A wide area network (WAN) arrangement.

摘要

A WAN (106) is formed using Frame Relay Protocol and a telephone network interface unit. An originating LAN (100) sends a message to a router (140) which communicates with a telephone network interface (148) unit using Frame Relay Protocol. The telephone network interface unit determines the destination of a packet received from the router (140) by interpreting the Frame Relay Protocol, and it associates a phone number with that destination. The interface unit (148) uses the phone number to establish at least one DS0 connection over a digital telephone network (130) to a destination network interface (158). A destination network interface unit (158) receives the packet from the digital telephone network (130) and provides the packet to a router (150) which interfaces to the destination LAN (102). The network interface units add or drop additional DS0 channels as required by the traffic load and thereby provide variable bandwidth. <IMAGE>