Communication

Networks including the Internet

Section 2.1
Part 3
 Learning Objectives
 Candidates should be able to:
- show understanding of the differences between
and implications of the use of wireless and
wired networks
 Wired Networks
 In wired networks, all devices are
connected by cables.
- In the early days this was done using a T-
connector into the network interface card of the
computer.
- Modern buildings are now wired with a cabling
infrastructure and connectors are made from
each device into a patch panel/hub on the wall.
Transmission Media
 Cable
- a network cable can be twisted
pair, coaxial or fibre-optic cable.
- both twisted pair and coaxial
cables use copper for transmission
medium
 Transmission Media
 We consider the following when discussing
the suitability for a given application:
(1) Cost
(2) Bandwidth – governs the possible
transmission rate
(3) Interference
(4) Attenuation at high frequency (deterioration of
signal)
(5) Need for repeaters
* Interference and attenuation can cause poor performance. It also dictates the
need for repeaters or amplifiers in transmission lines.
 Transmission Media
 Cable
Twister pair Coaxial Fibre-optic
Cost Lowest Higher Highest
Bandwidth or data rate Lowest Higher Much higher
Attenuation at high frequency Affected Most affected Least affected
Interference Worst affected Less affected Least affected
Need for repeaters More often More often Less often
Transmission Media
 Twisted Cable
- a twisted pair is a pair of copper cables,
twisted together. It is designed to cancel out
electromagnetic interference.
- Twisted-pair is available in several
specifications. The simplest is made up to
two insulated copper wires surrounded by
the external insulation.
Wired Networks
Transmission Media
 Twisted Cable
- One of the Ethernet networking standards uses
a cable with four twisted-pairs called Cat-5 which
supports a maximum cable segment length of 100
metres.
- All forms of copper wiring suffer from a loss of
signal strength as the cables get longer. A
shielding screen is used either as a return path for
the signal or as a form of screening to eliminate
various forms of electromagnetic interference.
 Transmission Media
 Coaxial Cable
- Coaxial cable has a central single strand
wire that is insulated from the outer multi-
strand wire mesh braided around the central
insulation.
- Coaxial cable is also available in a number
of specifications.
Wired Networks
 Transmission Media
 Coaxial Cable
- The most widely used bus networking
standard for the physical layer is called
Ethernet.
- This has developed standards based on
the transmission speeds called:
10BASE-T (transmits 10Mb/sec)
100BASE-TX (100Mb/sec)
1000BASE-T (1000Mb/sec, 1Gb/sec)
 Transmission Media
 Coaxial Cable
- Uses of coaxial cable include the connection
between radio or television receiver/sender and
the arial, computer network connections and
cable television connections.
 Transmission Media
 Coaxial Cable
- An advantage of coaxial cable is that
electromagnetic interference from other metal
objects in close proximity is unlikely to affect
the signal.
- A bus network uses either twister pair or
coaxial cable.
 Transmission Media
 Fibre-optic Cable
- Up to 24 glass strands are grouped into a
single cable.
- A signal is transmitted along a single
strand as a modulated light beam, using
pulses of light.
- The medium of communication is light.
- The data is free of interference and less
susceptible to unauthorized access.
Wired Networks
 Transmission Media
 Fibre-optic Cable
- Advantages over copper wire:
(1) signals are free from interference
(2) cabling does not suffer from corrosion
 Transmission Media
 Fibre-optic Cable
- Typical Applications include any form of
long-distance communication including
telephone communication, internet
communications and networking.
 Wireless Networks
Wireless Networks are networks without
wires where the communication medium
must be some form of communication using
waves from the electromagnetic spectrum.
- for example, radio waves, microwaves or
infrared
Wireless – a transmission using radio,
microwave or infrared.
 Wireless Networks
The issues to consider when choosing the
medium are:
- whether the waves penetrate through objects such as thick wall
building
- whether there will be interference with the messages,
- the amount of bandwidth available
- whether the signal can be accurately guided in a particular
direction
- whether attenuation takes places and the signal might weaken
and then need some form of repeater
 Wireless Networks
RADIO waves
- Radio waves have the largest range of
wavelengths and include AM-radio(around
400m), television(40m) and FM-
radio(around 4m).
- Radio waves are used for receiving
television signals via the domestic antennae
and for sending/receiving of mobile phone
communication.
 Wireless Networks
Microwaves
- Microwaves have wavelengths measured in
centimetres.
- Compare with infrared and visible light,
microwaves have the benefits that microwave
energy can penetrate haze, light rain, and
snow, clouds and smoke.
- For this reason, satellites that capture pictures
of the Earth use microwave communication.
 Wireless Networks
Satellite Communication
- Artificial satellites orbiting the Earth provide
telecommunications between the satellite
and receiving/sending stations.
- Application are numerous and varied, for
example: satellite radio and television
broadcasting, photography of the Earth,
satellite-based Internet, satellite phones and
military communications.
 Wireless Networks
Wireless
- Communication can use radio, microwave
or infrared frequencies.
- The term ‘wireless’ has come to be used
to describe any form of data
communication that is ‘without wires’ .
 Wireless Networks
Wireless
- The range of applications of wireless
communications is now widespread and
includes communication for a local area
network and the use of smartphones and
other portable devices.
- WiFi is the term for the industry standard
IEEE.802.11. WiFi hotspots are now popular ,
for example, as a way of attracting customers
to a café.
 Wireless Networks
 Frequency ranges and frequency dependency of
factors affecting wireless transmission
RADIO MICROWAVE INFRARED
Frequency range -> 3 kHz-3 GHz 3-300 GHz 300 Ghz-400GHz
Bandwidth or data rate
Attenuation (mainly due to rain)
Need for repeaters
Directional focusing capability
Penetration through a wall
Interference There is no systematic trend

