Lancom Systems LCOS 3.50 7 Routing and WAN connections

LANCOM Reference Manual LCOS 3.50  Chapter 7: Routing and WAN connections

Routing and WAN

connections

7 Routing and WAN connections

This chapter describes the most important protocols and configuration entries

used for WAN connections. It also shows ways to optimize WAN connections.

WAN connections are used for the following applications.

Internet access

LAN to LAN coupling

Remote access

WAN connections differ from direct connections (for example, via the

LANCAPI) in that the data in the WAN are transmitted via standardized net-

work protocols also used in the LAN. Direct connections, on the other hand,

operate with proprietary processes that have been specially developed for

point-to-point connections.

Via WAN connections a LAN is extended, and with direct connections only one

individual PC establishes a connection to another PC. WAN connections form

a kind of bridge for the communication between networks (or for connecting

individual computers to the LAN).

Close cooperation with router modules

Characteristic of WAN connections is the close cooperation with the router

modules in the LANCOM. The router modules (IP and IPX) take care of con-

necting LAN and WAN. They make use of the WAN modules to fulfil requests

from PCs within the LAN for external resources.

Initially the router modules only determine the remote station to which a data

packet is to be sent. The various parameters for all required connections must

be arranged so that a given connection can be selected and established as

required. These parameters are stored in a variety of lists, the interaction of

which permits the correct connections.