Data and Computer Data and Computer Communications Communications

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Data and Computer Data and Computer

Communications Communications

Chapter 4 –Transmission Media

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Transmission Media Transmission Media

Communication channels in the animal world include Communication channels in the animal world include

touch, sound, sight, and scent. Electric eels even use touch, sound, sight, and scent. Electric eels even use

electric pulses. Ravens also are very expressive. By a electric pulses. Ravens also are very expressive. By a

combination voice, patterns of feather erection and combination voice, patterns of feather erection and

body posture ravens communicate so clearly that an body posture ravens communicate so clearly that an

experienced observer can identify anger, affection, experienced observer can identify anger, affection, hunger, curiosity, playfulness, fright, boldness, and hunger, curiosity, playfulness, fright, boldness, and

depression.

depression. —Mind of the Raven, Bernd Heinrich

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Overview Overview

 guided - wire / optical fibre guided - wire / optical fibre

 unguided - wireless unguided - wireless

 characteristics and quality determined by characteristics and quality determined by medium and signal

medium and signal



in unguided media - bandwidth produced by in unguided media - bandwidth produced by the antenna is more important

the antenna is more important



in guided media - medium is more important in guided media - medium is more important

 key concerns are data rate and distance key concerns are data rate and distance

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Design Factors Design Factors

 bandwidth bandwidth



higher bandwidth gives higher data rate higher bandwidth gives higher data rate

 transmission impairments transmission impairments



eg. attenuation eg. attenuation

 interference interference

 number of receivers in guided media number of receivers in guided media



more receivers introduces more attenuation more receivers introduces more attenuation

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Electromagnetic Spectrum

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Transmission Characteristics Transmission Characteristics

of Guided Media of Guided Media

Frequency

Range Typical

Attenuation Typical

Delay Repeater Spacing Twisted pair

(with loading) 0 to 3.5 kHz 0.2 dB/km @

1 kHz 50 µs/km 2 km

Twisted pairs (multi-pair cables)

0 to 1 MHz 0.7 dB/km @

1 kHz 5 µs/km 2 km

Coaxial cable 0 to 500 MHz 7 dB/km @ 10

MHz 4 µs/km 1 to 9 km

Optical fiber 186 to 370

THz 0.2 to 0.5

dB/km 5 µs/km 40 km

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Twisted Pair

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Twisted Pair - Transmission Twisted Pair - Transmission

Characteristics Characteristics

 analog analog



needs amplifiers every 5km to 6km needs amplifiers every 5km to 6km

 digital digital



can use either analog or digital signals can use either analog or digital signals



needs a repeater every 2-3km needs a repeater every 2-3km

 limited distance limited distance

 limited bandwidth (1MHz) limited bandwidth (1MHz)

 limited data rate (100MHz) limited data rate (100MHz)

 susceptible to interference and noise susceptible to interference and noise

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Unshielded vs Shielded TP Unshielded vs Shielded TP

 unshielded Twisted Pair (UTP) unshielded Twisted Pair (UTP)



ordinary telephone wire ordinary telephone wire



cheapest cheapest



easiest to install easiest to install



suffers from external EM interference suffers from external EM interference

 shielded Twisted Pair (STP) shielded Twisted Pair (STP)



metal braid or sheathing that reduces interference metal braid or sheathing that reduces interference



more expensive more expensive



harder to handle (thick, heavy) harder to handle (thick, heavy)

 in a variety of categories - see EIA-568 in a variety of categories - see EIA-568

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UTP Categories UTP Categories

Category 3

Class C Category 5 Class D

Category 5E Category 6

Class E Category 7 Class F

Bandwidth 16 MHz 100 MHz 100 MHz 200 MHz 600 MHz

Cable Type UTP UTP/FTP UTP/FTP UTP/FTP SSTP

Link Cost (Cat 5 =1)

0.7 1 1.2 1.5 2.2

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Comparison of Shielded and Comparison of Shielded and

Unshielded Twisted Pair Unshielded Twisted Pair

Attenuation (dB per 100 m) Near-end Crosstalk (dB) Frequency

(MHz)

