Transmission Media:

Wires, Cables, Fiber Optics, and

Microwaves
Based on Chapter 4 of William Stallings, Data and
Computer Communication, 7th Ed.

Kevin Bolding
Electrical Engineering
Seattle Pacific University

Seattle Pacific University Transmission Media No. 1

Transmission Media
• A signal must be transmitted through some medium
• Guided Media determine the path of the signal
• Wires (cables, twisted pair, coax)
• Fiber Optics
• Other things…
• Signals Propagate in all directions in Unguided Media
• The medium is usually free space (air), but the
signal type gets the name
• Refers to transmitting signals through passive
media that does not change the signal’s direction
• Microwaves, broadcast radio waves
• Lasers, Infrared
Seattle Pacific University Transmission Media No. 2
Media Issues
• Frequency range
• Some media support higher frequencies than others
• Impairments
• Different media deform signals differently
• Some are more susceptible to noise and distortion
• Cost
• We’re in the real world…
• Number of receivers
• Broadcast vs. point-to-point

Seattle Pacific University Transmission Media No. 3

How Fast/How Far can a Signal be Sent?
• The question:
• Given a source signal with a given power, how far can
it go before it is attenuated so much that the SNR is
too low to be usable?

• As far as media is concerned, the main issue is

attenuation
• Attenuation increases with distance. Usually
expressed in dB/m, dB/100ft, etc.
• Attenuation usually increases with frequency.
• A graph or table showing attenuation/length vs.
frequency is common.

Seattle Pacific University Transmission Media No. 4

Attenuation Curves
Attenuation per 100ft for UTP/Coax

25
20
Attenuation per

Cat-5 UTP
100ft (dB)

15
RG58 Coax
10
RG6 Coax
5
0
1 10 100 1000
MHz

Attenuation is very dependent on conductor size

At higher frequencies, other issues, such as crosstalk, matter more

Seattle Pacific University Transmission Media No. 5

 Frequency of various signals
Frequency (Hz)
102 103 104 105 106 107 108 109 1010 1011 1012 1013 1014 1015

Power/ Visible
Radio Microwave Infrared
Telephone Light

Twisted Pair
Coax
AM Radio FM Radio/TV Optical
Fiber
Microwave
Trans.

106 105 104 103 102 101 100 10-1 10-2 10-3 10-4 10-5 10-6
Wavelength (Meters)
Source: Stallings, Fig. 4.1

Seattle Pacific University Transmission Media No. 6

Guided Media
• Guided media control the path of the signal wave
• Electrical – Signal needs conductor and ground
• Differences are in how ground/conductor interact
• Twisted pair
• Coax
• Striplines on PCBs
• Optical – Signal is sent using internal reflection
• Differences are in light sources and fiber diameter

Seattle Pacific University Transmission Media No. 7

Electrical Cables signal
• The issue is electromagnetic
Interference prop. to area
transmission/reception
• Loops make great
return
antennas
• Antenna strength signal
proportional to the area
inside of the loop
return Better…
• Worse for shorter
wavelengths

• Common ground systems Trace on PCB

(such as PCBs with ground
planes)
Ground return
• Return path directly below
signal
• Minimizes loop area

Seattle Pacific University Transmission Media No. 8

Twisted Pair Cables Adjacent Loops
Out of phase
• Twist the signal and ground

Si
gn
a
together

l
• Loop size proportional to

R
twist size

et
ur
n
• Adjacent twists are 180
degrees out of phase
• Tend to cancel out
• Varying the twist size helps
to minimize crosstalk

• Data rates
• Over long distances, about 1-3 Mbps
• Short distances: 100Mbps, sometimes 1Gbps

Seattle Pacific University Transmission Media No. 9

Shielding
• Twisted pair usually comes bundled with several pairs in a
cable
• Unshielded – Just a plastic (teflon) jacket
• For distances of around 100m -
• Cat-3 UTP: <16Mbps, Cat-5 UTP: <100Mbps, Cat-5e UTP:
100+ Mbps
• Shielded – Includes a grounded shield

(source: Microsoft Networking Essentials)

Seattle Pacific University Transmission Media No. 10

Coaxial Cables
• Concentric mesh wire for
ground
• Acts as an excellent shield
• Very little interference or
radiation
• Carries much higher
frequencies and data rates
• 1-500MHz spectrum
• Data rates in 100s of Mbps

• The downside
• Expensive to manufacture
• More difficult to install

Seattle Pacific University Transmission Media No. 11

Optical Fiber
• Relies on total internal
reflection
• Light waves bounce of
edge of fiber
• Channels waves to
destination (Source: Stallings, Fig. 4.4)

• Varieties
• Multi-mode (wide fiber)
• Light waves bounce off at different angles
• Some have shallow angles (straight path), while others
have steeper angles (crooked path)
• Results in pulse spreading
• Single-mode (narrow fiber)
• Only a straight shot down the middle is allowed
• Requires a laser source

Seattle Pacific University Transmission Media No. 12

Fiber has its advantages
• Advantages
• No electromagnetic interference
• Very little attenuation
• Extremely high bandwidth (THz)
• Small, lightweight
• Disadvantages
• More expensive transceivers
• More difficult to install

Seattle Pacific University Transmission Media No. 13

Wireless (Unguided) Media
• Omnidirectional
• Signal radiates in all directions
• Good for broadcast
• Inexpensive antenna

• Directional
• Signal radiates in a single direction
• Usually requires parabolic (dish) antenna
• 2-40 GHz (microwave)
• Also works with lasers

Seattle Pacific University Transmission Media No. 14

Terrestrial Radio (Line of Sight)
• Limited to line-of-sight for most
signals (more or less)
• Max distance (m):
d = 7140 Kh
h = height (in meters)
K = fudge factor (around 4/3)
• Attenuation prop. to square of distance traveled
• Free space, isotropic* antenna:
Ptrans (4πd ) 2 (4πfd ) 2 f = frequency
= = d = distance (m)
Prcv λ2
c2
λ= wavelength (m)
Pt (4πfd ) 2
10 log10 = 10 log10 c = speed of light
Pr c2
4πfd
loss (dB ) = 20 log10 = 20 log10 f + 20 log10 d − 147.56dB
c

Seattle Pacific University Transmission Media No. 15

Terrestrial Radio (All forms)
• Ground-wave propagation follows the
curvature of the earth
• Frequencies below 2MHz
• AM radio (550-1600KHz)

• Sky-wave propagation relies on the

ionosphere and the surface of the earth to
refract waves back-and-forth
• Frequencies 2MHz-30MHz
• Short-wave Radio, HAM radio Ionosphere

• Line of site is point-to-point in a nearly straight

line
• Frequencies 30MHz and up
• FM radio, TV, Mobile phones, etc.

Seattle Pacific University Transmission Media No. 16

Satellite Radio
• Requires satellite in
geosynchronous orbit
• 35,784 km
• Delay of ¼ second (round-trip)
• Satellites spaced 4 degrees
apart

• Above 10GHz, signal is attenuated

by atmosphere
• Higher frequencies use
smaller dishes, though
• Nice try:
• “Constellations” of low-orbit
satellites

http://www.mike-willis.com/Tutorial/gases.htm

Seattle Pacific University Transmission Media No. 17