Computer Networks

Networking Media

Lecture Three

Week 3
Shareef M. Shareef (PhD)
2021-2022

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 Outline

 Copper Media

 Optical Media

 Wireless Media
 Networking media
Copper media uses electrical voltage to represent data on the
wire.

Resistance and Impedance

Conductors: The materials that offer very little, or no,

resistance, to the flow current, such as; Copper, silver, gold, etc.

Insulators: The materials that do not allow the current to

flow, or severely restrict its flow, such as; plastic, rubber, air, etc.

The Unit for measurement for resistance is the ohm (Ω).

Resistance and Impedance
 Cable Characteristics
1- Bandwidths rating - Each Type of cable can transport only
so much data over a given period of time.

2- Maximum segment rate – Each type of cable can transport

data only so far before its signal begins to weaken beyond
where it can be reached accurately.

3- Connection Hardware - Every type of cable has connectors

that influence the types of hardware to which the cable can
connect.

4- Bend radius – Bending some type of cables beyond a

specified bend radius damages or destroy them.
 Cable Characteristics (cont.)
5- Interference susceptibility- Each type of cable is more or less
susceptible to other signals in the environment.

a. EMI (Electromagnetic Interference )

b. RFI (Radio Frequency Interference )

6- Costs - (Material cost & Installation costs)

EMI & RFI attack the quality of electrical signals on the cable.
 EMI/RFI Noise
• Two ways to prevent EMI/RFI Noise:

A. Through shielding the wires in the cable with

a metal braid or foil. (Increases cost and
diameter of the cable)

B. Through cancellation the wires are twisted

together in pairs to provide self-shielding
within the network media.
 Cable Specifications

10BASE5
10BaseF 10Mbps baseband over fiber-optic cable
10BASE-FB (10Mbps BASEband-FiberBackbone)
 Baseband & Broadband
• In Baseband, can be defined as a single channel that uses the entire bandwidth of the media,
which means that the same channel can be used to send and receive signals. However, the
sending and receiving cannot occur on the same wire at the same time. In Baseband the data is
sent as digital signals through the media,

Broadband uses analogue signals in the form of optical or electromagnetic waves over multiple
transmission frequencies. For signals to be both sent and received, the transmission media must be
split into two channels. Alternatively, two cables can be used: one to send and one to receive
transmissions.
 Coaxial Cable

BNC (Bayonet Neil-Concelman)

- Speed and throughput: 10-100Mbps

- Average $ per node: cheap
- Maximum Cable length:500m
 Twisted- Pair cable (TP)
• Consist of pairs of insulated elements of copper wire twisted around one
another.

• The purpose of twisted pair helps to reduce cross talk and cancel electronic
magnetic interference (EMI) from external sources; for example, electronic
magnetic radiation from unshielded twisted pair (UTP) cables.

 There are Two twisted-pair types:

1. Shielded twisted-pair cable
2. Unshielded twisted-pair cable
 Shielded Twisted-Pair Cable
Shielded twisted- pair (STP): Contains pairs of insulated wire, each pair
enclosed within a foil shield and all are within an insulating sheath .
Shielded cable is used in older telephone networks, network, and data
communications to reduce outside interference.

- Speed and throughput: 10-100Mbps

- Average $ per node: Moderately Expensive
- Maximum Cable length:100m
 Unshielded Twisted Pair (UTP)
Unshielded twisted- pair (UTP): A popular type of cable that contains pairs of
insulated wire within an insulating sheath.
UTP cabling is used extensively for LANs and telephone connections. UTP
cabling does not offer as good protection from interference as coaxial or fiber
optic cables, but it is less expensive and easier to work with

- Speed and throughput: 10-100-1000 Mbps (depending on the

quality/category of cable)
- Average $ per node: Least Expensive
- Maximum Cable length:100m
 Commonly used types of UTP cabling are as follows:
Category 1: Used for telephone communications. Not suitable for transmitting data.

Category 2: Capable of transmitting data at speeds up to 4 megabits per second (4Mbps).

Category 3: Used in 10BASE-T networks. Can transmit data at speeds up to (10 Mbps).

Category 4: Used in Token Ring networks. Can transmit data at speeds up to (16 Mbps).

Category 5: Can transmit data at speeds up to (100 Mbps).

Category 5e: Used in networks running at speeds up to 1000 Mbps,(1Gbps).

Category 6:Typically, Category 6 cable consists of four pairs of 24 American Wire Gauge
(AWG) copper wires. Category 6 cable is currently the fastest standard for UTP.
 Type of Cables

1. A straight-through cable

2. A crossover cable

3. Rollover Cable

8 pin RJ-45 Connector

 Straight-through Cable
Straight-through cable is also
commonly referred to as patch cable.
Is a type of twisted pair copper wire
cable for LAN use for which the RJ-45
Connectors at each end have the same
pin out . Straight-Through wired cat5e is
used to connect computers, printers and
other network client devices to the router
switch or hub.

