PRINCIPLE OF COMMUNICATION – FINALS

MODEM

MODEM (modulator-demodulator) - is a hardware device that converts data so that it can be

transmitted from computer to computer over telephone wires.

- The goal is to produce a signal that can be transmitted easily

and decoded to reproduce the original digital data.
- It can be used with any means of transmitting analog signals,
from light-emitting diodes to radio.
- A common type of modem is one that turns the digital data of
a computer into modulated electrical signal for transmission
over telephone lines and demodulated by another modem at
the receiver side to recover the digital data.
- MODEMS are generally classified by the maximum amount of
data they can send in a given unit of time, usually expressed
in bits per second (symbol bit(s), sometimes abbreviated "bps"),
or bytes per second (symbol B(s)).
- MODEMS can also be classified by their symbol rate,
measured in baud.

The BAUD UNIT denotes symbols per second, or the number of times per second the modem
sends a new signal.

A modem is a device or program that enables

a computer to transmit data over, for example,
telephone or cable lines. Computer information is stored
digitally, whereas information transmitted over telephone
lines is transmitted in the form of analog waves. A
modem converts between these two forms.

The process of converting

analog signals of one computer
network into digital signals of another
computer network so they can be
processed by a receiving computer
is referred to as digitizing.

The major difference

between modulation and
demodulation is that MODULATION is
the act of altering the parameters of
the carrier signal according to message signal for convenient data transmission. On the contrary,
DEMODULATION is done in order to recover the original message signal from a modulated signal.

The transmission medium between the

two modems can be dedicated circuit or a
switched telephone circuit. If a switched
telephone circuit is used, then the modems are
connected to the local telephone exchanges.
Whenever data transmission is required
connection between the modems is established through telephone exchanges.

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COMPARISON CHART

PARAMETER MODULATION DEMODULATION

Definition Modulation is the process of Demodulation is the process by which
varying the parameter of the message signal is extracted from the
carrier signal according to modulated wave.
message bearing signal.

Operating end Transmitting end Receiving end

Operation Simple Complex
Frequency Low to high High to low
transformation

Circuit needed Modulator Demodulator/Detector

MODULATION is the process by which some

characteristics or parameters of the carrier wave is
changed according to the signal containing
information. These characteristics can be amplitude,
frequency or phase. Basically, it is assumed that the
information signal is a low-frequency one and thus
needs conversion from low to high in order to have a
better transmission.

A CARRIER WAVE is a high-frequency signal that has constant amplitude and frequency and is
generated from a radio frequency oscillator. These are used to modulate the original signal that
contains information and has to be transmitted. It is sometimes referred to as an empty signal as it is
an information less signal.

DEMODULATION is the process by which receiver regain the original message signal from the
modulated one. As the name itself is indicating that ‘de’ placed before modulation in demodulation
is the reverse of modulation. Demodulation is necessary in order to recover the particular message
signal.

When we talk about a demodulator that is responsible for demodulation then it is predefined
that it is placed at the receiving end, according to its use. It basically receives the corrupted data
whether it is in bits format or a sound signal. This high frequency modulated signal is then processed
further by this section to get the actual information-bearing signal.

KEY DIFFERENCES BETWEEN MODULATION AND DEMODULATION

1. The key difference between modulation and demodulation is that modulation is done at the
transmitter side while demodulation is done at the receiver side of a communication system.
2. Both modulation and demodulation occur during data transmission but the two processes are
exactly reverse of each other. In modulation original message signal is mixed with the carrier
wave whose parameters are required to be changed. As against, in demodulation the

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 combination of carrier and message signal are separated from each other, to have original
information signal.
3. Modulation requires a modulator section for mixing of the two signals whereas demodulation
requires demodulator to recover the original signal. However, a combined equipment is used
for the two known as Modem.
4. Modulation is done to convert the low-frequency signal into a high-frequency signal. While at
the time of demodulation, the low-frequency signal is achieved form high-frequency signal.
5. Modulation is basically done to transmit data to longer distance whereas demodulation is done
to regain the original message signal.
6. Demodulation is somewhat a complex process when compared with modulation.

