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Re: newbie gateway question



On Sun, Apr 23, 2006 at 06:15:40PM -0300, Fernando Augusto Bender wrote:
> On Sun, 2006-04-23 at 16:47 +0100, Doofus wrote:
> > Fernando Augusto Bender wrote:
> > 
> > >Well, formerly straight cables were used to connect DTE to DCE.
> > >
> > >DCE-DCE or DTE-DTE shall be connected cross-over.
> > >
> > >DCE - data communication devices, like switch, modems, routers.
> > >DTE - data terminal devices: hosts.
> > >
> > 
> > I suspect they were discussing CAT-5 ethernet cabling Fernando, not RS232.
> > 
> > 
> 
> why do you say that, because of the DCE, DTE noums? They apply to any
> cabling. It's something universal.

DTE means Data Terminal Equipment.
DCE means Data Communicatins Equipmend.

In the old days data terminals (like teletypes) coonected to 
communications networks (like telephone systems or telegraph services or 
the like.

The terminology is still valid when devices connect to specific 
communications services, especially when the protocols or wiring is 
asymmetric.  It's not restricted to RS232.  I know that when I was 
working on X.26 protocols, the terminology was used between computers 
and the network switches they connected to.

I wish I wish that they would make all the connectors and protocols 
symmetric so we could just plug anything into anything without the 
hassle of determining which was DTE or DCE.  Technically feasible.
But telecom systems like to maintain a technological distinction between 
themselves and their customers.  As if the hardware cares who is the 
user and who is not.

-- hendrik



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