Cisco Systems SPA3102 manual Introduction, Welcome

Voice Gateway with Router

Chapter 1: Introduction

Welcome

Thank you for choosing the Voice Gateway with Router. This Voice Gateway will allow your computers to share a high-speed Internet connection as well as resources, including files and printers. Plus, the Voice Gateway can bridge traditional phone service, also known as Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) service, with Internet phone service, also known as Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP). And after you have set up your Internet phone service, you will be able to make phone or fax calls using the Internet.

How does the Voice Gateway do all of this? By connecting your computers and peripherals, including phones or fax machines, to the Voice Gateway and connecting the Voice Gateway to your cable or DSL modem, then the Voice Gateway can direct and control communications for your network.

But what does all of this mean?

Networks are useful tools for sharing Internet access and computer resources. Multiple computers can share Internet access, so you don’t need more than one high-speed Internet connection. With Internet phone service, your Internet access can now be shared by your phones or fax machines as well. You will be able to make phone calls using the account you set up with your Internet Telephony Service Provider (ITSP), even while you’re surfing the Internet. Plus, you can access one printer from different computers and access data located on another computer’s hard drive. Networks are even used for playing multiplayer video games. So, networks not only are useful in homes and offices, but also can be fun.

PCs on a wired network create a LAN, or Local Area Network. They are connected with Ethernet cables, which is why the network is called “wired”.

network: a series of computers or devices connected for the purpose of data sharing, storage, and/or transmission between users.

lan (local area network): the computers and networking products that make up the network in your home or office.

ethernet: an IEEE standard network protocol that specifies how data is placed on and retrieved from a common transmission medium.

Chapter 1: Introduction 1

Welcome