Category 3 UTP

Category 5

UTP 150-ohm STP

Category 3 UTP

Category 5

UTP 150-ohm STP

1 2.6 2.0 1.1 41 62 58

4 5.6 4.1 2.2 32 53 58

16 13.1 8.2 4.4 23 44 50.4

25 — 10.4 6.2 — 41 47.5

100 — 22.0 12.3 — 32 38.5

300 — — 21.4 — — 31.3

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Near End Crosstalk Near End Crosstalk

 coupling of signal from one pair to another coupling of signal from one pair to another

 occurs when transmit signal entering the occurs when transmit signal entering the link couples back to receiving pair

link couples back to receiving pair

 ie. near transmitted signal is picked up by ie. near transmitted signal is picked up by near receiving pair

near receiving pair

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Coaxial Cable

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Coaxial Cable - Transmission Coaxial Cable - Transmission

Characteristics Characteristics

 superior frequency characteristics to TP superior frequency characteristics to TP

 performance limited by attenuation & noise performance limited by attenuation & noise

 analog signals analog signals



amplifiers every few km amplifiers every few km



closer if higher frequency closer if higher frequency



up to 500MHz up to 500MHz

 digital signals digital signals



repeater every 1km repeater every 1km



closer for higher data rates closer for higher data rates

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Optical Fiber

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Optical Fiber - Benefits Optical Fiber - Benefits

 greater capacity greater capacity



data rates of hundreds of Gbps data rates of hundreds of Gbps

 smaller size & weight smaller size & weight

 lower attenuation lower attenuation

 electromagnetic isolation electromagnetic isolation

 greater repeater spacing greater repeater spacing



10s of km at least 10s of km at least

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Optical Fiber - Transmission Optical Fiber - Transmission

Characteristics Characteristics

 uses total internal reflection to transmit uses total internal reflection to transmit light

light



effectively acts as wave guide for 10 effectively acts as wave guide for 10 ¹⁴ ¹⁴ to 10 to 10 ¹⁵ ¹⁵ Hz Hz

 can use several different light sources can use several different light sources



Light Emitting Diode (LED) Light Emitting Diode (LED)

• cheaper, wider operating temp range, lasts longer cheaper, wider operating temp range, lasts longer



Injection Laser Diode (ILD) Injection Laser Diode (ILD)

• more efficient, has greater data rate more efficient, has greater data rate

 relation of wavelength, type & data rate relation of wavelength, type & data rate

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Optical Fiber Transmission Optical Fiber Transmission

Modes

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Frequency Utilization for Frequency Utilization for

Fiber Applications Fiber Applications

Wavelength (in vacuum) range

(nm)

Frequency

Range (THz) Band Label

Fiber Type Application

820 to 900 366 to 333 Multimode LAN

1280 to 1350 234 to 222 S Single mode Various

1528 to 1561 196 to 192 C Single mode WDM

1561 to 1620 192 to 185 L Single mode WDM

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Attenuation in Guided Media

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Wireless Transmission Wireless Transmission

Frequencies Frequencies

 2GHz to 40GHz 2GHz to 40GHz



microwave microwave



highly directional highly directional



point to point point to point



satellite satellite

 30MHz to 1GHz 30MHz to 1GHz



omnidirectional omnidirectional



broadcast radio broadcast radio

 3 x 10 3 x 10 ¹¹ ¹¹ to 2 x 10 to 2 x 10 ¹⁴ ¹⁴



infrared infrared



local local

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Antennas Antennas

 electrical conductor used to radiate or collect electrical conductor used to radiate or collect electromagnetic energy

electromagnetic energy

 transmission antenna transmission antenna



radio frequency energy from transmitter radio frequency energy from transmitter



converted to electromagnetic energy byy antenna converted to electromagnetic energy byy antenna



radiated into surrounding environment radiated into surrounding environment

 reception antenna reception antenna



electromagnetic energy impinging on antenna electromagnetic energy impinging on antenna



converted to radio frequency electrical energy converted to radio frequency electrical energy



fed to receiver fed to receiver

 same antenna is often used for both purposes same antenna is often used for both purposes

