Gateway (telecommunications)

A gateway is a piece of networking hardware or software used in telecommunications networks that allows data to flow from one discrete network to another. Gateways are distinct from routers or switches in that they communicate using more than one protocol to connect multiple networks^[1]^[2] and can operate at any of the seven layers of the OSI model.

The term gateway can also loosely refer to a computer or computer program configured to perform the tasks of a gateway, such as a default gateway or router, and in the case of HTTP, gateway is also often used as a synonym for reverse proxy.^[3] It can also refer to a device installed in homes that combines router and modem functionality into one device, used by ISPs, also called a residential gateway.^[4]^[5]^[6]

^ Network World. IDG Network World Inc. 1997-10-20.
^ "CCNA Certification/Network Layer - Wikibooks, open books for an open world". en.wikibooks.org. Retrieved 2019-02-15.
^ Fielding, Roy T.; Reschke, Julian (June 2014). "Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP/1.1): Message Syntax and Routing - 2.3". IETF. Retrieved 2021-09-22.
^ Beasley, Jeffrey S.; Nilkaew, Piyasat (March 2012). Networking Essentials: Networking Essentials _c3. Pearson Education. ISBN 9780133381702.
^ Rush, A. J. (June 2014). Your Computer, Your ISP, Your Internet. Lulu.com. ISBN 9781312239746.
^ "PC Mag". 2 September 2003.

[1] Network World. IDG Network World Inc. 1997-10-20.

[2] "CCNA Certification/Network Layer - Wikibooks, open books for an open world". en.wikibooks.org. Retrieved 2019-02-15.

[3] Fielding, Roy T.; Reschke, Julian (June 2014). "Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP/1.1): Message Syntax and Routing - 2.3". IETF. Retrieved 2021-09-22.

[4] Beasley, Jeffrey S.; Nilkaew, Piyasat (March 2012). Networking Essentials: Networking Essentials _c3. Pearson Education. ISBN 9780133381702.

[5] Rush, A. J. (June 2014). Your Computer, Your ISP, Your Internet. Lulu.com. ISBN 9781312239746.

[6] "PC Mag". 2 September 2003.

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