Characteristics of Different Transmission Media
In computer networks, the choice of transmission media plays a key role in determining speed, reliability, cost, and security.
Definition
Transmission media
The physical pathway or channel through which data is transmitted from one device to another in a network
Hence, we need to inspect closely the characteristics of different transmission media to decide what to use in a potential case scenario.
Metal Conductors
Among metal conductors, copper cables are often used due to their physical characteristics.
- Types: Coaxial, Unshielded Twisted Pair (UTP), Shielded Twisted Pair (STP)
- Speed: Moderate, up to 10 Gbps for high-quality cables
- Reliability: Susceptible to electromagnetic interference (EMI)
- Cost: Low to moderate
- Security: Physical access required, but data can be intercepted with specialised equipment.
Copper cables are widely used in LANs due to their low cost and ease of installation.
Fibre Optic Cables
- Speed: Extremely high, up to 100 Tbps
- Reliability: Immune to EMI and weather conditions
- Cost: High initial cost, but low maintenance
- Security: Very secure; difficult to tap without detection
Fibre optic cables are ideal for long-distance communication and high-bandwidth applications.
