Data terminal equipment

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Data terminal equipment (DTE) is an end instrument that converts user information into signals or reconverts received signals. It is also called data processing terminal equipment^[1] or tail circuit.^{[citation needed]} A DTE device communicates with the data circuit-terminating equipment (DCE), such as a modem. The DTE/DCE classification was introduced by IBM.

A DTE is the

Usually, the DTE device is the

Two different types of devices are assumed on each end of the interconnecting cable for a case of simply adding DTE to the topology (e.g. to a hub, DCE), which also brings a less trivial case of interconnection of devices of the same type: DTE-DTE or DCE-DCE. Such cases need crossover cables, such as for the Ethernet or null modem for RS-232.^[2]

A general rule is that DCE devices provide the clock signal (internal clocking) and the DTE device synchronizes on the provided clock (external clocking).

This term is also generally used in the