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I
NTRODUCING THE
Welcome to the world of networking with 3Com
modern business 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.
OfficeConnect Cable/DSL Secure Gateway
The OfficeConnect Cable/DSL Secure Gateway is designed to
provide a cost-effective means of sharing a single broadband
Internet connection amongst several computers.
The Gateway also increases your network security by acting as a
firewall — preventing unauthorised external access to your
network — and by creating Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) —
encrypted links to other private networks.
The example in
Figure 1
Internet without a Gateway. One computer is connected to the
Internet using a Cable or DSL modem. This computer must
always be powered on for the other computers on the network
to access the Internet.
O
C
FFICE
ONNECT
®
. In the
shows a network connected to the
C
/DSL S
ABLE
Figure 1 Example Network Without a Cable/DSL Secure Gateway
Cable/DSL
Modem
When you use the Cable/DSL Secure Gateway in your network
(Figure
2), it becomes your connection to the Internet.
Connections can be made directly to the Gateway, or through an
OfficeConnect Hub or Switch, expanding the number of
computers you can have in your network.
9
G
ECURE
ATEWAY
Internet
OfficeConnect
Switch
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