Classes of transmission media
Guided Media: Guided media, which are those that provide a medium from
one device to another, include twisted-pair cable, coaxial cable, and fiber-optic
cable.
Twisted-Pair Cable: A twisted pair consists of two conductors (normally
copper), each with its own plastic insulation, twisted together. One of the wires
is used to carry signals to the receiver, and the other is used only as a ground
reference.
Unshielded Versus Shielded Twisted-Pair Cable
The most common twisted-pair cable used in communications is referred to as
unshielded twisted-pair (UTP). STP cable has a metal foil or braided mesh
covering that encases each pair of insulated conductors. Although metal casing
improves the quality of cable by preventing the penetration of noise or
crosstalk, it is bulkier and more expensive.
The most common UTP connector is RJ45 (RJ stands for registered jack)
Applications
Twisted-pair cables are used in telephone lines to provide voice and data
channels.
Local-area networks, such as l0Base-T and l00Base-T, also use twisted-pair
cables.
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
(usuallycopper) enclosed in an insulating sheath, which is, in turn, encased in
an outer conductor of metal foil, braid, or a combination of the two. The outer
metallic wrapping serves both as a shield against noise and as the second
conductor, which completes the circuit.This outer conductor is also enclosed in
an insulating sheath, and the whole cable is protected by a plastic cover.
The most common type of connector used today is the Bayone-Neill-Concelman
(BNe), connector.
Applications
Coaxial cable was widely used in analog telephone networks,digital telephone
networks
Cable TV networks also use coaxial cables.
Another common application of coaxial cable is in traditional Ethernet LANs
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.
Bending of light ray
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.
Propagation Modes
Multimode is so named because multiple beams from a light source move
through the core in different paths. How these beams move within the cable
depends on the structure of the core, as shown in Figure.
In multimode step-index fiber, the density of the core remains constant from
the center to the edges. A beam of light moves through this constant density in
a straight line until it reaches the interface of the core and the cladding. The
term step index refers to the suddenness of this change, which contributes to
the distortion of the signal as it passes through the fiber.
A second type of fiber, called multimode graded-index fiber, decreases this
distortion of the signal through the cable. The word index here refers to the
index of refraction.
Single-Mode: Single-mode uses step-index fiber and a highly focused source
of light that limits beams to a small range of angles, all close to the horizontal.
