DCE in a frame relay scenario

Hi everyone,

Im a bit confused, and i hope you can help me out. Ive tried to search around for answers to this, but with no luck

I know that a DTE is an end-type device, such as a router, and that a DCE is circuit terminating device, also responsible for clocking. I was also under the impression that the DCE was normally a CSU/DSU or a modem, and that this device was what actually put the bits on the local loop.

After having read up on Frame Relay however, it seems that the Service Providers switch is the DCE. Dont you always need a DCE within your own "walls" so to speak?

Hope for a bit of clarification,

Thanks

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Comments

marlon23

Confusion is from double usage of DCE/DTE acronyms. One time in sense of provider/customer and another time in sence of clock source/receiver. In Frame-Relay, Provider's device is DCE and customer's DTE. In the world of serial links, DCE is providing clocking & DTE is receiving this clock signal.

kpjungle

marlon23 wrote:

Confusion is from double usage of DCE/DTE acronyms. One time in sense of provider/customer and another time in sence of clock source/receiver. In Frame-Relay, Provider's device is DCE and customer's DTE. In the world of serial links, DCE is providing clocking & DTE is receiving this clock signal.

Okay, so its best just to know in which context the term DCE is used, rather than look for a single usage of DCE?

But even in Frame Relay, you still have the CSU/DSU for connecting your router to, through a serial interface, is that correct?

Thanks for the reply. This had me confused for a while