End system

In networking jargon, the computers that are connected to the Internet are sometimes referred to as End Systems. They are labeled end systems because they sit at the edge of the Internet. The end user always interacts with the end systems.

The Internet’s end systems include some computers with which the end user does not interact. These include e-mail servers and web servers.

With the accelerating rate at which technology is advancing today, household items (such as toasters and refrigerators) as well as portable, handheld computers and digital cameras are all being connected to the Internet as end systems.

End systems that are connected to the Internet are also referred to as hosts; this is because they host (run) Internet applications such as a web browser or an email retrieval program.