CHAPTER 7
TRANSMISSION MEDIA
Figure 7.1 Transmission medium and physical layer
A transmission medium can be broadly defined as anything that can carry
information from a source to a destination.
In telecommunications, transmission media can be divided into two
broad categories: guided and unguided
Figure 7.2 Classes of transmission media
7-1 GUIDED MEDIA
• Guided media, which are those that provide a conduit from one device to
another, include twisted-pair cable, coaxial cable, and fiber-optic cable.
• A signal traveling along any of these media is directed and contained by
the physical limits of the medium.
• Twisted-pair and coaxial cable use metallic (copper) conductors that
accept and transport signals in the form of electric current.
• Optical fiber is a cable that accepts and transports signals in the form of
light.
7-1 GUIDED MEDIA
• Twisted-Pair Cable
• Coaxial Cable
• Fiber-Optic Cable
Figure 7.3 Twisted-pair cable
◼ A twisted pair consists of two copper conductors (wires), each with its
plastic insulation, twisted together.
◼ Here data is carried in terms of electric current. One wire carries data as
an electric signal and the other is a ground reference
◼ Wires are twisted to balance the noise (twisted so that each wire will
have the same noise level)
◼ Quality depends on the number of twists per unit of length
Unshielded Versus Shielded Twisted-Pair Cable
◼ The most common twisted-pair cable used in communications is
unshielded twisted-pair (UTP).
◼ IBM has also produced a version of twisted-pair cable, called shielded
twisted-pair (STP).
Figure 7.4 UTP and STP cables
Figure 7.5 UTP connector
Figure 7.6 UTP performance
Coaxial Cable
◼ Coaxial cable (or coax) carries signals of higher frequency
ranges than those in twisted pair cable.
◼ coax has a central core conductor of solid or stranded wire
(usually copper) enclosed in an insulating sheath, which is, in
turn, encased in an outer conductor of metal foil, braid, or a
combination of the two.
Figure 7.7 Coaxial cable
• Coaxial cables are categorized by their Radio Government (RG) ratings.
• Each RG number denotes a unique set of physical specifications, including the
wire gauge of the inner conductor, the thickness and type of the inner insulator, the
construction of the shield, and the size and type of the outer casing.
Table 7.2 Categories of coaxial cables
Coaxial Cable Connectors
• To connect coaxial cable to devices, we need coaxial connectors. \
• The most common type of connector used today is the Bayonet Neill-
Concelman (BNC) connector.
• three popular types of these connectors: the BNC connector, the BNC
T connector, and the BNC terminator
Figure 7.8 BNC connectors
Figure 7.9 Coaxial cable performance
Fiber-Optic Cable
• A fiber-optic cable is made of glass or plastic and transmits
signals in the form of light.
• Optical fibers use reflection to guide light through a
channel.
• A glass or plastic core is surrounded by a cladding of less
dense glass or plastic.
• The difference in density of the two materials must be such
that a beam of light moving through the core is reflected off
the cladding instead of being refracted into it.
Fiber-Optic Cable
• A fiber-optic cable is made of glass or plastic and transmits
signals in the form of light.
• Light travels in a straight line as long as it is moving through
a single uniform substance.
• If a ray of light traveling through one substance suddenly
enters another substance (of a different density), the ray
changes direction
Figure 7.10 Bending of light ray
Figure 7.11 Optical fiber
Figure 7.12 Propagation modes
Figure 7.13 Modes
Table 7.3 Fiber types
Figure 7.14 Fiber construction
Figure 7.15 Fiber-optic cable connectors
Figure 7.16 Optical fiber performance
Advantages and Disadvantages of Optical Fiber
Advantages
Fiber-optic cable has several advantages over metallic cable
(twisted-pair or coaxial).
1. Higher bandwidth
2. Less signal attenuation
3. Immunity to electromagnetic interference
4. Resistance to corrosive materials
5. Lightweight
6. Greater immunity to tapping.
Advantages and Disadvantages of Optical Fiber
Disadvantages
There are some disadvantages to the use of optical fiber.
1. Installation and maintenance.
2. Unidirectional light propagation.
3. Cost.
7-2 UNGUIDED MEDIA: WIRELESS
• Unguided media transport electromagnetic waves without using a
physical conductor.
• This type of communication is often referred to as wireless
communication.
• Signals are normally broadcast through free space and thus are
available to anyone who has a device capable of receiving them
• Radio Waves
• Microwaves
• Infrared
Figure 7.17 Electromagnetic spectrum for wireless communication
Figure 7.18 Propagation methods
Table 7.4 Bands
Figure 7.19 Wireless transmission waves
Figure 7.20 Omnidirectional antenna
Note
Radio waves are used for multicast
communications, such as radio and
television, and paging systems.
Figure 7.21 Unidirectional antennas
Note
Microwaves are used for unicast
communication such as cellular
telephones, satellite networks,
and wireless LANs.
Infrared waves
• Infrared waves, with frequencies from 300 GHz to 400 THz (wavelengths from 1
mm to 770 nm), can be used for short-range communication. Infrared waves, having
high frequencies, cannot penetrate walls.
• This advantageous characteristic prevents interference between one system and
another; a short-range communication system in one room cannot be affected by
another system in the next room.
Note
Infrared signals can be used for short-
range communication in a closed area
using line-of-sight propagation.
