Repeaters - Repeaters are used when a cable run has reached its maximum length. A repeater enables a longer cable run then usual by amplfying the signal and resending it out on the new cable run. This enables the cabling of distant offices to be connected to the LAN.

Gateway - The term gateway can be used in many contexts. But to make it simple a clear it generaly refers to 'a software of hardware interface which enables two different types of networked systems or software to communicate' (10). The gateway can be used as follows :

• to convert commonly used protocols (TCP/IP) to a specialized protocol
• to translate different addressing schemes
• to link a host computer to a LAN
• to connect networks with different architectures
• to provide terminal emulation for connectiosn to a host computer