Patch cable: also called a patch cord, is

a section of cable that is used to connect
an individual computer, printer or other
device to a network.
 Connecting similar devices (UTP)

Crossover Cable: Is a type of

Ethernet cable used to connect computing
devices together directly. This type is
used to connect two devices of the same
type: two hosts or two switches to each
other.
 Unshielded Twisted Pair (UTP)

Rollover cable: (also known as (Cisco console

cable) that is most commonly used to connect a
computer terminal to a router's console port.
Rollover cables essentially have one end of the
cable wired exactly opposite from the other .This
allows a programmer to make a connection to the
router or switch, and program it as needed.

Uses of Rollover Cable:

PC to Console Port
Router AUX port to External Modem
 Use crossover cables for…
Use straight-through cables - Switch to switch
for… - Switch to hub
•Switch to router - Hub to hub
•Switch to PC or server - Router to router
•Hub to PC or server - PC to PC
- Router to PC

Use roll-over cables to…

Connect a terminal to a console port
Fibre-optic cables use Light pulses conducted through special glass
conductors to carry data.

Buffer coating - Is a plastic coating that protects the fiber from damage
and moisture.

Cladding – Is an outer optical material surrounding the core that

reflects the light back into the core.

Core - Is a thin glass centre of the fiber where the light travels
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 Fiber-optic
• A fiber optic communications channel begins with a light source and ends with
photodetector.

• The light carried on fiber cables is generated by either laser or a Light Emitting
Diode (LED) that converts data to pulses.

• Photodiodes at the receiving end interpret the light signal, decode the bit
pattern, and send it up to data link layer.

 Advantages:
• Fiber optic cables have a much greater bandwidth than metal cables. This
means that they can carry more data.
• Fiber optic cables are less susceptible than metal cables to interference.
• Fiber optic cables are much thinner and lighter than metal wires. Data can be
transmitted digitally (the natural form for computer data) rather than analogically.

 Disadvantages:
• Fiber optic cables are expensive to install.
• Fiber optic cables are more fragile than wire and are difficult to splice
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 Wireless media
• Wireless is a term used to describe telecommunications in which
electromagnetic waves carry the signal over part or all of the
communication path.

• Wireless technologies exchange signals through the medium of

open atmosphere and Free the end users from connecting to cables

 Wireless Features:
• Do not require physical cabling
• Particularly useful for remote access for laptop users
• Eliminate cable faults and cable breaks.
• Signal interference and security issue.
To receive the signals from the access point, a PC or laptop must
install a wireless adapter card (wireless NIC).

Wireless signals are electromagnetic waves that can travel through

the vacuum of outer space and through a medium such as air.

Therefore, no physical medium is necessary for wireless signals,

making them a very useful way to build a network.

Wireless signals use portions of the RF spectrum to transmit voice,

video, and data. Wireless frequencies range from [3KHz-300GHz].

The data-transmission rates range from (9Kbps-54 Mbps).

Spectrum Allocation for Wireless Communication
 Wireless media
Advantages:
 Portability
 Network can be expanded without disruption to current users
 Save Money
 Ease of use

Disadvantages:
 Limited speed in comparison to other network topologies
 Potential security issues associated with wireless transmissions
IEEE and Networking standards

Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE)

developed a series of networking standards

– Networking technologies developed by manufacturers

are Compatible

– Cabling, networking devices and protocols are all

interchangeable under the banner of a specific IEEE
 Wireless LAN Standards
• Standards for wireless communication covers
Data link and Physical layers

Common data communication standards:

• Standard IEEE 802.11
• Standard IEEE 802.15
• Standard IEEE 802.16
• Global system for Mobile Communication(GSM).
 IEEE 802 Committees
802.0 SEC
802.1 High Level Interface (HILI)
802.2 Logical Link Control (LLC)
802.3 CSMA/CD Working Group IEEE 802.11
802.4 Token Bus IEEE 802.11a
802.5 Token Ring IEEE 802.11b WiFi
802.6 Metropolitan Area Network (MAN) IEEE 802.11g
802.7 BroadBand Technical Adv. Group (BBTAG) IEEE 802.15.1 Bluetooth

802.8 Fiber Optics Technical Adv. Group (FOTAG) IEEE 802.11e

802.9 Integrated Services LAN (ISLAN) IEEE 802.11f

IEEE 802.11h
802.10 Standard for Interoperable LAN Security (SILS)
IEEE 802.11i Security 2004
801.11 Wireless LAN (WLAN)
IEEE 802.15 TG2
802.12 Demand Priority
IEEE 802.15 TG3
802.14 Cable-TV Based Broadband Communication
Network IEEE 802.15 TG4

802.15 Wireless Personal Area Network (WPAN)

802.16 Broadband Wireless Access (BBWA)
RPRSG Resilient Packet Ring Study Group (RPRSG)

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Networking Standards

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Next Lecture (Week 4)

Network Maths