Data Flow

Buses and networks are designed to allow communication to occur between individual devices that are interconnected. The flow
of information, or data, between nodes, can take a variety of forms

With simplex communication, all data flow is unidirectional: from the designated transmitter to the designated receiver.
BogusBus is an example of simplex communication, where the transmitter sent information to the remote monitoring location, but
no information is ever sent back to the water tank.

If all we want to do is send information one-way, then simplex is just fine. Most applications, however, demand more

Duplex Communication

With duplex communication, the flow of information is bi-directional for each device. Duplex can be further divided into two sub-
categories

Half-Duplex
A type of communication may be likened to two tin cans on the ends of a single taut string: Either can may be used to transmit or
receive, but not at the same time.

Full-duplex communication is more like a true telephone, where two people can talk at the same time and hear one another
simultaneously, the mouthpiece of one phone transmitting the earpiece of the other, and vice versa.

Full-Duplex

Full-duplex is often facilitated through the use of two separate channels or networks, with an individual set of wires for each
direction of communication.

It is sometimes accomplished by means of multiple-frequency carrier waves, especially in radio links, where one frequency is
reserved for each direction of communication.

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Transmission mode means transferring data between two devices. It is also known as a communication mode. Buses and
networks are designed to allow communication to occur between individual devices that are interconnected.
There are three types of transmission mode:-

These are explained as following below.

1. Simplex Mode –
In Simplex mode, the communication is unidirectional, as on a one-way street. Only one of the two devices on a link can
transmit, the other can only receive. The simplex mode can use the entire capacity of the channel to send data in one directi on.
Example: Keyboard and traditional monitors. The keyboard can only introduce input, the monitor can only give the output.
Advantages:
• Simplex mode is the easiest and most reliable mode of communication.
• It is the most cost-effective mode, as it only requires one communication channel.
• There is no need for coordination between the transmitting and receiving devices, which simplifies the communication
process.
• Simplex mode is particularly useful in situations where feedback or response is not required, such as broadcasting or
surveillance.
Disadvantages:
• Only one-way communication is possible.
• There is no way to verify if the transmitted data has been received correctly.
• Simplex mode is not suitable for applications that require bidirectional communication.
2. Half-Duplex Mode –
In half-duplex mode, each station can both transmit and receive, but not at the same time. When one device is sending, the
other can only receive, and vice versa. The half-duplex mode is used in cases where there is no need for communication in both
directions at the same time. The entire capacity of the channel can be utilized for each direction.
Example: Walkie-talkie in which message is sent one at a time and messages are sent in both directions.
Channel capacity=Bandwidth * Propagation Delay

Advantages:
• Half-duplex mode allows for bidirectional communication, which is useful in situations where devices need to send and
receive data.
• It is a more efficient mode of communication than simplex mode, as the channel can be used for both transmission and
reception.
• Half-duplex mode is less expensive than full-duplex mode, as it only requires one communication channel.
Disadvantages:
• Half-duplex mode is less reliable than Full-Duplex mode, as both devices cannot transmit at the same time.
• There is a delay between transmission and reception, which can cause problems in some applications.
• There is a need for coordination between the transmitting and receiving devices, which can complicate the
communication process.
3. Full-Duplex Mode –
In full-duplex mode, both stations can transmit and receive simultaneously. In full_duplex mode, signals going in one direction
share the capacity of the link with signals going in another direction, this sharing can occur in two ways:
• Either the link must contain two physically separate transmission paths, one for sending and the other for receiving.
• Or the capacity is divided between signals traveling in both directions.

Full-duplex mode is used when communication in both directions is required all the time. The capacity of the channel, however,
must be divided between the two directions.
Example: Telephone Network in which there is communication between two persons by a telephone line, through which both
can talk and listen at the same time.
Channel Capacity=2* Bandwidth*propagation Delay

Advantages:
 • Full-duplex mode allows for simultaneous bidirectional communication, which is ideal for real-time applications such
as video conferencing or online gaming.
• It is the most efficient mode of communication, as both devices can transmit and receive data simultaneously.
• Full-duplex mode provides a high level of reliability and accuracy, as there is no need for error correction mechanisms.
Disadvantages:
• Full-duplex mode is the most expensive mode, as it requires two communication channels.
• It is more complex than simplex and half-duplex modes, as it requires two physically separate transmission paths or a
division of channel capacity.
• Full-duplex mode may not be suitable for all applications, as it requires a high level of bandwidth and may not be
necessary for some types of communication.
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Transmission modes
o The way in which data is transmitted from one device to another device is known as transmission mode.
o The transmission mode is also known as the communication mode.
o Each communication channel has a direction associated with it, and transmission media provide the direction. Therefore, the transmission mode is also
known as a directional mode.
o The transmission mode is defined in the physical layer.

The Transmission mode is divided into three categories:

o Simplex mode
o Half-duplex mode
o Full-duplex mode
Simplex mode

o In Simplex mode, the communication is unidirectional, i.e., the data flow in one direction.
o A device can only send the data but cannot receive it or it can receive the data but cannot send the data.
o This transmission mode is not very popular as mainly communications require the two-way exchange of data. The simplex mode is used in the business
field as in sales that do not require any corresponding reply.
o The radio station is a simplex channel as it transmits the signal to the listeners but never allows them to transmit back.
o Keyboard and Monitor are the examples of the simplex mode as a keyboard can only accept the data from the user and monitor can only be used to
display the data on the screen.
o The main advantage of the simplex mode is that the full capacity of the communication channel can be utilized during transmission.

