Editing Terminal (telecommunication)

{{Short description|Device which ends a telecommunications link}}
{{about||computer terminal|computer terminal|other types of termination nodes|Terminal (disambiguation)}}
{{one source|date=August 2020}}
{{Expand French|date=August 2013}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2021}}
[[Image:Network Tree diagram.png|right|thumb|Network terminal nodes are at the edges of the network]]

In the context of [[telecommunication]]s, a '''terminal''' is a device which ends a [[telecommunications link]] and is the point at which a signal enters or leaves a network. Examples of terminal equipment include [[telephone]]s, [[fax machine]]s, [[computer terminal]]s, printers and workstations.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Definition of Terminal - Gartner Information Technology Glossary |url=https://www.gartner.com/en/information-technology/glossary/terminal |access-date=2025-03-16 |website=Gartner |language=en}}</ref>

An '''end instrument''' is a piece of equipment connected to the wires at the end of a [[telecommunications link]]. In [[telephony]], this is usually a [[telephone]] connected to a [[local loop]].<ref>{{cite web | url=https://patents.google.com/patent/US8682278B2/en | title=Telephony terminal }}</ref>  End instruments that relate to [[data terminal equipment]] include printers, computers, [[barcode reader]]s, [[automated teller machine]]s (ATMs) and the console ports of [[router (computing)|router]]s.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Gnanasivam, P.|url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/762016601|title=Telecommunication switching and networks|date=2005|publisher=New Age International|isbn=81-224-1583-0|location=New Delhi|oclc=762016601}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|author=P. Gnanasivam|title=Telecommunication Switching and Networks|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=btVRxi1-JLMC&pg=PA26|year=2005|publisher=New Age International|isbn=978-81-224-1583-4|page=26}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Communications Terminal Definition |url=https://www.lawinsider.com/dictionary/communications-terminal |access-date=2025-03-16 |website=Law Insider |language=en}}</ref>

== See also ==
* [[Communication endpoint]]
* [[Data terminal equipment]]
* [[End system]]
* [[Host (network)]]
* [[Node (networking)]]

* [[Terminal equipment]]

== References ==
{{reflist}}

== External links ==
* [http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=CELEX:31999L0005:EN:NOT Directive 1999/5/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 9 March 1999 on radio equipment and telecommunications terminal equipment and the mutual recognition of their conformity (R&TTE Directive)].

{{Telecommunications}}

[[Category:Telecommunications equipment]]


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