1.1 Possible Applications
Connecting networks
Gateways are used to connect networks and to exchange information between the net-
works. For example, you can use your device to establish a connection to the network of
your Internet Service Provider and use the usual Internet services, such as the World Wide
Web (WWW) or e-mail.
Access to head office
By connecting to another partner network, e.g. your company’s head office, from your
home or branch office, you can conveniently access any information you may need from
the head office, even if this is geographically far away. These local networks are connected
over an ISDN connection or a DSL connection. The size of your own local network –
whether it consists of several computers or just one workstation – is irrelevant.
Your gateway is your link to the outside world
Every device serves as a link between the individual local networks. Within each LAN, the
gateway is connected to the network like a normal computer. Its task is to transmit informa-
tion as necessary from its own network to an external network (e.g. to the network of your
Internet Service Provider or your head office) and to find the most suitable routes for trans-
mission. Conversely, it receives information and routes it to its own network.
One gateway for everyone
If you have a local network with several computers, you only need a single gateway to al-
low all computers in the network access to the Internet or the head office. The lower ex-
penditure on equipment and administration for several computers in the network means
substantial savings. If you used ISDN cards or modems, every workplace would have to be
equipped separately.
High-speed Internet access
If you configure high-speed Internet access with the bintec gateway, all the users in the
local network profit from faster Internet access. The bandwidth used permits considerably
faster Internet applications than conventional ISDN or modems.
Automatic dialling and disconnection
Once configured, your device decides independently if and how it is to set up a connection
to the Internet Service Provider. If you enter an external WWW address in your browser, for
example, your gateway determines that the requested address lies outside your own LAN
and establishes a connection to your Internet Service Provider and the Internet automatic-
1 Introduction
Funkwerk Enterprise Communications GmbH
2
bintec R1xxx/R3xxx/R4xxx
