//This is not strictly a telecomms machine but conceptually it is.
/obj/machinery/exonet_node
	description_info = "This machine is needed for several machines back at the colony to interact with systems beyond this region of space, such as \
	communicators, external PDA messages, and even newscaster units, which host their content externally.  You can fiddle with the device with \
	just your hands, due to the integrated monitor and keyboard.  Synthetic units can interface with it as well, just like most other machines."

	description_fluff = "This is one of many nodes that make up the Exonet, which services trillions of devices across space.  This particular node \
	is referred to as a terminal node, servicing the station.<br>\
	<br>\
	In the beginning of humanity's ascend into space, the Exonet didn't exist.  Instead, the Exonet is the evolution to a network called the Interplanetary \
	Internet (sometimes referred to as the InterPlaNet), which was conceived and developed due to the limitations of the terrestrial Internet, mainly because \
	the IP protocol was unsuitable for long range communications in space, due to the massive delays associated with lightspeed being unable to overcome \
	the massive distances between planets in a timely manner.  It was a store-and-forward network of smaller internets, distributed between various nodes, \
	and was designed to be error, fault, and delay tolerant.  The first nodes were put into space around the time when colonization had begun, to service humanity’s \
	close holdings, such as Luna and Mars.<br>\
	<br>\
	By 2104, the Interplanetary Internet had coverage within most of Sol, but the network of networks were limited by the speed of light, and due \
	to orbital mechanics, the delay for a request to be processed could vary.  As an example, a direct message from Mars to Earth could take anywhere \
	between three to twenty two minutes to get to Earth, and then the same amount of time to return to Mars.  Coverage was also spotty due to the \
	nature of operating at such vast distances.<br>\
	<br>\
	Fortunately, a method for traveling faster than light was discovered, which could allow data to be transmitted beyond the speed of light, \
	and thus overcome the limitations of the Interplanetary Internet.  One by one, each of the nodes were upgraded to utilize cutting edge \
	(at the time) FTL technologies to rapidly increase response time.<br>\
	<br>\
	Once humanity had send colonists out beyond Sol, to other star systems such as Sirius and Alpha Centauri, they required their own interplanetary \
	internet, so a new protocol had to be created, and another hardware upgrade for the separate interplanetary internets.  The end result allowed \
	communications between Sol and the various exosolar systems, and was dubbed the Exonet.  It remains the most common way for consumers to engage \
	in long range communications across planets and star systems.  Generally, each system has their own Exonet, which is connected to all the other \
	Exonets at the root node(s), and is typically arranged in a tree structure.  The root node(s) are generally government-owned and are very secure \
	and resilient to failure.<br>\
	<br>\
	This node is privately owned and maintained by NanoTrasen, and allows the crew of the station to have access to the Exonet."

	description_antag = "An EMP will disable this device for a short period of time.  A longer downage can be achieved by turning it off, or rigging \
	the APC it uses to turn off remotely, such as with a signaler in the right wire."