Guided media, also known as bounded or wired media, refers to the physical medium through which signals propagate in a communication system. Here are some common types of guided media: 1. Twisted Pair Cable:
Description: Twisted pair cables consist of pairs of insulated copper wires twisted together to reduce electromagnetic interference (EMI) and crosstalk.
Types:
Unshielded Twisted Pair (UTP): Used in most Ethernet networks, telephone lines, and home networks. It's cheaper and suitable for short distances.
Shielded Twisted Pair (STP): Offers better protection against EMI and crosstalk due to additional shielding, commonly used in industrial environments and high-speed networks.
Applications: Used for Ethernet networking, telephone lines, DSL connections, and other data transmission applications.
2. Coaxial Cable:
Description: Coaxial cables consist of a central conductor surrounded by a dielectric insulator, a conductive shielding layer, and an outer insulating jacket.
Types:
Thinnet (RG-58): Thin coaxial cable used in older Ethernet networks (10BASE2).
Thicknet (RG-8): Thick coaxial cable used in older Ethernet networks (10BASE5).
RG-6: Commonly used for cable television (CATV) and broadband internet connections.
Applications: Used for cable television (CATV), broadband internet access, Ethernet networking, and high-speed data transmission.
3. Fiber Optic Cable:
Description: Fiber optic cables consist of thin strands of glass or plastic fibers that transmit data as pulses of light.
Types:
Single-mode Fiber (SMF): Used for long-distance transmission due to low dispersion and attenuation. Suitable for high-speed and long-range applications.
Multimode Fiber (MMF): Used for shorter distances and lower data rates. More affordable but suffers from higher dispersion and attenuation.
Advantages:
High bandwidth and data rates.
Immune to electromagnetic interference (EMI) and crosstalk.
Lighter and smaller than copper cables, making them easier to install and maintain.
Applications: Used in long-distance telecommunications networks, high-speed internet backbones, cable television (CATV), LANs, WANs, and data center interconnections.
4. Power Line Communication (PLC):
Description: Power line communication utilizes existing electrical wiring to transmit data signals alongside power signals.
Advantages:
Utilizes existing infrastructure, eliminating the need for additional cabling.
Suitable for home networking, smart grid applications, and industrial automation.
Challenges:
Susceptible to interference from electrical devices and appliances.
Limited bandwidth and data rates compared to other guided media.
Applications: Used for home networking, smart grid communication, building automation, and remote monitoring.
Guided media play a crucial role in communication systems, providing the physical pathways for transmitting data signals between devices. The choice of guided media depends on factors such as distance, data rate, cost, and environmental conditions.