DATA COMMUNICATION

Data communication is the transmission and reception of data signals between endpoints in a system. The data
transmitted can be voice, sound, images, video, text or a combination (multimedia).
Data is transmitted by two types of signals, each requiring different kinds of communication technology. The two
types of signals are analog and digital signals.
o Analog signals (continuous waves): An analog signal is a continuous electrical signal in the form of a
wave. The wave is called a carrier wave. The two main characteristics of analog carrier waves that can be
changed are frequency and amplitude. Telephone, radio, and older television transmission uses analog
signals
o Digital signals (discrete bursts): a digital signal uses on/off electrical pulses in discontinuous or discrete
bursts, rather than a continues wave. Digital signals represent the two binary states of 0s and 1s that
computer uses. Computer networks use digital signals in transmitting data.

Data transmission
This refers to the transfer of data over a communication medium. This transmission can be effected in different
ways some of which are:
o Analogue transmission: This is the transmission of data in the form of a continuously variable physical
quantity such as electrical voltage (the transmission of data in the form of analog signals). Information
that is transmitted in analogue form is very vulnerable to hazards such as noise.
o Digital transmission: This is the transmission of data in the form of numbers with discrete or non-
continuous values, usually expressed as a sequence of binary digits. Digitally transmitted information is
more robust in the presence of noise than analogue information.
Transmission mode: Serial and parallel transmission
A. Serial: Serial data communication system is a system which splits the data into small bits and transfer
the message in the form of one bit at one time via a suitable channel. The small bits are received by the
receiving computer and it combines them to form the primary message. There are two types of serial
transmission:
o Asynchronous transmission: Also known as start-stop transmission. In asynchronous
transmission, data is sent one byte (or character) at a time with a start and stop bit sent with each
character.
o Synchronous transmission: Instead of using start and stop bits, synchronous transmission sends
data in blocks with start and stop bit patterns, called synch bytes are transmitted at the beginning
and end of the blocks.
Advantages and disadvantages of asynchronous and synchronous transmission
Advantages Disadvantages
Asynchronous transmission  Those not require  There is relatively large
synchronization of both overhead
machines
 Timing is not as critical as
for synchronous
transmission
 Hardware used for this
can be made cheaper
Synchronous transmission  Lower overhead  Slightly more complex
 Hardware used for this is
more expensive
 B. Parallel transmission: In parallel transmission, all the bits making up a character, together with a parity
bit are transmitted through separate lines simultaneously. Information here moves faster than in serial
transmission. Parallel transmission is limited to communication over short distances of few meters, for
example between a computer and a printer.

Types or direction of data communication

There are various types of communication systems that vary according to the directions in which they can be
transmitted. These are:
o Simplex: This is a method used to send information only in one direction. A good example of this kind of
data communication is in television and radio broadcasting.
o Half duplex: It is data transmission in which information can be sent in both directions but not at the
same time. When the sender is transmitting the receiver will have to wait and he can only transmit when
the sender is finish. A good example where this is applied is in walkie talkie used by the army.
o Full duplex: This is data communication system in which both the sender and receiver can transmit at the
same time example telephone call, computer network.

Terms associated with data communications

a. Multiplexing: This is the transmission of multiple signals over a single communications channel. There are
two common multiplexing techniques. Frequency Division Multiplexing (FDM) and Time Division
Multiplexing (TDM). Three types of devices are used to achieve multiplexing:
o Multiplexer: A multiplexer is a device that merges several low-speed transmissions into one high
speed transmission.
o Concentrator: Like a multiplexer, a concentrator is a piece of hardware that enables several
devices to share a single communication line. But concentrators collect data in a temporary
storage area.
o Front-end Processors: This is a sophisticated computer that handles communications for
mainframes.it is a smaller computer connected to a larger computer and assists with
communications functions.
b. MODEM (modulator/demodulator): Communication over the internet usually at some point uses a
telephone network then back to a computer network. The problem is information is carried over a
computer network in the form of digital signals and over a telephone network in the form of analog
signals. So the modems allow one computer to communicate with another over a standard telephone
line.
A MODEM converts the computer’s digital signals into analogue signals (modulation) suitable for
transmission over telephone lines and reconverts the received analogue signals from telephone lines to
digital signals (demodulation).
Digital signals
Analogue signals

c. Broadcasting: This is a transmission mode in which information from one connected device is sent to ALL
other connected devices.
d. Multicasting: It is a transmission mode in which info from a devices or computer is sent only to a group of
connected devices.
e. Unicasting: It is a transmission mode in which info from a single device is sent only to a single specific
receiver and not to many devices.
f. Bandwidth: This is the amount of data a communication channel can transmit during a fixed period of
time. (The rate of data transmission).
g. Upload: This is the process by which one computer, the host, sends a file to a remote computer through
communication channels. Example a face book user load his picture on Facebook so others can see
h. Download: This is the process by which a computer obtains a file from the host computer through
communication channel. Example getting a video from YouTube.
i. Point-to-point transmission: This is the process by which data is sent from one location to another.
j. Multipoint: A multipoint line is a single line that interconnects several communications devices to one
computer.
k. Search Engines: This is a tool used to search for information over the internet. Example
www.Google.com, yahoo etc.
l. Blogging: Blogging is a feature over a network such as internet or intranet where users can share ideas or
debate over issues or topics based on interest groups.
m. Broadband: This is a high-speed internet access that offers an always-on connection. It is opposite to dial-
up connection.
n. Internet Service Provider (ISP): A company that provides access to the internet for a fee. Examples of
ISPs in Cameroon are MTN, Orange, CAMTEL, Youmee, NEXTELL etc.