In networking jargon, a computer, phone, or internet of things device connected to a computer network is sometimes referred to as an end system or end station, because it sits at the edge of the network. The end user directly interacts with an end system that provides information or services.
End systems that are connected to the Internet are also referred to as internet hosts; this is because they host (run) internet applications such as a web browser or an email retrieval program. The Internet's end systems include some computers with which the end user does not directly interact. These include mail servers, web servers, or database servers. With the emergence of the internet of things, 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.
