Meaning – A concentrator is a device that is used for the forwarding of incoming data transmission signals. It is also known as a remote access hub.
The concentrator, or remote access hub, handles incoming dial-up calls for an Internet (or other network) point-of-presence and performs other services.
Typically, a concentrator can handle up to a hundred dial up modem calls, support a certain number of ISDN connections, take care of leased line and frame relay traffic while also functioning as a router.
Concentrators are also used in Local Area Networks, to combine the transmission from a cluster of nodes. In such cases the concentrator is also known as a hub.
Example of usage – “Internet Service Providers use concentrators to combine their dial-up modem connections onto faster T-1 lines that connect to the Internet.”
