Transmission media is the physical medium through which data is transmitted from one device to another within a network. These media can be wired or wireless. The choice of medium depends on factors like distance, speed, and interference. In this article, we will discuss the transmission media. In this article we will see types of transmission media in detail. What is Transmission Media in Computer Networks? A transmission media is a physical path between the transmitter and the receiver i.e. it is the path along which data is sent from one device to another. Transmission Media is broadly classified into the following types:cae) Medi ST Beaune el) Wee sty eee rer 1. Guided Media is also referred to as Wired or Bounded transmission media. Signals being transmitted are directed and confined in a narrow pathway by using physical links. Features: ¢ High Speed ¢ Secure e Used for comparatively shorter distances There are 3 major types of Guided Media:Twisted Pair Cable It consists of 2 separately insulated conductor wires twisted about each other. Generally, several such pairs are bundled together in a protective sheath. They are the most widely used Transmission Media. is of two types: Unshielded Twisted Pair (UTP): consists of two insulated copper wires twisted around one another. This type of cable has the ability to block interference and does not depend on a physical shield for this purpose. It is used for telephonic applications. Unshielded Twisted PairAdvantages of Unshielded Twisted Pair « Least expensive e Easy to install « High-speed capacity Disadvantages of Unshielded Twisted Pair « Lower capacity and performance in comparison to STP Short distance transmission due to attenuation Shielded Twisted Pair Shielded Twisted Pair (STP): cable consists of a special jacket (a copper braid covering or a foil shield) to block external interference. It is used in fast data rate Ethernet and in voice and data channels of telephone lines.Advantages of Shielded Twisted Pair « Better performance at a higher data rate in comparison to UTP Eliminates crosstalk « Comparatively faster Disadvantages of Shielded Twisted Pair « Comparatively difficult to install and manufacture « More expensive « Bulky Coaxial Cable Coaxial cable has an outer plastic covering containing an insulation layer made of PVC or Teflon and 2 parallel conductors each having a separate insulated protection cover. The coaxial cable transmits information in two modes: Baseband mode(dedicated cable bandwidth) and Broadband mode(cable bandwidth is split into separate ranges). Cable TVs and analog television networks widely use Coaxial cables.cane) Dest Pore Peete tty Insulator ad Cert Advantages of Coaxial Cable ¢ Coaxial cables has high bandwidth . ¢ It is easy to install. ¢ Coaxial cables are more reliable and durable. « Less affected by noise or cross-talk or electromagnetic inference. ¢ Coaxial cables support multiple channels Disadvantages of Coaxial Cable ¢ Coaxial cables are expensive. ¢ The coaxial cable must be grounded in order to prevent any crosstalk. « As a Coaxial cable has multiple layers it is very bulky. « There is a chance of breaking the coaxial cable and attaching a “t-joint” by hackers, this compromises the security of the data. neOptical Fiber Cable Optical Fibre Cable uses the concept of total internal reflection of light through a core made up of glass. The core is surrounded by a less dense glass or plastic covering called the coating. It is used for the transmission of large volumes of data. The cable can be unidirectional or bidirectional. The WDM (Wavelength Division Multiplexer) supports two modes, namely unidirectional and bidirectional mode. eed Outer Jacket reer) Advantages of Optical Fibre Cable Increased capacity and bandwidth Lightweight ¢ Less signal attenuation ¢ Immunity to electromagnetic interference + Resistance to corrp=ye materialsDisadvantages of Optical Fibre Cable ¢ Difficult to install and maintain e High cost Applications of Optical Fibre Cable ¢ Medical Purpose: Used in several types of medical instruments. ¢ Defence Purpose: Used in transmission of data in aerospace. ¢ For Communication: This is largely used in formation of internet cables. e¢ Industrial Purpose: Used for lighting purposes and safety measures in designing the interior and exterior of automobiles.2. Unguided Media It is also referred to as Wireless or Unbounded transmission media. No physical medium is required for the transmission of electromagnetic signals. Features of Unguided Media ¢ The signal is broadcasted through air « Less Secure ¢ Used for larger distances There are 3 types of Signals transmitted through unguided media: Radio Waves Radio waves are easy to generate and can penetrate through buildings. The sending and receiving antennas need not be aligned. Frequency Range:3KHz - 1GHz. AM and FM radios and cordless phones use Radio waves for transmission.Types of Radio Waves: « Short Wave: AM Radio ¢ VHF (Very High Frequency): FM Radio/TV ¢ UHF (Ultra High Frequency): TV Radio Wave Components: ¢ Transmitter: Responsible for encoding the signal. ¢ Receiver: Responsible for decoding the signal. Transmitter Lrg eosMicrowaves It is a line of sight transmission i.e. the sending and receiving antennas need to be properly aligned with each other. The distance covered by the signal is directly