Data circuit-terminating equipment

Terminal adapter for X.21
Two data stations (terminals, stations) each comprising a DCE and a DTE, connected via a network.

A data circuit-terminating equipment[1] (DCE) is a device that sits between the data terminal equipment (DTE) and a data transmission circuit. It is also called data communication(s) equipment[2][3][4] and data carrier equipment.[citation needed] Usually, the DTE device is the terminal (or computer), and the DCE is a modem.

In a data station, the DCE performs functions such as signal conversion, coding, and line clocking and may be a part of the DTE or intermediate equipment.[3] Interfacing equipment may be required to couple the DTE into a transmission circuit or channel and from a transmission circuit or channel into the DTE.

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference TIA_1997_232F was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference EIA_1969_RS232C was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference DIN_44302 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ Cite error: The named reference MIL-STD-188-100 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).