Communication media

In communications, media (singular medium) are the storage and transmission channels or tools used to store and deliver information or data. It is often referred to as synonymous withmass media or news media, but may refer to a single medium used to communicate any data for any purpose.

There are 2 basic categories of Transmission Media: Guided and Unguided.

1. BOUNDED MEDIA/guided media: Bounded media are the physical links through which signals are confined to narrow path. These are also called guide media. Bounded media are made up o a external conductor (Usually Copper) bounded by jacket material. Bounded media are great for LABS because they offer high speed, good security and low cast. However, some time they cannot be used due distance communication. Three common types of bounded media are used of the data transmission.

Guided Transmission Media uses a "cabling" system that guides the data signals along a specific path. The data signals are bound by the "cabling" system. Guided Media is also known as Bound Media.

Unguided media Unguided Transmission Media consists of a means for the data signals to travel but nothing to guide them along a specific path. The data signals are not bound to a cabling media and as such are often called Unbound Media. There 4 basic types of Guided Media: Open Wire Twisted Pair Coaxial Cable Optical Fibre

15a. Open Wire Open Wire is traditionally used to describe the electrical wire strung along power poles. There is a single wire strung between poles. No shielding or protection from noise interference is used. This media is susceptible to a large degree of noise and interference and consequently not acceptable for data transmission except for short distances under 20 ft.

15b. Twisted Pair The wires in Twisted Pair cabling are twisted together in pairs. Each pair would consist of a wire used for the +ve data signal and a wire used for the -ve data signal. Any noise that appears on 1 wire of the pair would occur on the other wire. Because the wires are opposite polarities, they are 180 degrees out of phase (180 degrees phasor definition of opposite polarity). When the noise appears on both wires, it cancels or nulls itself out at the receiving end. Twisted Pair cables are most effectively used in systems that use a balanced line method of transmission: polar line coding (Manchester Encoding) as opposed to unipolar line coding (TTL logic).

The degree of reduction in noise interference is determined specifically by the number of turns per foot. Increasing the number of turns per foot reduces the noise interference. To further improve noise rejection, a foil or wire braid shield is woven around the twisted pairs. This "shield" can be woven around individual pairs or around a multi-pair conductor (several pairs).

Coaxial Cable Coaxial Cable consists of 2 conductors. The inner conductor is held inside an insulator with the other conductor woven around it providing a shield. An insulating protective coating called a jacket covers the outer conductor.

The outer shield protects the inner conductor from outside electrical signals. The distance between the outer conductor (shield) and inner conductor plus the type of material used for insulating the inner conductor determine the cable properties or impedance. The excellent control of the impedance characteristics of the cable allow higher data rates to be transferred than Twisted Pair cable. 15d. Optical Fibre Optical Fibre consists of thin glass fibres that can carry information at frequencies in the

visible light spectrum and beyond. The typical optical fibre consists of a very narrow strand of glass called the Core. Around the Core is a concentric layer of glass called the Cladding. A typical Core diameter is 62.5 microns (1 micron = 10-6 meters). Typically Cladding has a diameter of 125 microns. Coating the cladding is a protective coating consisting of plastic, it is called the Jacket.

An important characteristic of Fibre Optics is Refraction. Refraction is the characteristic of a material to either pass or reflect light. When light passes through a medium, it "bends" as it passes from one medium to the other. An example of this is when we look into a pond of water. If the angle of incidence is small, the light rays are reflected and do not pass into the water. If the angle of incident is great, light passes through the media but is bent or refracted.

guide media is that where we use any path for communcation like cables(coaxial,fibre optic,twisted pair)etc. unguided media is also called wireless where not any phyisical path is used for transmission.

S.No. Guided Media 1. 2. 3.

Unguided Media

The signal energy propagates within the guided media .i.e. The signal energy propagates through air. through wires. It is mainly suited for point to point line configurations. The signal propagates in the form of voltage, current or photons. Examples of guided media are:=>Twisted Pair Cable =>Co-axial Cable =>Optical Fiber Cable It is mainly used for broadcasting purpose. The signal propagates in the form of electromagnetic waves. Examples are:=>Microwave or Radio Links =>Infrared

4.

Connectors
The Types of Cable Connectors
By Mickey Scott, eHow Contributor | updated March 06, 2012

Cable connectors are audio and visual connectors used to carry audio and/or video signals. These signals are either digital or analog. Cables and connectors are necessary to unite outputs and inputs, and the quality of the signal varies with each connector

RCA

RCA connectors are generally used for audio, composite and component cables. They allow analog video and stereo audio signals to be transmitted. They are also color-coded: red and white for the audio cables, yellow for a composite video cable, and red, green, and blue for component video cables.

Mini-DIN

Mini-DIN connectors are cylindrical in shape and feature between three and nine pins, each compatible with various audio and/or visual devices. Four-pin mini-DIN connectors are used to carry a separate video (commonly called S-video) signal. While still an analog signal, it is of a higher quality than video signals carried by composite cables.

VGA

VGA are commonly used with computer monitors and high-definition televisions and carry analog RGBHV (red, green, blue, horizontal sync, vertical sync) video signals. Smaller miniVGA connectors can be used for laptop computers.

HDMI

HDMI connectors are used for cables combining an uncompressed digital video signal with an uncompressed digital audio signal. Smaller than most other high-definition connectors, HDMI is used for optimal audio and visual quality with high-definition televisions, computers, Blue-ray players and high-end gaming consoles.

F-Connector

The F-connector is a type of radio frequency connector commonly used for cable television, antenna and satellite connections .Featuring a single peg, the male connector generally screws onto the corresponding input connector on the receiving device.

Computers

Other audio/visual connectors are used solely for computers, although computers are now becoming increasingly more compatible with other home entertainment devices such as high-definition televisions, Blue-ray players and receiver.

What is Network Cabling?

Cable is the medium through which information usually moves from one network device to another. There are several types of cable which are commonly used with LANs. In some cases, a network will utilize only one type of cable, other networks will use a variety of cable types. The type of cable chosen for a network is related to the network's topology, protocol, and size. Understanding the characteristics of different types of cable and how they relate to other aspects of a network is necessary for the development of a successful network. The following sections discuss the types of cables used in networks and other related topics.

Unshielded Twisted Pair (UTP) Cable Shielded Twisted Pair (STP) Cable Coaxial Cable Fiber Optic Cable

Unshielded Twisted Pair Connector

The standard connector for unshielded twisted pair cabling is an RJ-45 connector. This is a plastic connector that looks like a large telephone-style connector (See fig. 2). A slot allows the RJ-45 to be inserted only one way. RJ stands for Registered Jack, implying that the connector follows a standard borrowed from the telephone industry. This standard designates which wire goes with each pin inside the connector.

Fig. 2. RJ-45 connector

Shielded Twisted Pair (STP) Cable

Although UTP cable is the least expensive cable, it may be susceptible to radio and electrical frequency interference (it should not be too close to electric motors, fluorescent lights, etc.). If you must place cable in environments with lots of potential interference, or if you must place cable in extremely sensitive environments that may be susceptible to the electrical current in the UTP, shielded twisted pair may be the solution. Shielded cables can also help to extend the maximum distance of the cables. Shielded twisted pair cable is available in three different configurations: 1. Each pair of wires is individually shielded with foil. 2. There is a foil or braid shield inside the jacket covering all wires (as a group). 3. There is a shield around each individual pair, as well as around the entire group of wires (referred to as double shield twisted pair).

Coaxial Cable
Coaxial cabling has a single copper conductor at its center. A plastic layer provides insulation between the center conductor and a braided metal shield (See fig. 3). The metal shield helps to block any outside interference from fluorescent lights, motors, and other computers.

Fig. 3. Coaxial cable

Although coaxial cabling is difficult to install, it is highly resistant to signal interference. In addition, it can support greater cable lengths between network devices than twisted pair cable. The two types of coaxial cabling are thick coaxial and thin coaxial. Thin coaxial cable is also referred to as thinnet. 10Base2 refers to the specifications for thin coaxial cable carrying Ethernet signals. The 2 refers to the approximate maximum segment length being 200 meters. In actual fact the maximum segment length is 185 meters. Thin coaxial cable has been popular in school networks, especially linear bus networks. Thick coaxial cable is also referred to as thicknet. 10Base5 refers to the specifications for thick coaxial cable carrying Ethernet signals. The 5 refers to the maximum

segment length being 500 meters. Thick coaxial cable has an extra protective plastic cover that helps keep moisture away from the center conductor. This makes thick coaxial a great choice when running longer lengths in a linear bus network. One disadvantage of thick coaxial is that it does not bend easily and is difficult to install.
Coaxial Cable Connectors

The most common type of connector used with coaxial cables is the Bayone-NeillConcelman (BNC) connector (See fig. 4). Different types of adapters are available for BNC connectors, including a T-connector, barrel connector, and terminator. Connectors on the cable are the weakest points in any network. To help avoid problems with your network, always use the BNC connectors that crimp, rather screw, onto the cable.

Fig. 4. BNC connector

Fiber Optic Cable

Fiber optic cabling consists of a center glass core surrounded by several layers of protective materials (See fig. 5). It transmits light rather than electronic signals eliminating the problem of electrical interference. This makes it ideal for certain environments that contain a large amount of electrical interference. It has also made it the standard for connecting networks between buildings, due to its immunity to the effects of moisture and lighting. Fiber optic cable has the ability to transmit signals over much longer distances than coaxial and twisted pair. It also has the capability to carry information at vastly greater speeds. This capacity broadens communication possibilities to include services such as video conferencing and interactive services. The cost of fiber optic cabling is comparable to copper cabling; however, it is more difficult to install and modify. 10BaseF refers to the specifications for fiber optic cable carrying Ethernet signals. The center core of fiber cables is made from glass or plastic fibers (see fig 5). A plastic coating then cushions the fiber center, and kevlar fibers help to strengthen the cables and prevent breakage. The outer insulating jacket made of teflon or PVC.

Fig. 5. Fiber optic cable

There are two common types of fiber cables -- single mode and multimode. Multimode cable has a larger diameter; however, both cables provide high bandwidth at high speeds. Single mode can provide more distance, but it is more expensive.