Introduction to Data Communications
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8c. Transmission Media Catagories

There are 2 basic categories of Transmission Media:

Guided Transmission Media uses a "cabling" system that guides or bounds the data signals along a specific path. The data signals are bound by the "cabling" system. Guided Media is also known as Bound Media. Cabling is meant in a generic sense in the previous sentences and is not meant to be interpreted as copper wire cabling only.

Unguided Transmission Media consists of a means for the data signals to travel but nothing to guide them along a specific path. The data signals are not bound to a cabling media and as such are often called Unbound Media.

8d. Transmission Media Guided

There 4 basic types of Guided Media:

i. Media versus Bandwidth

The following table compares the usable bandwidth between the different Guided Transmission Media

Cable Type Bandwidth
Open Cable 0 - 5 MHz
Twisted Pair 0 - 100 MHz
Coaxial Cable 0 - 600 MHz
Optical Fibre 0 - 10 GHz

Introduction to Data Communications
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Copyright Eugene Blanchard Jan 1998, January 2007