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Transmission Media: Wires, Cables, Fiber Optics, and Microwaves

The document discusses different types of transmission media used to transmit signals, including guided media like wires, cables, fiber optics and unguided media like microwaves. It provides details on common guided media like twisted pair, coaxial cables and fiber optics, how they transmit signals, their bandwidth capabilities and limitations. Wireless transmission media like radio waves and satellites are also summarized.

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Ravinder K Singla
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47 views15 pages

Transmission Media: Wires, Cables, Fiber Optics, and Microwaves

The document discusses different types of transmission media used to transmit signals, including guided media like wires, cables, fiber optics and unguided media like microwaves. It provides details on common guided media like twisted pair, coaxial cables and fiber optics, how they transmit signals, their bandwidth capabilities and limitations. Wireless transmission media like radio waves and satellites are also summarized.

Uploaded by

Ravinder K Singla
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPT, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Transmission Media:

Wires, Cables, Fiber Optics, and


Microwaves
Based on Chapter 4 of William Stallings, Data and
Computer Communication, 6th Ed.

Kevin Bolding
Electrical Engineering
Seattle Pacific University

Seattle Pacific University Transmission Media No. 1


Transmission Media
• A signal must be transmitted through some medium
• Guided Media determine the path of the signal
• Wires (cables, twisted pair, coax)
• Fiber Optics
• Other things…
• Unguided Media is a misnomer
• The medium is usually free space (air), but the
signal type gets the name
• Refers to transmitting signals through passive
media that does not change the signals direction
• Microwaves, broadcast radio waves
• Lasers, Infrared
Seattle Pacific University Transmission Media No. 2
Media Issues
• Bandwidth
• Some media support greater bandwidth than others
• Key issue
• Impairments
• Different media deform signals differently
• Some are more susceptible to noise and distortion
• Cost
• We’re in the real world…
• Number of receivers
• Broadcast vs. point-to-point

Seattle Pacific University Transmission Media No. 3


Frequency of various signals
Frequency (Hz)
102 103 104 105 106 107 108 109 1010 1011 1012 1013 1014 1015

Power/ Visible
Radio Microwave Infrared
Telephone Light

Twisted Pair
Coax
AM Radio FM Radio/TV Optical
Fiber
Microwave
Trans.

106 105 104 103 102 101 100 10-1 10-2 10-3 10-4 10-5 10-6
Wavelength (Meters)
Source: Stallings, Fig. 4.1

Seattle Pacific University Transmission Media No. 4


Guided Media
• Guided media control the path of the signal wave
• Electrical – Signal needs conductor and ground
• Differences are in how ground/conductor interact
• Twisted pair
• Coax
• Striplines on PCBs
• Optical – Signal is sent using internal reflection
• Differences are in light sources and fiber diameter

Seattle Pacific University Transmission Media No. 5


Electrical Cables signal
• The issue is electromagnetic
Interference prop. to area
transmission/reception
• Loops make great
return
antennas
• Antenna strength signal
proportional to the area
inside of the loop
return Better…
• Worse for shorter
wavelengths

• Common ground systems Trace on PCB


(such as PCBs with ground
planes)
Ground return
• Return path directly below
signal
• Minimizes loop area

Seattle Pacific University Transmission Media No. 6


Twisted Pair Cables Adjacent Loops
Out of phase
• Twist the signal and ground

Si
gn
together

al
• Loop size proportional to

Re
twist size

tu
rn
• Adjacent twists are 180
degrees out of phase
• Tend to cancel out
• Varying the twist size helps
to minimize crosstalk

• Data rates
• Over long distances, about 1-3 Mbps
• Short distances: 100Mbps, sometimes 1Gbps

Seattle Pacific University Transmission Media No. 7


Shielding
• Twisted pair usually comes bundled with several pairs in a
cable
• Unshielded – Just a plastic (teflon) jacket
• Cat-3 UTP: <16Mbps, Cat-5 UTP: <100Mbps
• Shielded – Includes a grounded shield

(source: Microsoft Networking Essentials)

Seattle Pacific University Transmission Media No. 8


Coaxial Cables
• Concentric mesh wire for
ground
• Acts as an excellent shield
• Very little interference or
radiation
• Carries much higher
frequencies and data rates
• 1-500MHz spectrum
• Data rates in 100s of Mbps

• The downside
• Expensive to manufacture
• More difficult to install

Seattle Pacific University Transmission Media No. 9


Optical Fiber
• Relies on total internal
reflection
• Light waves bounce of
edge of fiber
• Channels waves to
destination (Source: Stallings, Fig. 4.4)

• Varieties
• Multi-mode (wide fiber)
• Light waves bounce off at different angles
• Some have shallow angles (straight path), while others
have steeper angles (crooked path)
• Results in pulse spreading
• Single-mode (narrow fiber)
• Only a straight shot down the middle is allowed
• Requires a laser source

Seattle Pacific University Transmission Media No. 10


Fiber has its advantages
• Advantages
• No electromagnetic interference
• Very little attenuation
• Extremely high bandwidth (THz)
• Small, lightweight
• Disadvantages
• More expensive tranceivers
• More difficult to install

Seattle Pacific University Transmission Media No. 11


Wireless (Unguided) Media
• Omnidirectional
• Signal radiates in all directions
• Good for broadcast
• Inexpensive antenna
• 30MHz – 1GHz
• Directional
• Signal radiates in a single direction
• Usually requires parabolic (dish) antenna
• 2-40 GHz (microwave)
• Also works with lasers

Seattle Pacific University Transmission Media No. 12


Terrestrial Radio
• Limited to line-of-sight (more or
less)
• Max distance (m):
d  7140 Kh
h = height (in meters)
K = fudge factor (around 4/3)
• Attenuation prop. to square of
distance
• Higher frequencies have more
attenuation
• Microwaves don’t go as
far as broadcast radio

Seattle Pacific University Transmission Media No. 13


Satellite Radio
• Requires satellite in
geosynchronous orbit
• 35,784 km
• Delay of ¼ second (round-trip)
• Satellites spaced 4 degrees
apart

• Above 10GHz, signal is attenuated


by atmosphere
• Higher frequencies use
smaller dishes, though

• New Tech:
• “Constellations” of low-orbit
satellites

Seattle Pacific University Transmission Media No. 14


Transformations
• Fiber is coming! Fiber is coming!
• Fiber has replaced coax in long-haul lines and is
replacing terrestrial microwave
• Fiber is becoming practical for LANs
• The new wireless
• Broadcast models are diminishing
• Market for custom content (point-to-point)
• New uses of unguided media are for mobile
communications
• Cell phones
• Wireless LANs
• New implementations are almost all digital
Seattle Pacific University Transmission Media No. 15

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