node

Definition of node in The Network Encyclopedia.

What is Node?

A general term for a device on a network that has a specific physical or logical address or can recognize addresses. Nodes can be computers, repeaters, bridges, or other devices on a network that can transmit, receive, or process signals. Another name for a node, especially on Ethernet networks, is a station.

Other common meanings of the term “node” include

  • A domain or subdomain in the namespace of the Domain Name System (DNS)
  • An object in the console hierarchy of Microsoft Management Console (MMC)
  • In Microsoft Cluster Server (MSCS) terminology, an independent computer system running Windows NT Server, Enterprise Edition, that is a member of a cluster