***the factors listed on the left increase in the direction of the arrow
 Wireless Networks
The figure in slide 26, shows that:
- The bandwidth increases through radio
and microwave to infrared but the ability of
the waves to penetrate solid objects is
greatest for radio waves.
- Interference is not consistently affected by
the frequency.
- Radio wave is ’unguided’. Microwave and
infrared can direct a transmission towards a
particular receiver.
 Wireless Networks
The figure in slide 26, shows that:
-The increased attenuation for infrared
transmission, which has the highest frequency,
means that it is only suitable for indoor
applications.
~the fact that it will not penetrate through a wall is then
of the benefit because the transmission cannot escape
and cause unwanted interference elsewhere.
-For most applications, microwave transmission is
the best option because it has a better bandwidth
compared to that available using radio waves.
 Wireless Networks
- The ability of the radiation to transmit through
a solid barrier is an important factor.
- The extent to which the transmission can be
focused in a specific direction needs to be
considered too.
 Comparing cable &
wireless transmission
 Other points to consider when comparing the
relative advantages of transmission through a
cable or wireless transmission.
- The use of certain wireless transmission frequencies is
regulated by government agencies and so permission has to
be obtained before wireless transmission is used.
- Outside these, frequencies, no permission is needed to
use the air for transmission but cables can only be laid in the
ground with the permission of landowners.
- For global communications, the two competing
technologies are: transmission through fibre-optic cables laid
underground (or on the sea bed) and satellite transmission.
 Comparing cable &
wireless transmission
 Other points to consider when comparing the
relative advantages of transmission through a
cable or wireless transmission.
- Interference is much more significant for wireless
transmission and its extent is dependent on which
frequencies are being used for different applications.
- Repeaters are needed less often for wireless
transmission.
- Mobile phones now dominate Internet use and for these,
only wireless transmission is possible.
 Comparing cable &
wireless transmission
 Other points to consider when comparing the
relative advantages of transmission through a
cable or wireless transmission.
- For home or small office use, wired or wireless
transmission is equally efficient; often, not having to install
cables favours wireless connections for a small network.
Satellite Altitudes
 Satellite Altitudes
 Satellites are components of modern
communication systems. Slide 33 shows
the altitudes (distance above Earth) of
three different types of satellite.
The Van Allen belts are areas containing
high levels of electrically charged
particles, which interfere with satellites.
 Satellite Altitudes
 Geostationary Earth Orbit (GEO)
- The highest altitudes satellites are in the
Geostationary Earth Orbit (GEO) over the
equator and these are used to provide long-
distance telephone and computer network
communication.
- Geostationary means that the satellite orbits
at the same speed as the Earth spins, so from a
point on the Earth the satellite always appears to
be at the same point in the sky.
 Satellite Altitudes
 Geostationary Earth Orbit (GEO)
- Only three GEO satellites are needed for
full global coverage.
Satellite Altitudes
 Medium-Earth-Orbit (MEO)
- Closer to Earth are a group of MEO
satellites some of which provide the global-
positioning system (GPS).
- Ten MEO satellites are needed for full global
coverage.
 Satellite Altitudes
 Low-Earth-Orbit (LEO)
- LEOs satellites work in ‘constellations’ to
supplement the mobile phone networks.
- Fifty LEO satellites are needed for full global
coverage but currently there are several hundred
LEO satellites in orbit.
 Satellite
 A satellite can as a component in a network
and can directly connect with ground-based
component.
 These ground-based components can be
much further apart that in a network with no
satellites.
 The disadvantage of satellites is that the
greater transmission distance causes
transmission delays, which can cause technical
problems for the network.