DATA COMMUNICATION

Analog and Digital

Analog signaling:
A signal in which some feature increases and decreases in the same
way as the thing being transmitted. for example, the strength of the
radio wave goes up and down in analogy with the loudness of the
original sound.

The primary disadvantage of analog signaling is that any system has

noise – i.e., random variation.

Digital signaling:
An electronic signal transmitted as binary code that can be either the presence
or absence of current, high and low voltages or short pulses at a particular
frequency.

Digital computer signals generally need to be converted to analogue signals

to use communication links such as telephone systems. This process is called
modulation.
The reverse process of converting analogue signals back to digital signals is
called de-modulation.
A modem (modulator - demodulator) is a device which modulates or de-modulates a
signal. It allows a computer to transmit along the telephone system eg. to use
the Internet.
Characteristics of Analog Transmission Mode

An analog signal, like other waveforms, is characterized by four fundamental

properties:
Amplitude
Frequency
Wavelength
Phase

I. Amplitude
The amplitude is the power of a signal. The greater the amplitude, the greater
the energy carried. On a wave graph, the amplitude is essentially the height
of the wave.
Example - The wave has an amplitude of 5 volts at .25 seconds and an amplitude
of 0 volts at .5 seconds.

II. Frequency
Frequency is the number of times that a signal’s amplitude cycles from its
starting point
to its highest or lowest amplitude, then to its lowest or highest amplitude
and back to its starting amplitude over a fixed period of time. Frequency is
expressed in cycles per second, or hertz (Hz).
The wave cycles to its highest then lowest amplitude and returns to its
starting point once in 1 second. Thus, the frequency of that wave would be 1
cycle per second, or 1 Hz.
III. Wavelength
The distance between corresponding points on a wave’s cycle is called its
wavelength, Wavelengths are expressed in meters or feet. A wave’s wavelength is
inversely proportional to its frequency. In other words, the higher the
frequency, the shorter the wavelength.

IV. Phase
The term Phase refers to the progress of a wave over time in relationship to a
fixed point.

A packet is a segment of data sent from one computer or network device to

another computer or network device over a network. Packets may contain such
information as its source, destination, size and other useful information,
helping the packet get to its destination and then being able to be read once
it has arrived.
Transmission Direction
Data transmission, whether analog or digital, may also be characterized by the
direction in which the signals travel over the media.
They are:
Parallel transmission
When referring to a data transmission, parallel transmission refers to the
process of sending two or more packets of information that are relayed over two
or more lines at the same time.
Serial transmission
A communication transmission where the data is transferred in regular
intervals.

Simplex –
A type of data transmission where data travels in only one direction. For
example, a print job is only sent from the computer to the printer.

Half-duplex –
Transmission can be in both directions but only one direction at a time.
E.g. Most speakerphones are half-duplex and only allow one way communication.

Full-duplex –
Simultaneous transmission of data in both directions is possible. 
E.g. Telephones are full-duplex devices and allows both people to talk
at the same time.

Asynchronous –
Also known as a start/stop transmission, asynchronous is a type of data
transmission where the communication can start and stop at any time. Data sent
through an asynchronous transmission contains a start bit and stop bit, helping
the receiving end know when it has received all of its data. 

Narrowband transmission -
Generally speaking, a narrowband transmission refers to a data transfer that
has a slow or small transfer rate. When referring to wireless transmission, a
Wideband transmission -
In general, a wideband transmission is more commonly known as a broadband transmission.
When referring to a wireless transmission, a wideband signal refers to a signal capable of
being distributed over a wide area.

Multiplexing Techniques

Multiplexing is the process where multiple channels are combined for transmission over a
common transmission path.

Types of Multiplexing:

Time Division Multiplexing(TDM):- TDM divides a channel into multiple intervals of time,
or time slots. It then assigns separate time slots to each node of network and carries
data from that node.

Statistical Multiplexing:- It is similar to TDM but rather than assigning time slot to
each node it assigns time slots according to the priority.

Wavelength-division multiplexing:- (WDM) is a method of combining multiple signals on

laser beams at various infrared (IR) wavelengths for transmission along fiber optic media.
In optical fiber communications. Any technique by which two or more optical signals having
different wavelengths may be simultaneously transmitted in the same direction over one
fiber, and then be separated by wavelength at the distant end.

Transmission Flaws:-

1. Electromagnetic Interference(EMI)
2. Radiofrequency Interference(RFI)