Data circuit-terminating equipment

<h2 id="usage">Usage</h2>
<p>Although the terms are most commonly used with <a href="/facts/RS-232/NCpvGuyq">RS-232</a>, several data communication standards define different types of interfaces between a DCE and a DTE. The DCE is a device that communicates with a DTE device in these standards. Standards that use this nomenclature include:
</p>
<ul><li><a href="/facts/Federal_Standard_1037C/CA4jqghV">Federal Standard 1037C</a>, <a href="/facts/MIL-STD-188/D5rsvdsW">MIL-STD-188</a></li>
<li><a href="/facts/RS-232/NCpvGuyq">RS-232</a></li>
<li>Certain <a href="/facts/ITU-T/9nJwkPYx">ITU-T</a> standards in the V series (notably <a href="/facts/ITU-T_V.24/NCpvGuyq">V.24</a> and <a href="/facts/V.35_(recommendation)/P85K5Jgw">V.35</a>)</li>
<li>Certain <a href="/facts/ITU-T/9nJwkPYx">ITU-T</a> standards in the X series (notably <a href="/facts/X.21/KsVTDzGx">X.21</a> and <a href="/facts/X.25/yaGPqw2Y">X.25</a>)</li></ul>
<p>A general rule is that DCE devices provide the clock signal (internal clocking) and the DTE device synchronizes on the provided clock (external clocking). <a href="/facts/D-sub/ygqtB3CQ">D-sub</a> connectors follow another rule for pin assignment. DTE devices usually transmit on pin connector number 2 and receive on pin connector number 3. DCE devices are just the opposite: pin connector number 2 receives and pin connector number 3 transmits the signals.
</p><p>When two devices, that are both DTE or both DCE, must be connected together without a modem or a similar media translator between them, a <a href="/facts/Crossover_cable/DSmnou6A">crossover cable</a> must be used, e.g. a <a href="/facts/Null_modem/AguNIs12">null modem</a> for RS-232 or an <a href="/facts/Ethernet/nMfhU8tU">Ethernet</a> crossover cable.
</p>
<h2 id="see-also">See also</h2>
<ul><li><a href="/facts/Networking_hardware/ck0rIkXA">Networking hardware</a></li>
<li><a href="/facts/Network_interface_device/a2AzxyVX">Network interface device</a></li></ul>

<h2 id="external-links">External links</h2>

Wikimedia Commons has media related to DCE (Data Circuit-Terminating Equipment).

<ul><li><a href="https://www.ibm.com/support/knowledgecenter/ssw_aix_71/com.ibm.aix.networkcomm/asynch_modems_dataterm.htm">Data Terminating Equipment or Data Circuit-Terminating Equipment speeds</a>, IBM</li></ul>

<h2 id="references">References</h2>

<ol>
<li id="fn:1"><p>TIA-232-F Interface Between Data Terminal Equipment and Data Circuit-Terminating Equipment Employing Serial Binary Data Interchange. 1997. <a href="#fnref:1" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li>
<li id="fn:2"><p>EIA standard RS-232-C: Interface between Data Terminal Equipment and Data Communication Equipment Employing Serial Binary Data Interchange. Washington: Electronic Industries Association. Engineering Dept. 1969. OCLC 38637094. <a href="/wiki/OCLC_(identifier)" target="_blank">/wiki/OCLC_(identifier)</a> <a href="#fnref:2" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li>
<li id="fn:3"><p>DIN 44302 Datenübertragung - Begriffe. Vol. 8. 1966. pp. 244–246. doi:10.1524/itit.1966.8.16.244. {{cite book}}: |periodical= ignored (help) <a href="/wiki/Doi_(identifier)" target="_blank">/wiki/Doi_(identifier)</a> <a href="#fnref:3" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li>
<li id="fn:4"><p>MIL-STD-188-100, pg. 24, Fig 4.3-1, 1972. <a href="https://books.google.com/books?id=Xqj6VxVvWXEC&pg=PA24" target="_blank">https://books.google.com/books?id=Xqj6VxVvWXEC&pg=PA24</a> <a href="#fnref:4" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li>
<li id="fn:5"><p>DIN 44302 Datenübertragung - Begriffe. Vol. 8. 1966. pp. 244–246. doi:10.1524/itit.1966.8.16.244. {{cite book}}: |periodical= ignored (help) <a href="/wiki/Doi_(identifier)" target="_blank">/wiki/Doi_(identifier)</a> <a href="#fnref:5" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li>
</ol>

Data circuit-terminating equipment open-in-new

Data circuit-terminating equipment