TYPES OF MODEMS
• Modems can be of several types and they can be categorized in a number of ways.
• Categorization is usually based on the following basic modem features:
1. Directional capacity: half duplex modem and full duplex modem.
2. Connection to the line: 2-wire modem and 4-wire modem.
3. Transmission mode: asynchronous modem and synchronous modem.

1. DIRECTIONAL CAPACITY: Half-duplex and full duplex Modems

a. HALF-DUPLEX
1. A half-duplex modem permits transmission in one
direction at a time.
2. If a carrier is detected on the line by the modem,
it gives an indication of the incoming carrier to the
DTE through a control signal of its digital interface.
3. As long as they came, IS being received; the
modem does not give permission to the DTE to
transmit data.

b. FULL DUPLEX
• A full duplex modem allows simultaneous transmission in both directions.
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 • Therefore, there are two carriers on the line, one outgoing and the other incoming.

2. CONNECTION TO THE LINE: 2-wire modem and 4-wire modem.

The line interface of the modem can have a 2-wire or a 4-wire connection to transmission
medium.
a. 4-WIRE MODEM
• In a 4-wire connection, one pair of wires is used
for the outgoing carrier and the other pair is used
for incoming carrier.
• Full duplex and half duplex modes of data
transmission are possible on a 4- wire connection.
• As the physical transmission path for each
direction is separate, the same carrier frequency
can be used for both the directions.

b. 2-WIRE MODEM
• 2-wire modems use the same pair of wires for
outgoing and incoming carriers.
• A leased 2-wire connection is usually cheaper
than a 4-wire connection as only one pair of
wires is extended to the subscriber's premises.
• The data connection established through
telephone exchange is also a 2-wire
connection.
• In 2-wire modems, half duplex mode of transmission that uses the same frequency for the incoming
and outgoing carriers can be easily implemented.
• For full duplex mode of operation, it is necessary to have two transmission channels, one for transmit
direction and the other for receive direction.
• This is achieved by frequency division multiplexing of two different carrier frequencies. These carriers
are placed within the bandwidth of the speech channel.

3. TRANSMISSION MODE: asynchronous modem and

synchronous modem
a. Asynchronous Modem
• Asynchronous modems can handle data bytes with
start and stop bits.
• There is no separate timing signal or clock between
the modem and the DTE.
The internal timing pulses are synchronized repeatedly to the leading edge of the start pulse.

b. SYNCHRONOUS MODEM
• Synchronous modems can handle a continuous
stream of data bits but requires a clock signal.
• The data bits are always synchronized to the
clock signal.
• There are separate clocks for the data bits
being transmitted and received.
• For synchronous transmission of data bits, the
DTE can use its internal clock and supply the
same to the modem.
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 Aside from the transmission protocols that they support, the following characteristics distinguish
one modem from another:
1. bps : How fast the modem can transmit and receive data.
➢ At slow rates, modems are measured in terms of baud rates. The slowest rate is 300 baud.
➢ At higher speeds, modems are measured in terms of bits per second (bps). The fastest
modems run at 57,600 bps, although they can achieve even higher data transfer rates
by compressing the data. Obviously, the faster the transmission rate, the faster you can
send and receive data.
Note, however, that you cannot receive data any faster than it is being sent. If, for
example, the device sending data to your computer is sending it at 2,400 bps, you must receive
it at 2,400 bps. It does not always pay, therefore, to have a very fast modem. In addition, some
telephone lines are unable to transmit data reliably at very high rates.
2. VOICE/DATA: Many modems support a switch to change between voice and data modes. In
data mode, the modem acts like a regular modem. In voice mode, the modem acts like a
regular telephone. Modems that support a voice/data switch have a built-in loudspeaker and
microphone for voice communication.

3. AUTO-ANSWER :An auto-answer modem enables your computer to receive calls in your
absence. This is only necessary if you are offering some type of computer service that people
can call in to use.

