#6 NETWORK MEDIA TYPES: THE NETWORKING SERIES

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Hey peeps, a simple peer-to-peer network is connected through hard wiring of two computers together so that they can share files. The hard wiring requires correct cables. Here, we’ll be discussing about the types of network media i.e. types of cables used in networks in detail.

Communication takes place on a media, which provides a channel which message travels from source to destination across a network. Modern networks use the following three types of media to interconnect networks:

1. Metal wires within cables: In this, the data is encoded to electrical impulse and then transmitted.
2. Glass or plastic fibers within cables (fiber-optic cables): In this, the data is encoded into pulses of light.
3. Wireless transmission: In this, data is encoded to electromagnetic waves of specific frequencies.

While choosing a network media, the following criteria are taken into account:

• The maximum distance that the media can successfully carry a signal.
• The environment in which the media will be installed.
• The amount of data and the speed at which it is to be transmitted.
• The cost of media and installation.

Here, we don’t take the type of media transmitted over a network into account.

Types of network media

Common network cables

The ethernet cabling also different types based on the cables used. But most commonly used are twisted-pair, coaxial cable, fiber-optic cable.

• Twisted-Pair cable: Ethernet technology generally uses twisted-pair cable to interconnect devices. In this type, the wires are grouped in pairs and twisted together to reduce inference. The pair of wires are colored to identify the same wire at each end.
• Coaxial cable: This type is most commonly found in the cable TV connections. It is type of copper cable used for connecting various components which make up satellite communication systems. It is used for high frequency transmission or broadband signals.
• Fiber-optic: This cable can be either glass or plastic with a diameter about the same as a human hair. It can carry digital information over long distances at very high speeds.

Ethernet cable

Twisted-pair cables

Twisted-pair cables consist of one or more insulated copper wires that are twisted together and housed in a protective jacket like all copper wires, twisted-pair uses electric pulses to transmit data. The data transmission over copper cable is sensitive to “Electromagnetic interference”(EMI), which reduce the data throughput rate.

Another source of interference is “crosstalk”, this occurs when cables are bundled together for a long distance, the pulse travelling through one cable can cross over another cable. This occurs mostly due to improper installation and termination.

Types of Twisted-pair cables

1. Unshielded Twisted-Pair (UTP): This type of twisted-pair cables are easy to install, offers a high bandwidth and is easy to install.
2. Shielded Twisted-Pair (STP): Unlike UTP, it has a shielding around the cables which makes this cables resistant to EMI and Radio Frequency Interference.

There are many different categories of UTP cables was developed to support a specific technology. The cable types which are still commonly found include Categories 3,5,5e and 6.

The most common type of connector used to terminate twisted-pair cabling is
RJ-45.

Photo by Thomas Jensen on Unsplash

Coaxial Cables

Coaxial cable also carry data in form of electric pulse, like as UTP cables. It provides improved shielding and can carry more data. Coaxial cable is mainly made of either copper or aluminum. Coaxial cables are made of single rigid copper core that conducts signal, covered by a layer of insulation, metal shielding and protective jacket. This cable is used by cable television companies to provide service and for connecting the various components that make up satellite communication systems. It is physically harder to install, more expensive and harder to troubleshoot.

Fiber-Optic Cables

Unlike UTP or coax, fiber-optic cables transmit data in the form of light pulses. This is widely used by large data centers and enterprises. It is constructed of glass or plastic, neither of which conducts electricity. This is immune to RFI and EMI, so it can be installed in the environments where there is a lot of interference. It is useful to transmit data for a long distance. Either lasers or light-emitting diodes (LEDs) are used to represent transmitted data as bits. It supports large bandwidth, high-speed data networks.

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#7 OSI vs TCP/IP MODEL: THE NETWORKING SERIES

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#5 NETWORK DOCUMENTATION AND LOCAL CONNECTIONS: THE NETWORKING SERIES

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