Transmission Media
Transmission Media
Norrima Mokhtar
Objectives
Present the functions and features of leading transmission media, both guided and open media(unguided) Guided media
Twisted pair, coaxial cable, optical fiber and mixed cabling
Introduction
Transmission media physical path between transmitter and receiver Examples
the path between the satellite and the ground station in satellite communication systems the path between two computers
Transmission media
For guided media, the medium itself is more important in determining the limitations of transmission For unguided media, the bandwidth of the signal is more important than the medium because the medium is shared by many applications
Operating frequencies
Electromagnetic spectrum
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Special terms
Shielding (Conductive material) Insulation (Non-conductive material) Casing (Plastic material)
Twisting
Minimizes the effect of electromagnetic interference The electromagnetic field from one wire counterbalances the field from the other wire
Characteristics
Cheap Easy to install Generally speaking, different frequencies may not be assigned to carry different channels on the same twisted pair wire Compared to coaxial cables, twisted pair wires have a lower bandwidth
But, recent improvements have contributed to an increase in bandwidth Speed is proportional to bandwidth
Areas of Application
Phone lines Used extensively in telecommunications LANs
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Coaxial Cable
Thick coaxial
Original version Standard Ethernet cable RG-8, RG-9, RG-11 : Thick Ethernet
RG-59 : TV
Bus LAN
Coaxial Cable
A multi-drop connection
Terminator
Router
Backbone
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Fiber Cables
Refraction
Critical Angle
Optical fiber
1.core(62.5um,50um,8.3um)
2.cladding(125um) 3.Coating(250um)
Fiber types
Light source
Sending device called light source Receiving device called photosensitive cell (photodiode) Light source Light-emitting diode (LED) Cheap but unfocused Short distance Injection Laser diode (ILD) Expensive but focused Preserve the signal (long distance)
Characteristics
Very broad bandwidth Higher transmission speeds are possible Signals travel a longer distance No Electro-magnetic field
No interference Signals are difficult to tap
Smaller size
Increasing Speed
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Mixed Cabling
Mixed Cabling
LANs may be constructed with different segments having different cable types Devices are available for interfacing the different media Optical fiber is often used for high speed links within a LAN of mixed speed ratings
Media Interface
Unguided media
Unguided media
Omnidirectional Signal radiates in all directions Good for broadcast Inexpensive antenna Directional Signal radiates in a single direction Usually requires parabolic (dish) antenna 2-40 GHz (microwave) Also works with lasers
Bands
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Microwave
Propagation
Over space
At higher frequencies the waves tend to behave like light waves
Line-of-Sight Requirement
Line of sight is required.
Characteristics
Advantage
Cable laying is not required
Disadvantage
Can easily be tapped Encryption is one way of securing the data from eavesdropping
Applications Areas
Telecommunications Used extensively LAN Used for wireless connections WANs benefit from microwave Usage on the increase LANs and WANs area Fueled by FCC's(federal communications comission-US) reassignment of part of the microwave bandwidth from military to civilian use
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Satellite Communication
Types
Geosynchronous Earth Orbit (GEO) Medium Earth Orbit (MEO) Low Earth Orbit (LEO)
Propagation
Requires line-of-sight GEO
At least 3 satellites are required to provide total global coverage
III
II
Basic function
Receive the signals from an earth station, amplify them and then transmit them back to another earth station
Applications
Telecommunications
Especially for inter-continental communication
TV broadcast
Usage is increasing
Attenuation
Why dB?
Distortion
Noises