Gateway (telecommunications) facts for kids

A gateway is like a special door or bridge that lets different computer networks talk to each other. It can be a piece of equipment or a computer program. Think of it as a translator that helps two networks speaking different "languages" (called protocols) understand each other.

Gateways are different from routers or switches. Routers and switches usually connect parts of the same type of network. But a gateway is smarter. It can understand many different network "languages" or rules. This means it can connect networks that use completely different ways of communicating.

Sometimes, the word "gateway" is also used more generally. It might refer to a computer or program that acts like a gateway, such as a default gateway or a router. In homes, a "residential gateway" is a device that combines a router and a modem into one unit, often provided by your internet company.

What is a Network Gateway?

A network gateway helps different computer networks connect and share information. It's like a central hub that contains special tools. These tools can be:

• Protocol translators: They change one network language into another.
• Impedance matchers: They make sure the electrical signals are compatible.
• Rate converters: They adjust the speed of data flow.
• Fault isolators: They help find and fix problems.
• Signal translators: They convert different types of signals.

For networks to use a gateway, they need to agree on how they will work together. Network gateways are also called protocol translation gateways. They can change network protocols to connect networks that use very different technologies.

How a Network Gateway Works

Imagine your home or office intranet (your local network) wants to connect to the Internet. A network gateway makes this connection possible. When you want to load a web page, your computer sends a request. This request goes through at least two network gateways:

• One gateway takes your request from your home network to the Internet.
• Another gateway takes the request from the Internet to the computer that hosts the web page.

On an Internet Protocol (IP) network, like the Internet, data is sent in small pieces called IP packets. If an IP packet needs to go to a computer outside your local network, it's sent to the network gateway. For example, if your home network uses IP addresses like 192.168.1.X, any data going to an address outside of 192.168.1.0 to 192.168.1.255 will be sent to your network gateway. IPv6 networks work in a similar way.

Sometimes, when a gateway sends an IP packet to another network, it might change the IP address. This is called network address translation.

In larger company networks, a network gateway often does more than just connect networks. It can also act as a proxy server, which helps manage internet requests, and a firewall, which protects the network from unwanted access.

If you use Microsoft Windows, the Internet Connection Sharing feature lets one computer act as a gateway. It shares its internet connection with other computers on a local network.

Internet-to-Orbit Gateway

An Internet-to-orbit gateway (I2O) connects computers or devices on the Internet to computer systems orbiting Earth. This includes things like satellites or crewed spacecraft.

One of the first I2O gateways was Project HERMES. It was launched by the Ecuadorian Civilian Space Agency on June 6, 2009. Project HERMES can cover a distance of up to 22,000 kilometers (about 13,670 miles). It can send both voice and data. The Global Educational Network for Satellite Operations (GENSO) is another example of an I2O gateway.

Cloud Storage Gateway

A cloud storage gateway is a special network device or server. It helps companies connect their local computer systems to cloud storage services. Cloud storage is like storing your files on the internet instead of on your own computer.

This gateway translates the "languages" (APIs) used by cloud storage services, like SOAP or REST, into languages that local storage systems understand. These local languages include iSCSI, Fiber Channel, NFS, or CIFS.

Cloud storage gateways allow companies to use private cloud storage without moving all their applications to a public cloud. This makes it easier to protect their data.

IoT Gateway

An Internet of things (IoT) gateway acts as a bridge between IoT devices and the cloud. IoT devices are everyday objects that are connected to the internet, like smart home devices or sensors. The IoT gateway also connects these devices to user equipment, such as smartphones.

The IoT gateway creates a communication link between the devices in the real world and the cloud where data is stored and processed. It can also provide services even when there's no internet connection. It can control devices in real-time.

How IoT Gateways Work

To make sure all the different IoT devices can talk to each other, two main ways of exchanging data are used:

• Bus-based: Data is sent directly between devices (like DDS, REST, XMPP).
• Broker-based: Data goes through a central "broker" (like AMQP, CoAP, MQTT, JMI).

The "languages" (protocols) that help devices share information are classified as:

• Message-centric: They focus on sending messages (like AMQP, MQTT, JMS, REST).
• Data-centric: They focus on sharing data (like DDS, CoAP, XMPP).

IoT devices use simple protocols that don't need a lot of computer power. Programmers often use languages like C, Java, Python, and scripting languages to create IoT applications. IoT devices often have limited "intelligence." So, they use separate IoT gateways to handle complex tasks. These tasks include changing protocols, storing data, or making decisions (like preventing devices from crashing into each other).

See also

In Spanish: Puerta de enlace para niños

Sources

• Federal Standard 1037C
• MIL-STD-188