DATA TRANSMISSION

 Data transmission or data communication is the exchange of data between two devices over short
or long distance via a form of transmission medium such as a wire cable.
 For transmission to occur, there must be the following:
- Message: Refers to information or data that needs to be send
- Sender
- Transmission medium
- Receiver
- Protocol (Language used by communicating devices)
 Essentially, three factors need to be considered when transmitting data (each factor has to be
agreed by both sender and receiver for this to work without error):
1. the direction of the data transmission (i.e. in one direction only or in both directions)
2. the method of transmission (how many bits are sent at the same time)
3. the method of synchronisation between the two devices.
DATA TRANSMISSION MODES

 Transmission Mode defines the direction of the flow of information between two communication
devices i.e. it tells the direction of signal flow between the two devices.
 There are three ways or modes of data transmission: Simplex, Half duplex (HDX), Full duplex (FDX)

Simplex Mode

Sender Receiver
Data flow

 This is a mode of data transmission in which data travels only in one direction. Thus one computer
acts as the sender and the other as a receiver. Communication is unidirectional. Simplex
transmission mode is like a one way street where traffic moves in only one direction
 Example: data being sent from a computer to a printer, tv and radio broadcasts.
Half duplex Mode

Data flow
Sender Receiver
  This is a transmission mode in which data travels in both directions but not simultaneously. The
receiver waits until the sender has finished sending data in order for him to respond.
 Its a two-way communication, data flows in both direction but sender and receiver can't transmit
and receive at the same time.
 Example: a phone conversation between two people where only one person speaks at a time,
conversation with walkie – talkies. 
FULL DUPLEX

Sender Receiver

 This is a transmission mode in which transmission is possible in both directions simultaneously.

There is no need for one to wait until the channel is free from data.
 It uses two channels, one for each direction of data transmission. It is more costly than other
transmission modes.
 Example: broadband connection on a phone line, Telephone talk where the listener can interrupt
the speaker at any time, client and server communication.

TRANSMISSION MEDIA
 Transmission media refers to the path through which data is transferred from one point to
another.
 These are the means by which data and other forms of communication are transmitted between
the sending and receiving devices.
 It is any medium through which data is transmitted from source to destination.
 Transmission media can be either guided or unguided.
 They are used to carry data and information from one point/ place to another e.g. copper wires,
coaxial cable, fiber optic cables, microwave systems and telecomm satellites.
Factors to consider when choosing the transmission media
i. Transmission rate to be implemented on the line.
ii. Line capacity or bandwidth. Bandwidth is the range of usable frequencies that a medium can
accommodate.
iii. Transmission distances involved – this determine attenuation of a signal along the cable.
Attenuation is the loss of signal power as the signal moves along the communication medium.
iv. Cost of the medium and ease of installation
v. Resistance to environmental conditions like EMI (Electrical Magnet Interference).
Channel Transmission Impairments
• All transmission media suffer the following major problems, attenuation, noise, and distortion
– Attenuation – is the loss of power as a signal propagates through a medium.
 – Noise – noise is unwanted signals from sources other than the signal. It is sometimes
referred to as circuit interference.
–  Distortion – means that the signals are deformed to more or less different signal as it
propagates through the medium.
– EMI (Electrical Magnet Interference)- Resistance to environmental conditions.
Classes of transmission media

A. Guided/wired Transmission Media

 In guided transmission media, data follows a physical path during transmission, e.g. through a
coaxial cable. The two connection points should be linked together by a physical
communication pathway. Some of the guided communication media are:
- Unshielded Twisted Pair (UTP) cable
- Shielded Twisted Pair cable
- Fibre optic cable
- Coaxial cable
1. Twisted Pair cable
 These are ordinary telephone wires consisting of 2 insulated copper wires twisted together in a
regular spiral pattern to reduce cross talk or electro-magnetic interference from similar pairs
close by. established communication networks for both voice and data transmission.
 It is a low frequency transmission medium.
 Twisted pair is extensively used in home and office telephone systems and many LANS.
Characteristics
 It has big attenuation, which limits the possible distances,
 for larger distances amplifiers are needed.
 Low bandwidth, Very much affected by noise
 Very sensitive to electromagnetic interference.

a) Unshielded Twisted Pair cable

 UTP (unshielded twisted pair)-each wire is insulated with plastic wrap, but the pair
is encased in an outer covering
  UTP is a very flexible, low cost media, and can be used for either voice or data
communications. Its greatest disadvantage is the limited bandwidth, which restricts
long distance transmission with low error rates.
 Has a thin layer of cover
 More extensive EMI than STP cables
 Cross talk between UTP pairs limits max cables length
 Very cheap (Costs the Least)
 Care must be taken to avoid electrical noisy devices e.g. electrical motors around.
 Flexible to handle
 UTP cable is used on Ethernet and can also be used with Token Ring.
b) Shielded Twisted Pair cable
 the pair is wrapped with metallic foil or braid to insulate the pair from
electromagnetic interference.
 STP is heavier and more difficult to manufacture, but it can greatly improve the
signaling rate in a given transmission scheme Twisting provides cancellation of
magnetically induced fields and currents on a pair of conductors.
Advantages of twisted pair cable
– Twisted pair is very cheap to buy.
– offer good performance over short distances.
Disadvantages of twisted pair cable
– Has big attenuation.
– Has low bandwidth

2. Coaxial cable

 Coaxial cable is a two-conductor cable in which one conductor forms an

electromagnetic shield around the other. The two conductors are separated by
insulation. It is a constant impedance transmission cable.
 It consists of a stiff copper wire as the core surrounded by an insulating material.
 A cyclical conductor often as a branded mesh encases the insulator.
 The other conductor is covered in a protective plastic covering.
  This installation minimizes interference and distortion of signals the cable carries.
 Coaxial cable is used extensively in television, radio, network and data
communications.
 They can also be used to connect or interconnect computer and peripheral devices.
 This media is used in base band and broadband transmission.
 Can transmit analogue and digital signals.
 Ensures accurate data transfer.
 Coaxial cables do not produce external electric and magnetic fields and are not
affected by them. This makes them ideally suited, although more expensive, for
transmitting signals.
 It has less attenuation than twisted pair, has high bandwidth and has low error
rates. However, coaxial cable is expensive to buy and is stiff, making it difficult to
handle.

3. Fibre-optic cable

 Inner conductor is solid copper metal

 Separated by insulating material

 Separated by insulating material

 Covered by sheath material

 Optical fibre consists of thin glass fibres that can carry information at frequencies in the visible
light spectrum and beyond.
 The typical optical fibre consists of a very narrow strand of glass called the core. Around the core is
a concentric layer of glass called the cladding.
 It is a media that uses light to transmit data.
 It has less attenuation and therefore fewer repeaters are needed
 has very high bandwidth and cannot corrode (not affected by corrosion)
 it is thin and therefore has less weight.
 It allows very fast data transfer
 has no electromagnetic interference
 is physically secure.
 However, fibre optics is very expensive to buy and is uni-directional (travels in one direction only).
Cable cannot bend around tight corners. Repairing and installing is quite difficult and needs
specialist personnel and equipment. It is also difficult to interface with computers.
B. Unguided/wireless transmission media
 Unguided medium transport electromagnetic waves without using a physical conductor.
 This type of communication is often referred to as wireless communication. Signals are
normally broadcast through free space and thus are available to anyone who has a device
capable of receiving them.
 Unguided transmission media transmits
 data signals that flow through the air.
 They are not guided or bound to a channel to follow.
