1. Department of Electronic Engineering City University of Hong Kong EE3900 Computer Networks Transmission Media Slide 1 Overview Guided - wire Unguided - wireless Characteristics and quality determined by medium and signal For guided, the medium is more important For unguided, the bandwidth produced by the antenna is more important Key concerns are data rate and distance

2. Department of Electronic Engineering City University of Hong Kong EE3900 Computer Networks Transmission Media Slide 2 Design Factors Bandwidth –Higher bandwidth gives higher data rate Transmission impairments –Attenuation Interference Number of receivers –In guided media –More receivers (multi-point) introduce more attenuation

3. Department of Electronic Engineering City University of Hong Kong EE3900 Computer Networks Transmission Media Slide 3 Electromagnetic Spectrum

4. Department of Electronic Engineering City University of Hong Kong EE3900 Computer Networks Transmission Media Slide 4

5. Department of Electronic Engineering City University of Hong Kong EE3900 Computer Networks Transmission Media Slide 5 Twisted Pair Most common medium Telephone network, between house and local exchange (subscriber loop) Within buildings, to private branch exchange (PBX) For LAN, 10Mbps or 100Mbps Cheap, easy to work with, relatively low data rate and short range point-to-point and point-to-multipoint susceptible to noise and interference low in security - radiant energy and readily tapped

6. Department of Electronic Engineering City University of Hong Kong EE3900 Computer Networks Transmission Media Slide 6 Twisted Pair - Transmission Characteristics Analog –Amplifiers every 5km to 6km Digital –Use either analog or digital signals –repeater every 2km or 3km Limited distance Limited bandwidth (1MHz) Limited data rate (100MHz) Susceptible to interference and noise

7. Department of Electronic Engineering City University of Hong Kong EE3900 Computer Networks Transmission Media Slide 7 Unshielded and Shielded TP Unshielded Twisted Pair (UTP) –Ordinary telephone wire –Cheapest –Easiest to install –Suffers from external EM interference Shielded Twisted Pair (STP) –Metal braid or sheathing that reduces interference –More expensive –Harder to handle (thick, heavy)

8. Department of Electronic Engineering City University of Hong Kong EE3900 Computer Networks Transmission Media Slide 8 UTP Categories Cat 3 –up to 16MHz –Voice grade found in most offices –Twist length of 7.5 cm to 10 cm Cat 4 –up to 20 MHz Cat 5 –up to 100MHz –Commonly pre-installed in new office buildings –Twist length 0.6 cm to 0.85 cm

9. Department of Electronic Engineering City University of Hong Kong EE3900 Computer Networks Transmission Media Slide 9 Near End Crosstalk Coupling of signal from one pair to another Coupling takes place when transmit signal entering the link couples back to receiving pair i.e. near transmitted signal is picked up by near receiving pair

10. Department of Electronic Engineering City University of Hong Kong EE3900 Computer Networks Transmission Media Slide 10

11. Department of Electronic Engineering City University of Hong Kong EE3900 Computer Networks Transmission Media Slide 11 Coaxial Cable Applications Television distribution –Aerial to TV, Cable TV- 75ohm cable (RG-6), dozens of TV channels up to few tens of miles Long distance telephone transmission –Can carry 10,000 voice calls simultaneously –Being replaced by fiber optic Short distance computer systems links Cable Modem Local area networks - 50ohm Ethernet (RG-8, RG-58)

12. Department of Electronic Engineering City University of Hong Kong EE3900 Computer Networks Transmission Media Slide 12 Coaxial Cable - Transmission Characteristics Analog –Amplifiers every few km, up to 500MHz –Closer if higher frequency Digital –Repeater every 1km, closer for higher data rates distance is a function of cable type, speed, topology and protocol e.g. 500 Mbps from 1 to 10 km. not particularly susceptible to noise and interference easy to be tapped

13. Department of Electronic Engineering City University of Hong Kong EE3900 Computer Networks Transmission Media Slide 13 Optical Fiber

14. Department of Electronic Engineering City University of Hong Kong EE3900 Computer Networks Transmission Media Slide 14 Optical Fiber - Benefits Greater capacity –Data rates of hundreds of Gbps in baseband Smaller size & weight Lower attenuation Electromagnetic isolation Greater repeater spacing –10s to 100s of km high immunity to noise and inherent security

15. Department of Electronic Engineering City University of Hong Kong EE3900 Computer Networks Transmission Media Slide 15 Optical Fiber - Applications Long-haul trunks Metropolitan trunks Rural exchange trunks Subscriber or local loops LANs SONET

16. Department of Electronic Engineering City University of Hong Kong EE3900 Computer Networks Transmission Media Slide 16 Optical Fiber - Transmission Characteristics Act as wave guide for 10 14 to 10 15 Hz –Portions of infrared and visible spectrum Light Emitting Diode (LED) –Cheaper, wider operating temp range, last longer Injection Laser Diode (ILD) –More efficient, greater data rate Wavelength Division Multiplexing

17. Department of Electronic Engineering City University of Hong Kong EE3900 Computer Networks Transmission Media Slide 17 Optical Fiber Transmission Modes

18. Department of Electronic Engineering City University of Hong Kong EE3900 Computer Networks Transmission Media Slide 18

19. Department of Electronic Engineering City University of Hong Kong EE3900 Computer Networks Transmission Media Slide 19 Wireless Transmission Unguided media Transmission and reception via antenna Directional –Focused beam –Careful alignment required Omnidirectional –Signal spreads in all directions –Can be received by many antennae

20. Department of Electronic Engineering City University of Hong Kong EE3900 Computer Networks Transmission Media Slide 20 Frequencies 2GHz to 40GHz –Microwave –Highly directional –Point to point –Satellite 30MHz to 1GHz –Omnidirectional, broadcast radio 3 x 10 11 to 2 x 10 14 –Infrared

21. Department of Electronic Engineering City University of Hong Kong EE3900 Computer Networks Transmission Media Slide 21 primary application: long haul connection for voice parabolic dish, focused beam, line of sight higher freq give higher data rates

22. Department of Electronic Engineering City University of Hong Kong EE3900 Computer Networks Transmission Media Slide 22 point to point or point to multipoints long distance telephone transmission, TV distribution -- including Direct Broadcast Satellite (DBS), Very Small Aperture Terminal (VSAT) data application C Band 4/6 GHz; Ku Band 12/14 GHz -- suitable for VSAT

23. Department of Electronic Engineering City University of Hong Kong EE3900 Computer Networks Transmission Media Slide 23

24. Department of Electronic Engineering City University of Hong Kong EE3900 Computer Networks Transmission Media Slide 24 Satellite Microwave Satellite is relay station Satellite receives on one frequency, amplifies or repeats signal and transmits on another frequency Requires geo-stationary orbit –Height of 35,784km Television Long distance telephone Private business networks

25. Department of Electronic Engineering City University of Hong Kong EE3900 Computer Networks Transmission Media Slide 25 Infrared Modulate noncoherent infrared light Line of sight (or reflection) Blocked by walls e.g. TV remote control, IRD port

26. Department of Electronic Engineering City University of Hong Kong EE3900 Computer Networks Transmission Media Slide 26 significant disadvantages: limited frequency range, modest bandwidth, limited distance, noise and interference, low security applications: mobile radio telephony system as well as mobile data communication

27. Department of Electronic Engineering City University of Hong Kong EE3900 Computer Networks Transmission Media Slide 27