Network, Networking Technology, Data Communication Terms, Glossary and Dictionary

Network Access Server

A network access server (NAS), also known as a "media gateway" or a "remote access server" (RAS), is an access control point for remote users connecting to a company's internal network or to an ISP via analog modems or ISDN. A network access server has interfaces to both the local telecommunication service provider such as the phone company and to the Internet backbone. A network access server (NAS) may include its own authentication services or rely on a separate authentication server to verify users. A NAS may be a dedicated server or a software service within a regular server.

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Network Access Server