N-GEN Communications Web-based Seminars ©NGCS

Seminar - An Overview of Communications Technologies

Module 6 - Internet, Intranet, Extranet, e-Commerce and Web Services                                      Slide 12 of 70 _________________                                                                                  __________

                                                Network Access Points (NAPs)

                                            Network Access Points (NAPs)

                                            Metropolitan Area Exchanges (MAEs)

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The U.S. has many high speed network providers for Internet customers and ISPs. These networks link at NAPs. The MAE exchange points are actually places where vendors attach their routers, so that they can exchange data with each other. The NAPs are often ATM switches. Chicago is one of the NAPs. The Chicago NAP connects 127 customers. The following table shows few of the customers: