Network CH 2

Physical Layer
Transmission Media
Emad Al-Shalabi
Magnetic Media
One of the most common ways to transport data from one computer to another is to write them onto magnetic tape or removable media
Twisted Pair
One of the oldest and still most common transmission media is twisted pair A twisted pair consists of two insulated copper wires, typically about 1 mm thick. The wires are twisted together in a helical form, just like a DNA molecule. When the wires are twisted, the waves from different twists cancel out
Twisted pairs can be used for transmitting either analog or digital signals. The bandwidth depends on the thickness of the wire and the distance traveled
Twisted pair cabling comes in several varieties

Category 3 Category 5 Category 6
All of these wiring types are often referred to as UTP (Unshielded Twisted Pair),
(a) Category 3 UTP. (b) Category 5 UTP.
Coaxial Cable
better shielding than twisted pairs it can span longer distances at higher speeds. Two kinds of coaxial cable
50-ohm cable 75-ohm cable
Coaxial Cable
consists of a stiff copper wire as the core surrounded by an insulating material insulator is encased by a cylindrical conductor
Fiber Optics
An optical transmission system has three key components
the light source, the transmission medium, and the detector
a pulse of light indicates a 1 bit and the absence of light indicates a 0 bit.
Fiber Cable
multimode fiber. many different rays will be bouncing around at different angles.
single-mode fiber. light can propagate only in a straight line, without bouncing
Fiber Cables
(a) Side view of a single fiber. (b) End view of a sheath with three fibers.
Fiber Cables (2)

A comparison of semiconductor diodes and LEDs as light sources.
Fiber optics can be used for LANs as well as for long-haul transmission
Fiber Optic Networks

A fiber optic ring with active repeaters.
Comparison of Fiber Optics and Copper Wire

Fiber has many advantages
it can handle much higher bandwidths than copper Fiber also has the advantage of not being affected by power surges, electromagnetic interference, or power failures Fiber thin and lightweight fibers do not leak light and are quite difficult to tap. These properties gives fiber excellent security against potential wire trappers
Comparison of Fiber Optics and Copper Wire

On the downside,
fiber is a less familiar technology requiring skills not all engineers have, and fibers can be damaged easily by being bent too much. Since optical transmission is inherently unidirectional, two-way communication requires either two fibers or two frequency bands on one fiber. Finally, fiber interfaces cost more than electrical interfaces.
Wireless Transmission
The Electromagnetic Spectrum Radio Transmission
Wireless Transmission
Some people believe that the future holds only two kinds of communication:
fiber and wireless.
Wireless has advantages for even fixed devices if running a fiber to a building is difficult due to the terrain (mountains,
jungles, swamps, etc.), wireless may be better
The Electromagnetic Spectrum

When electrons move, they create electromagnetic waves that can propagate through space (even in a vacuum). The number of oscillations per second of a wave is called its frequency
and is measured in Hz
The distance between two consecutive maxima (or minima) is called the wavelength
The Electromagnetic Spectrum

When an antenna of the appropriate size is attached to an electrical circuit, the electromagnetic waves can be broadcast efficiently and received by a receiver some distance away. All wireless communication is based on this principle.
Radio Transmission
Radio waves are easy to generate, can travel long distances, can penetrate buildings easily, they are widely used for communication, both indoors and outdoors. Radio waves also are omni directional, meaning that they travel in all directions from the source, so the transmitter and receiver do not have to be carefully aligned physically.
Radio Transmission
(a) In the VLF, LF, and MF bands, radio waves follow the curvature of the earth. (b) In the HF band, they bounce off the ionosphere.
radio waves tend to travel in straight lines and bounce off obstacles. They are also absorbed by rain. At all frequencies, radio waves are subject to interference from motors and other electrical equipment. Due to radio's ability to travel long distances, interference between users is a problem.
Communication Satellites
Geostationary Satellites Medium-Earth Orbit Satellites Low-Earth Orbit Satellites Satellites versus Fiber
Communication satellites properties
a communication satellite can be thought of as a big microwave repeater in the sky. It contains several transponders, each of which listens to some portion of the spectrum, amplifies the incoming signal, and then rebroadcasts it at another frequency to avoid interference with the incoming signal.
The downward beams can be broad, covering a substantial fraction of the earth's surface, or narrow, covering an area only hundreds of kilometers in diameter. This mode of operation is known as a bent pipe.
Communication satellites and some of their properties, including altitude above the earth, round-trip delay time and number of satellites needed for global coverage.
Assignment
Satellites versus Fiber

Network CH 2

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Physical Layer

Twisted pair cabling comes in several varieties

Fiber Cables (2)

Fiber Optic Networks

Comparison of Fiber Optics and Copper Wire

Comparison of Fiber Optics and Copper Wire

The Electromagnetic Spectrum

The Electromagnetic Spectrum

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