), a logbook or other artifact of a political meeting between persons from different nations Protocol (diplomacy), the etiquette of diplomacy and affairs of state Communications... Impedance matching is the practice of attempting to make the output impedance of a source equal to the input impedance of the load to which it is ultimately connected, usually in order to maximise the power transfer and minimise reflections from the load. ... There are various types of faults: In document ISO/CD 10303-226, a fault is defined as an abnormal condition or defect at the component, equipment, or sub-system level which may lead to a failure. ... Signaling, or signal, may mean: Look up signal on Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... A system is an assemblage of inter-related elements comprising a unified whole. ... Interoperability can be defined in a technical way or in a broad way, taking into account social, political and organizational factors. ... A computer is a machine capable of undergoing complex calculations. ... A default gateway is a node on a computer network that serves as an access point to another network. ... This article describes the computer networking device. ...

Gateways, also called protocol convertors, can operate at any layer of the OSI model. The job of a gateway is much more complex than that of a router or switch. Typically, a gateway must convert one protocol stack into another. For example, a gateway may connect an AppleTalk network to nodes on a DECnet network, or a TCP/IP network to an IPX/SPX network. The Open Systems Interconnection Reference Model (OSI Model or OSI Reference Model for short) is a layered abstract description for communications and computer network protocol design, developed as part of the Open Systems Interconnect initiative. ... This article describes the computer networking device. ... A modular network switch with 3 network modules (a total of 24 Ethernet and 14 Fast Ethernet ports) and one power supply. ... AppleTalk is a suite of protocols developed by Apple Computer for computer networking. ... The Internet protocol suite is the set of communications protocols that implement the protocol stack on which the Internet runs. ... IPX/SPX, which stands for Internet Packet Exchange/Sequenced Packet Exchange, is a networking protocol used by the Novell NetWare operating systems. ...

Sources

• Federal Standard 1037C
• MIL-STD-188