Ntroducing The; Ffice Connect Cable /Dsl Gateway; Officeconnect Cable/Dsl Gateway - 3Com OfficeConnect 3C855 User Manual

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OfficeConnect
Cable/DSL Gateway
I

NTRODUCING THE

C /DSL G
ABLE
Welcome to the world of networking with 3Com
environment, communication and sharing information is crucial. Computer
networks have proved to be one of the fastest modes of communication but, until
recently, only large businesses could afford the networking advantage. The
OfficeConnect ® product range from 3Com has changed all this, bringing networks
to the small office.
The products that compose the OfficeConnect line give you, the small office user,
the same power, flexibility, and protection that has been available only to large
corporations. Now, you can network the computers in your office, connect them
all to a single Internet outlet, and harness the combined power of all of your
computers.
The OfficeConnect Cable/DSL Gateway is designed to provide a cost-effective
means of sharing a single broadband Internet connection amongst several
computers. The Gateway also provides protection in the form of an electronic
"firewall," preventing anyone outside of your network from seeing your files or
damaging your computers.
As you can see in the example in Figure 1, one computer is connected to the
Internet. This computer must always be powered on for the other computers on
the network to access the Internet.
Figure 1 Example Network Without a Cable/DSL Gateway
When you use the Cable/DSL Gateway in your network (Figure 2), it becomes your
connection to the Internet. Connections can be made directly to the Gateway, or
to an OfficeConnect Hub or Switch, expanding the number of computers you can
have in your network.
O
FFICE
ATEWAY
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. In the modern business
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Cable or DSL
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ONNECT