 in communication networks, a node (latin nodus, âknotâ) is either a connection point, a redistribution point or a communication endpoint (some terminal equipment). the definition of a node depends on the network and protocol layer referred to. a physical network node is an active electronic device that is attached to a network, and is capable of sending, receiving, or forwarding information over a communications channel. a passive distribution point such as a distribution frame or patch panel is consequently not a node. == computer network nodes == in data communication, a physical network node may either be a data communication equipment (dce) such as a modem, hub, bridge or switch; or a data terminal equipment (dte) such as a digital telephone handset, a printer or a host computer, for example a router, a workstation or a server. if the network in question is a lan or wan, every lan or wan node (that are at least data link layer devices) must have a mac address, typically one for each network interface controller it possesses. examples are computers, packet switches, xdsl modems (with ethernet interface) and wireless lan access points. note that a hub constitutes a physical network node, but does not constitute a lan network node, since a hubbed network logically is a bus network. analogously, a repeater or pstn modem (with serial interface) is a physical network node but not a lan node in this sense. if the network in question is the internet or an intranet, many physical network nodes are host computers, also known as internet nodes, identified by an ip address, and all hosts are physical network nodes. however, some datalink layer devices such as switches, bridges and wlan access points do not have an ip host address (except sometimes for administrative purposes), and are not considered to be internet nodes or hosts, but as physical network nodes and lan nodes. == telecommunication network nodes == in the fixed telephone network, a node may be a public or private telephone exchange, a remote concentrator or a computer providing some intelligent network service. in cellular communication, switching points and databases such as the base station controller, home location register, gateway gprs support node (ggsn) and serving gprs support node (sgsn) are examples of nodes. cellular network base stations 
Telecommunications