Transmission Media

Computer Networks
Lecture 1
Classification of Media Types
Copper (Metalic)
Coaxial cable
Twisted pair
Shielded
Unshielded

Optical
Multimode
Singlemode

Wireless
2
Coaxial cables (1)

Dominated in computer networks for a long time

Special cables (e.g. RG-58 for 10Base2 Ethernet)
75-Ohm CaTV cable (Internet over cable TV)

Good parameters in a wide frequency range

may be used for both baseband and broadband
transmission

Expensive

3
Coaxial Cables (2)
Usage options
Baseband (0-150 MHz)
Modulation is not used
Reach limited to hundreds of meters to kilometers
due to electrical characteristics

Broadband (50-750MHz)
Carries modulated signal(s)
Cable lengths of a few kilometers are common

4
Anatomy of the Coaxial Cable

Other cabling system components:

BNC crimp connectors
T-connectors
terminators
5
Twisted Pair (1)
Cheaper than coaxial cabling

Started to be used to utilize existing telephone

wirings (US)
worse parameters than coaxial cable

Differential mode transmission over a balanced pair

the receiver detects a difference between two
levels

6
Twisted Pair (2)

The cable contains 4 twisted pairs

Typically used in LANs for baseband

transmissions
Typical reach of 100m (1Gbps)
The applicable bit rate depends on the quality of
the cable (the TP category)
The pairs are also twisted one around the others

7
Shielding of the TP Cable

Shielding prevents the electromagnetic interference

Various shielding options
can be applied to individual pairs and/or to the
collection of pairs
The shield have to be grounded at both ends
there is a need to sustain shielding all the way
through between the devices

8
EIA/TIA 568 TP Categories (1)

Every category defines parameters up to the

upper frequency that increases with the number
of the category

Relates to cables as well as to the other

components of the cabling system
connectors, patch-panels, jacks
the cable may be untwisted no more than 0,5''
(13 mm) from its termination

9
EIA/TIA 568 TP Categories (2)
Cat1 – 1 MHz
POTS, never a standard
Cat2 – 4 MHz
4Mbps IBM Token Ring cabling system
never a standard
Cat3 – 16 MHz - 10 MHz
voice, 10BaseT Ethernet
Cat4 – 20MHz
16Mbps Token Ring, never widely installed
Cat5 – 100 MHz
Commonly used for 100BaseT Ethernet
Cat5E – new parameters (FEXT, …)
Usable for Gigabit Ethernet 10
EIA/TIA 568 TP Categories (3)
Cat6 – 250 MHz
10Gbps Ethernet / limited cable length
Cat6a – 500 MHz
suitable for 10Gbps Ethernet / full 100m
Cat7 – 600Mhz (screened)
Individual pairs and the whole cable are shielded
special connectors (backward compatible) - GG45
Cat7a – 1GHz
considered for 40G/100G Ethernet
Cat8 – up to 2GHz
30-36m maximum distance, for data centers
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Examples of TP Cable Parameters
Most important measured parameters:
Propagation delay
Delay skew
Attenuation (insertion loss)
Return loss (reflections)
Near/Far End Crosstalk (NEXT,FEXT)
DC loop resistance
Calculated parameters:
ACR (Attenuation/Crosstalk Ratio)

Defined for a frequency range of the particular cable

category

See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Copper_cable_certification for

detailed explanation 12
 Optical Fiber
Supports very high transfer rates
tens of Gbps
Resilient against noise and signal tapping
(eavesdropping)
The reachable distance depends on the required
bitrate
Mb/s*km  const
Multimode or singlemode

See http://www.thefoa.org/tech/ref/basic/fiber.html 13
Geometrical Optics
A Reminder of Basic Terms (1)
Index of refraction
A ratio between a propagation velocity of light in
vacuum and in a particular medium
1.6 for glass

depends on the wavelength => results in dispersion

Law of reflection
α1= α2

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Geometrical Optics
A Reminder of Basic Terms (2)
Snell's law:
sin(α1)/sin(α2) = n2/n1
When reaching a critical angle, total reflection
occurs

15
Propagation of an Optical Signal in a
Multimode Optical Fiber (1)

16
Propagation of an Optical Signal in a
Multimode Optical Fiber (2)

Numerical aperture – range of angles over

which the system can accept the light.

17
Utilizable Frequency Ranges of the
Optical Fiber

The chosen frequency has to be compatible with

technology of production of light sources and
detectors (LEDs, PIN photodiodes)
Multiple ranges may be used in parallel
(WDM/DWDM systems)
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Limitations of the Optical Fiber

Just the 2-level data encoding

light/darkness

Attenuation is not the main issue

The main cause of the bit rate limitation is

the dispersion that causes the deformation
of (a rectangular) signal may lead to
overlapping of the neighboring pulses

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The Chromatic Dispersion

Various frequencies travel with various

speeds
We try to use light sources with a narrow
band of frequencies of the emitted light
(laser)

20
The Modal Dispersion
Multiple light rays enter the fiber under various
angles to the fiber axis
Each of them then reflects within a fiber under a
different angle
Paths of the rays have different lengths, that
causes a delay skew and thus the deformation of
the received signal
Can be reduced by gradient-index fiber in that
rays follow sinusoidal paths
=> can be avoided by usage of the single-mode
fibers
21
Optical Fiber Cables

Cable contains at least 2 fibers

commonly more for future use
Polymer strength members
Various cable types
MM, SM, WDM, DWDM, ...
indoor/outdoor
for horizontal/vertical mounting
… 22
Joining of Optical fibers (1)
Fiber cleaving

Fusion splicing, mechanical splicing

Splice protectors

The handling is easier for MMF due to the higher

diameter of the core
the higher absolute deviation does not cause so
much loss as with SMF
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Joining of Optical fibers (2)
Mechanical Splice

Fusion Splicer

24
Optical Connectors

ST, SC, FC, LC, MT-RJ and others

See: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Optical_fiber_connector

Commonly available as a prefabricated pigtails

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Structured Cabling

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Structured Cabling

Originally, various network technologies required

different cabling
Today, we use a generic cabling system that is
independent on the application and the particular
network technology
designed and installed at the building without a
knowledge of particular networking technologies
the same philosophy as with power cabling
expected operating life of ca 15 years

Integrates various services

telephony, LAN, alarm system, …
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Advantages of the Generic Cabling
System
The network technology can be upgraded in the
future without changes in the cabling
Changes in the network may be accomplished
rather easily
as the cabling structure is general
The installation investment is little bit
higher compaed to the ad-hoc cabling
designated just for the current needs

28
Structured Cabling Standards

Commercial Building Wiring Standard

EIA/TIA 568 – now ANSI/TIA-568-D, EN 50173

The similar standard exists for residential

buildings
TIA 570-A-1998, now ANSI/TIA-570-D

Defines general terminology, topology, cable

types, cable lengths, connectors and other cabling
system components

29
Basic Terminology of the
Structured Cabling System

Horizontal and Backbone cabling

Telecommunication Closet (TC)
Main Crossconnect (MC)
Point of Presence (POP)
a demarcation point between the
building and the connection provider 30
Horizontal Cabling:
Selected basic requirements for
copper cables
At least UTP Cat 5E/6A nowadays depending on
the standard
RJ-45 connectors, defined wiremaps
100m maximum distance between active network
devices
90 + 3 + 6 m
at least 2 outlets per 10m2 of the office area
much more are necessary in practice nowadays

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Usage of the Structured Cabling

Network devices and stations

may be interconnected in a
flexible manner using patch
cords on appropriate patch
panels

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