4. DATA COMPRESSION :Some modems perform data compression, which enables them to send
data at faster rates. However, the modem at the receiving end must be able to decompress the
data using the same compression technique.

5. FLASH MEMORY : Some modems come with flash memory rather than conventional ROM, which
means that the communications protocols can be easily updated if necessary.

6. FAX CAPABILITY: Most modern modems are fax modems, which means that they can send and
receive faxes.

To get the most out of a modem, you should have a communications software package, a program that
simplifies the task of transferring data.

When an analog facility is used for data communication between two digital devices called
Data Terminal Equipment (DTE), modems are used at each end. DTE can be a terminal or a computer.
The modem at the transmitting end converts the digital signal generated by DTE into an analog signal
by modulating a carrier. This modem at the receiving end demodulates the carrier and hand over the
demodulated digital signal to the DTE.

DATA TERMINAL EQUIPMENT (DTE)

Data Terminal Equipment is equipment which acts as
source or destinations in digital communication and
which is capable of converting information to signals
and also reconverting received signals.

- Pieces of data terminal equipment usually do

not communicate between each other, which is
usually done by data communications
equipment (DCE).
- The equipment which terminates flow of
information in any communication network.
- This equipment is located inside or near customer premises.
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 - These are purchased or owned by customers utilizing service.
- Common examples of data terminal equipment: printers, routers, application servers etc.

DATA CIRCUIT-TERMINATING EQUIPMENT (DCE)

A data circuit-terminating equipment (DCE) is a device that sits between the data terminal
equipment (DTE) and a data transmission circuit.
- It is also called data communication(s) equipment and data carrier equipment.
- Usually, the DTE device is the terminal (or computer), and the DCE is a modem.
- It refers to computer hardware devices used to establish, maintain and terminate
communication network sessions between a data source and its destination. DCE is connected
to the data terminal equipment (DTE) and data transmission circuit (DTC) to convert transmission
signals.
- The equipment which transport information over communication medium.
- This equipment is located in between DTE and communication medium (i.e. fiber cable, twisted
pair).
- It takes care providing functions such as coding, clocking etc. for the information to be
transmitted and received.
- EXAMPLES: Modem, Switch etc.

DATA COMMUNICATIONS EQUIPMENT (DCE) can be classified as equipment that transmits or

receives analogue or digital signals through a network. DCE works at the physical layer of the OSI
model taking data generated by Data Terminal Equipment (DTE) and converting it into a signal
that can then be transmitted over a communications link. A common DCE example is a modem
which works as a translator of digital and analogue signals.

DCE may also be responsible for providing timing over a serial link. In a complex network which
uses directly connected routers to provide serial links, one serial interface of each connection must
be configured with a clock rate to provide synchronization. A modem is the most common kind of
DCE. Other common examples are ISDN adapters, satellites, microwave stations, base stations, and
network interface cards.

DCE DTE
Data Communication Equipment Data Termination Equipment
Generates clock (i.e. as per speed) Accepts clock
Example#1 (In leased line setup) V.35 and G.703 Example#1 (In leased line setup) Router acts
modem & exchange (modem & MUX) acts as DCE as DTE
Example#2 (In dial up setup), dialup modem acts Example#2 (In dial up setup) Computer acts
as DCE as DTE

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 POST – LEARNING ACTIVITY

(MIDTERM)
1. ENUMERATE AND BRIEFLY DISCUSS SOME OF THE STANDARD ORGANIZATIONS OF RELEVANCE
TO COMMUNICATION PROTOCOLS.
2. DEFINE THE DIFFERENT COMPONENTS OF TELECOMMUNICATION NETWORKS.

(FINAL)
1. WHAT ARE THE KEY DIFFERENCES BETWEEN MODULATION AND DEMODULATION?
2. DIFFERENTIATE DATA COMMUNICATION EQUIPMENT TO DATA TERMINAL EQUIPMENT.