proportional to the height of the antenna. Frequency Range:1GHz - 300GHz. Micro waves are majorly used for mobile phone communication and television distribution. Advantages: ¢ Cheaper than using cables « Freedom from land acquisition « Ease of communication in difficult terrains « Communication over oceans Disadvantages: ¢ Insecure communication. ¢ Out of phase signal. « Susceptible to weather conditions. ¢ Bandwidth is limited. « High cost of design, implementation, and maintenance.FT etd Infrared are used for very short distance communication. They cannot penetrate through obstacles. This prevents interference between systems. Frequency Range:300GHz - 400THz. It is used in TV remotes, wireless mouse, keyboard, printer, etc. Television —<_ Cm) -= TR Celta RemoteApplications of Transmission Media in Computer Networks Transmission media in computer networks are used to connect devices and transfer data. Here are some common applications: Transmission Media Unshielded Twisted Pair (UTP) Shielded Twisted Pair (STP) Optical Fiber Cable Coaxial Cable Application Local Area Networks (LAN), telephones Industrial networks, environments with high interference Long-distance communication, internet backbones Cable TV, broadband internet, CCTVWATT Kess¥s communication, AM/FM radio, mobile phones Radio Remote controls, Infrared short-range communication Satellite communication, radar, long-distance Wire ren linksDifference Between Radio Waves, Micro Waves, and Infrared Waves eT CoaE NI WY tel cea NEN Infrared wave Direction These are omni- ate e These are directional in unidirectional in unidirectional in ELK os Ls TLRsTEL) At low frequency, they can penetrate through solid objects and walls but high frequency they bounce off the obstacle. At low frequency, they can penetrate through solid objects and walls. at high frequency, ano mer-liteL8 Pete They cannot penetrate through any solid object and walls. Frequency range Frequency range: 3 KHz to 1GHz. Frequency range: 1 GHz to 300 GHz. i Frequency range: 300 GHz to 400 ChayaSecurity These offers poor TUT BIS MOa ey medium security. These offers high TUT PN) Attenuation is high. Attenuation is NTT] (om Attenuation is oy Government BCU Some frequencies in the radio-waves require government license to use these. Some frequencies in the microwaves require (of eTe TL license to use p—tkese. Bice mom ale) of government license to use SNeUsage Cost Setup and usage Cost is moderate. Setup and usage Cost is high. Usage Cost is very less. Communication a aX-M- MUL long distance communication. These are used in long distance communication. MIX e-I Km lele used in long distance communication.Network Protocol Network protocols define rules and COCR mer LC CC devices on a network. Here's a brief OAT Um eel) at i PPP, SMTP, TCP/IP, POP3, HTTPS, TELNET, Ae) od 1. HTTP (Hypertext Transfer Protocol) ¢ Function: Used for transferring web pages and related resources over the Tita « Port: 80 « Usage: When you visit a website, iF) the protocol used to request and receive web pages from servers. « Example: Browsing a website like www.example.com. HTTP Connection Request Server2. FTP (File Transfer Protocol) ¢ Function: Transfers files between a client and a server on a network. « Port: 21 (default) « Usage: Used to upload or download files LiKe Ae « Example: Uploading a website's files to a hosting server. Download Files oo dd Mk od eT rll) « Function: Establishes a direct connection between two network nodes, commonly used for dial-up connections. « Usage: Used for connecting to the Tn cctiaci Mn Fee OLN M nM lmeXA=I connection. « Example: Dial-up Internet connections in the past. elEcP PAP | CHAP / EAP HDLC- like framing (ISO 3309) 4. SMTP (Simple Mail Transfer Protocol) ¢ Function: Sends and routes email oY A211 SALLE ¢ Port: 25 e Usage: Used by email servers to send messages to other servers or clients. e Example: Sending an email from [email protected] to [email protected]. 2 = Sending/Receiving Emails © }5. TCP/IP (Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol) « Function: A suite of protocols that manage how data is transmitted over the Tata ¢ Usage: Ensures reliable, ordered, and error-checked delivery of data between devices. « Example: The fundamental protocols used for Internet communication. 6. POP3 (Post Office Protocol version 3) Oe Titel Col Ma LUT OBO RSX A} Mela) ¢ Port: 110 « Usage: Used to download emails from a iT SN cm ORT edo a « Example: Accessing your email through an email client like 4 [tlook.7. HTTPS (Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure) ¢ Function: Secure version of HTTP, to ensure privacy and I-Tol NVA « Port: 443 « Usage: Used for secure communication over the Internet, such as online banking or shopping. ¢ Example: Accessing a secure website like https://www.example.com. ta a ¢ Function: Provides a command-line interface for remote communication with eS LS Port: 23 « Usage: Allows users to log in and interact with remote servers or devices.e Example: Accessing a remote server to run command-line operations. 9. VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) e Function: Enables voice communication over the Internet. e Usage: Used for making voice calls over IP networks instead of traditional phone lines. e Example: Services like Skype or Zoom for making voice or video calls.