Advantage of Simplex mode:

o In simplex mode, the station can utilize the entire bandwidth of the communication channel, so that more data can be transmitted at a time.

Disadvantage of Simplex mode:

o Communication is unidirectional, so it has no inter-communication between devices.

Half-Duplex mode

o In a Half-duplex channel, direction can be reversed, i.e., the station can transmit and receive the data as well.
o Messages flow in both the directions, but not at the same time.
o The entire bandwidth of the communication channel is utilized in one direction at a time.
o In half-duplex mode, it is possible to perform the error detection, and if any error occurs, then the receiver requests the sender to retransmit the data.
o A Walkie-talkie is an example of the Half-duplex mode. In Walkie-talkie, one party speaks, and another party listens. After a pause, the other speaks
and first party listens. Speaking simultaneously will create the distorted sound which cannot be understood.
Advantage of Half-duplex mode:
o In half-duplex mode, both the devices can send and receive the data and also can utilize the entire bandwidth of the communication channel during the
transmission of data.

Disadvantage of Half-Duplex mode:

o In half-duplex mode, when one device is sending the data, then another has to wait, this causes the delay in sending the data at the right time.

Full-duplex mode

o In Full duplex mode, the communication is bi-directional, i.e., the data flow in both the directions.
o Both the stations can send and receive the message simultaneously.
o Full-duplex mode has two simplex channels. One channel has traffic moving in one direction, and another channel has traffic flowing in the opposite
direction.
o The Full-duplex mode is the fastest mode of communication between devices.
o The most common example of the full-duplex mode is a telephone network. When two people are communicating with each other by a telephone line,
both can talk and listen at the same time.

Advantage of Full-duplex mode:

o Both the stations can send and receive the data at the same time.

Disadvantage of Full-duplex mode:

o If there is no dedicated path exists between the devices, then the capacity of the communication channel is divided into two parts.
Differences b/w Simplex, Half-duplex and Full-duplex mode
Basis for Simplex mode Half-duplex mode Full-duplex mode
comparison

Direction of In simplex mode, the communication is In half-duplex mode, the In full-duplex mode, the communication is bidirectional.
communication unidirectional. communication is bidirectional,
but one at a time.

Send/Receive A device can only send the data but Both the devices can send and Both the devices can send and receive the data
cannot receive it or it can only receive receive the data, but one at a simultaneously.
the data but cannot send it. time.

Performance The performance of half-duplex mode is The performance of full-duplex The Full-duplex mode has better performance among
better than the simplex mode. mode is better than the half- simplex and half-duplex mode as it doubles the
duplex mode. utilization of the capacity of the communication channel.

Example Examples of Simplex mode are radio, Example of half-duplex is Example of the Full-duplex mode is a telephone network.
keyboard, and monitor. Walkie-Talkies.

Data communication is the transfer and flow of data from one place to another.

Just like humans communicate in a variety of ways—by speaking, texting, and emailing—data similarly transfers from one place to
another using different mediums. This process of moving electronic and digital data is called data communication.

In this article, we’ll go through the basics, such as types of data communication and networks, along with careers that typically
require an understanding of data communication.
What is data communication?
Data communication is the process of transferring data from one place to another or between two locations. It allows electronic
and digital data to move between two networks, no matter where the two are located geographically, what the data contains, or
what format they are in.

A common example of data communication is connecting your laptop to a Wi-Fi network. This action requires a wireless medium
to send and receive data from remote servers.

The type of data transmission demonstrates the direction in which the data moves between the sender and receiver.
• Simplex data transmission: Data is sent from sender to receiver
• Half-duplex data transmission: Data can transmit both ways, but not simultaneously
• Full-duplex data transmission: Data can transmit both ways at the same time

Full-duplex data transmission is the most common type found in computer networks. You may be familiar with some of the ways
we use computer networks in our daily lives, such as communicating through instant messaging on Slack or video on Zoom or
sharing files via tools like Apple’s AirDrop.

Some different types of computer networks include:

• Personal Area Network (PAN)
• Local Area Network (LAN)
• Campus Area Network (CAN)
• Metropolitan Area Network (MAN)
• Wide Area Network (WAN)

These computer networks indicate the geographic coverage. LAN, for example, refers to devices connected in a physical location,
such as an office or apartment building.
Components of data communication

A data communication system is comprised of the following:

1. Message: The data to be transmitted or communicated, which can include numbers, text, photos, sound, or video.
2. Sender: The computer or device (e.g., phone, tablet) that sends the message.
3. Receiver: The computer or device that receives the message, which can be different from the sender.
4. Medium: The channel through which the message is carried from sender to receiver, such as twisted pair wire, coaxial cable,
fibre optic cable, or wireless.
5. Protocol: The set of rules that govern the communication between computers. These rules are followed by both the sender
and receiver.

Functions that a protocol performs

The protocol performs a variety of functions to carry out data communication. Here are just a few:
• Data sequencing: Data sequencing breaks down a long message into smaller chunks called packets. Rules of data
sequencing define how these packets of data are numbered to prevent losing or duplicating them.
• Data routing: Data routing rules define the most efficient route between sender and receiver.
• Flow control: This protocol prevents a fast sender from overwhelming a slower receiver by regulating the flow of data, like
a traffic controller.
• Error control: These types of rules detect errors in messages and reroute messages to the correct receiver. Often, the
message must be discarded by the receiver and reissued by the sender.
• Order of transmission: This set of rules makes sure all the network nodes have access to the lines of communication based
on priority (for example, chronological order of sent messages).