Signal Transmission

Two techniques can be used to transmit the encoded signals over cable: baseband and
broadband transmission.

Baseband Transmission

Baseband systems use digital signaling over a single channel. Signals flow in the form of
discrete pulses of electricity or light. Figure 2.19 shows a baseband transmission with a
bidirectional digital wave. With baseband transmission, the entire communication channel
capacity is used to transmit a single data signal. The digital signal uses the complete
bandwidth of the cable, which constitutes a single channel. The term bandwidth refers to the
data transfer capacity, or speed of transmission, of a digital communications system as
measured in bits per second (bps).

Figure 2.19 Baseband transmission showing digital wave

As the signal travels along the network cable, it gradually decreases in strength and can
become distorted. If the cable length is too long, the received signal can be unrecognizable or
misinterpreted.

As a safeguard, baseband systems sometimes use repeaters to receive incoming signals and
retransmit them at their original strength and definition. This increases the practical length of
a cable.

Broadband Transmission

Broadband systems, as shown in Figure 2.20, use analog signaling and a range of frequencies.
With analog transmission, the signals are continuous and nondiscrete. Signals flow across the
physical medium in the form of electromagnetic or optical waves. With broadband
transmission, signal flow is unidirectional.

Figure 2.20 Broadband transmission showing unidirectional analog wave

If sufficient total bandwidth is available, multiple analog transmission systems, such as cable
television and network transmissions, can be supported simultaneously on the same cable.

Each transmission system is allocated a part of the total bandwidth. All devices associated
with a given transmission system, such as all computers using a LAN cable, must then be
tuned so that they use only the frequencies that are within the allocated range.

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While baseband systems use repeaters, broadband systems use amplifiers to regenerate analog
signals at their original strength.

In broadband transmission, signals flow in one direction only, so there must be two paths for
data flow in order for a signal to reach all devices. There are two common ways to do this:

 Through mid-split broadband configuration, the bandwidth is divided into two

channels, each using a different frequency or range of frequencies. One channel
transmits signals; the other receives signals.
 In dual-cable broadband configuration, each device is attached to two cables. One
cable is used to send, and the other is used to receive.

Increasing Bandwidth Performance

Increasing the speed of data transmission is a priority as network sizes and data traffic
increase. By maximizing the use of the data channel, we can exchange more data in less time.
The most basic form of data or information transmission is called simplex. This means that
data is sent in one direction only, from sender to receiver. A simplex transmission is shown in
Figure 2.21. Examples of simplex transmission are radio and television. With simplex
transmission, problems encountered during the transmission are not detected and corrected.
Senders cannot even be sure that the data is received.

Figure 2.21 A simplex transmission

In the next level of data transmission, called half-duplex transmission, data is sent in both
directions, but in only one direction at a time. Examples of technology that uses half-duplex
communication are shortwave radio and walkie-talkies. Figure 2.22 shows a half-duplex
transmission. With half-duplex transmission, you can incorporate error detection and request
that any bad data be resent. Surfing the World Wide Web is a form of half-duplex data
transmission. You send a request for a Web page and then wait while it is being sent back to
you. Most modem connections use half-duplex data transmission.

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Figure 2.22 A half-duplex transmission

The most efficient method of transmitting data is to use a full-duplex transmission, in which
data can be transmitted and received at the same time. A good example is a cable connection
that not only allows you to receive TV channels, but also supports telephone and Internet
connection. A telephone is a full-duplex device because it allows both parties to talk at the
same time. Figure 2.23 shows full-duplex communication. Modems, by design, are half-
duplex devices. They either send or receive data, switching between transmission mode and
receiving mode. You can create a full-duplex modem channel by using two modems and two
telephone lines. The only requirement is that both computers be connected and configured to
support this type of communication.

Figure 2.23 Full-duplex communication

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