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Radiation Pattern Radiation Pattern

 power radiated in all directions power radiated in all directions

 not same performance in all directions not same performance in all directions



as seen in a as seen in a radiation pattern diagram radiation pattern diagram

 an isotropic antenna is a (theoretical) point an isotropic antenna is a (theoretical) point in space

in space



radiates in all directions equally radiates in all directions equally



with a spherical radiation pattern with a spherical radiation pattern

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Parabolic Reflective Antenna

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Antenna Gain Antenna Gain

 measure of directionality of antenna measure of directionality of antenna

 power output in particular direction verses power output in particular direction verses that produced by an isotropic antenna

that produced by an isotropic antenna

 measured in decibels (dB) measured in decibels (dB)

 results in loss in power in another direction results in loss in power in another direction

 effective area relates to size and shape effective area relates to size and shape



related to gain related to gain

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Terrestrial Microwave Terrestrial Microwave

 used for long haul telecommunications used for long haul telecommunications

 and short point-to-point links and short point-to-point links

 requires fewer repeaters but line of sight requires fewer repeaters but line of sight

 use a parabolic dish to focus a narrow beam use a parabolic dish to focus a narrow beam onto a receiver antenna

onto a receiver antenna

 1-40GHz frequencies 1-40GHz frequencies

 higher frequencies give higher data rates higher frequencies give higher data rates

 main source of loss is attenuation main source of loss is attenuation



distance, rainfall distance, rainfall

 also interference also interference

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Satellite Microwave Satellite Microwave

 satellite is relay station satellite is relay station

 receives on one frequency, amplifies or repeats receives on one frequency, amplifies or repeats signal and transmits on another frequency

signal and transmits on another frequency



eg. uplink 5.925-6.425 GHz & downlink 3.7-4.2 GHz eg. uplink 5.925-6.425 GHz & downlink 3.7-4.2 GHz

 typically requires geo-stationary orbit typically requires geo-stationary orbit



height of 35,784km height of 35,784km



spaced at least 3-4° apart spaced at least 3-4° apart

 typical uses typical uses



television television



long distance telephone long distance telephone



private business networks private business networks



global positioning global positioning

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Satellite Point to Point Link

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Satellite Broadcast Link

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Broadcast Radio Broadcast Radio

 radio is 3kHz to 300GHz radio is 3kHz to 300GHz

 use broadcast radio, 30MHz - 1GHz, for: use broadcast radio, 30MHz - 1GHz, for:



FM radio FM radio



UHF and VHF television UHF and VHF television

 is omnidirectional is omnidirectional

 still need line of sight still need line of sight

 suffers from multipath interference suffers from multipath interference



reflections from land, water, other objects reflections from land, water, other objects

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Infrared Infrared

 modulate noncoherent infrared light modulate noncoherent infrared light

 end line of sight (or reflection) end line of sight (or reflection)

 are blocked by walls are blocked by walls

 no licenses required no licenses required

 typical uses typical uses



TV remote control TV remote control



IRD port IRD port

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Wireless Propagation Wireless Propagation

Ground Wave

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Wireless Propagation Wireless Propagation

Sky Wave

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Wireless Propagation Wireless Propagation

Line of Sight

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Refraction Refraction

 velocity of electromagnetic wave is a function of velocity of electromagnetic wave is a function of density of material

density of material

~3 x 10

⁸⁸

m/s in vacuum, less in anything else m/s in vacuum, less in anything else

 speed changes as move between media speed changes as move between media

 Index of refraction (refractive index) is Index of refraction (refractive index) is



sin(incidence)/sin(refraction) sin(incidence)/sin(refraction)



varies with wavelength varies with wavelength

 have gradual bending if medium density varies have gradual bending if medium density varies



density of atmosphere decreases with height density of atmosphere decreases with height



results in bending towards earth of radio waves results in bending towards earth of radio waves



hence optical and radio horizons differ hence optical and radio horizons differ

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Line of Sight Transmission Line of Sight Transmission

 Free space loss Free space loss



loss of signal with distance loss of signal with distance

 Atmospheric Absorption Atmospheric Absorption



from water vapour and oxygen absorption from water vapour and oxygen absorption

 Multipath Multipath

