1c: Principles of Data Communications: Media Characteristics

Table of Contents

1. Introduction
2. The Electromagnetic Spectrum
   1. Electromagnetic Spectrum Visualised
   2. EM Waves SAQ
3. Media Characteristics
   1. Guided media
4. Coaxial Cable
   1. Types of Coaxial Cable
   2. Thinnet (10Base2)
   3. Thinnet Connections
   4. BNC Components
   5. Thicknet (10Base5)
   6. Thicknet Connections
   7. Cabling SAQ 1
5. Twisted Pair
   1. Unshielded Twisted Pair (UTP) Cable
   2. Shielded Twisted Pair (STP) Cable
   3. Twisted Pair Cable Components
   4. TIA/EIA Standards
   5. Other UTP Standards
   6. Cabling SAQ 2
6. Fibre Optic Cable
   1. How Fibre-Optic Cable Works
   2. Advantages and Disadvantages of Fibre
   3. Multi-Mode Fibre
   4. Single Mode (Mono Mode)
   5. Fibre Connectors
   6. Cabling SAQ 3
   7. Cabling SAQ 4
   8. Balanced and Unbalanced Lines
7. Unguided Media
8. Radio Transmission
   1. Satellite Transmission
   2. Satellite Orbits
   3. Low Earth Orbit (LEO)
   4. Geosynchronous Earth Orbit (GEO)
   5. Polar Orbit
   6. A Satellite's Coverage Area
   7. Satellite Advantages and Disadvantages
   8. Unguided Media SAQ 1
   9. Satellite Practical
9. Microwave Transmission
   1. Principles of Microwave Transmission
   2. Microwave Advantages and Disadvantages
   3. Unguided Media SAQ 2
   4. Media Characteristics Crossword
   5. Formative Assessment

Twisted Pair

Twisted pair cable is the most common type of cable used in computer networks. It is reliable, flexible and cost effective. The twisting of the pairs of copper cable is one method used to protect the cable's signals from interference and crosstalk. This type of protection is known as cancellation.

There are two main categories of twisted pair cable:

• Unshielded Twisted Pair (UTP) Cable
• Shielded Twisted Pair (STP) Cable

Click on this link to review the wikipedia resource on twisted pair cable

Next: Unshielded Twisted Pair (UTP) Cable