NETWORKING TECHNOLOGY

ASSIGNMENT #2

RESUBMISSION

[Task 1(b)] P3.2 Describe basic signalling methods and their characteristics

A signal is any kind of physical quantity that conducts information. The word signal in this case will refer to an electrical quantity of voltage or current that is used to represent some other physical quantity.

Analog Signals
An analog signal is a representation of time varying quantities in a continuous signal. A time variance is presented in a way in which information is passed using different types of methods. These methods can include electrical, mechanical, hydraulic or pneumatic systems. Analog signals use small fluctuations in the signal itself to pass information. These signals use one method of recording information and transfer it into another format. They are measured in cycles which represent a change from a relative high to a relative low and back again. The most significant characteristics considered when measuring cycles are: Amplitude- this is the strength of the signal which is usually represented by the height of the wave. Frequency- this is the time needed for a wave to complete a cycle. This is usually measured in hertz which is cycles per second, if the cycle is regular. Phase- this is the relative state of one wave to another. This is measured in degrees. The characteristics mentioned above are used to represent data on an analog signal diagram which are shown in the diagram below.

Two advantages of analog signalling are: Generally more easily multiplexed Generally less vulnerable to attenuation

Digital Signals
Digital signals change from one state to another nearly instantaneously without stopping in the middle. Digital signals represent discrete states over time. Digital signalling is also called discrete state signalling. Within computers, information is represented in 0s and 1s which are binary digits. Therefore digital signalling is used frequently for transmitting computer information because of the appropriateness. Some advantages of digital signals over analog signals are: They are less expensive to make the equipment They are less vulnerable to errors caused by interference Offer better security Faster performance Higher reliability Less error prone.

The diagram below is an example of a digital signalling diagram.

Baseband and Broadband

Signals have two categories, baseband and broadband. These categories are dependent on whether the transmission uses the whole capacity of the media transmit information over a single

channel or if it divides the data transferred into multiple channels and sends separate streams/flows of data over each channel. Baseband- This is the simpler of the two technologies. Only one signal goes over the cable at the specific time given. Baseband signalling usually collaborates with digital technologies. However, it can also be used with analog technologies. For example: LAN transmissions are usually a baseband and therefore, Ethernet is a baseband device. A critical characteristic of baseband is that data can move in two directions. This is referred to as bidirectional. User can send and receive over the same, single cable used. Broadband- This type of signalling divides the bandwidth into a number of channels and sends different data streams over different channels. Multiplexing is used to divide bandwidth. An example of this technology is cable television and DSL. Many WAN links such as DSL and ISDN are broadband technologies. Broadband is an unidirectional signalling method which means the signal goes in one direction, where one channel can be used for sending data and another used for receiving data.

Simplex, Half Duplex, Full Duplex

There are three ways in which data channels can operate, over which signals are sent and received. The three methods are shown below.

Simplex- This method is unidirectional, where the signal travels only in one direction. For example: of this can be television transmissions or radio transmissions. The data (program on the television) is sent from the broadcast station to the users television set. There is no communication from the television to the TV station.

Half Duplex- The data within this method can travel both directions but only one at a time, downstream to the user and back upstream to the transmitting station. This can only be done in an order, where communications can only come from one end of the link at a time. For example: Two way radios such as CBs, where the user must key the microphone (press the transmit button) in order to send the message, and while the user is talking, no one else can transmit on that frequency. Walkie talkies are also an example.

Full Duplex or Duplex- Within this method of communication, the data can travel in both directions at the same time. The user does not have to wait for the other person on the other end to stop talking before he/she can begin to talk, as mentioned in the example above, in half duplex. For example: A regular telephone line is a full duplex, where both parties can talk and hear one another at the same time. When transmitting data over the network, full duplex signalling is more efficient. Data can be sent and received simultaneously over the same link, which speeds up the process and performance.

References:
http://www.allaboutcircuits.com/vol_1/chpt_9/1.html/ http://zaielacademic.net/networking/signal_characteristics.htm

http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-an-analog-signal.htm http://www.telecommstuff.com/2011/03/characteristics-of-broadband.html http://thought1.org/nt100/module4/simplex__half.html