Download Communications media

Reading 2: Communications media
This reading covers material within the following unit performance criteria:

Check and install cabling and associated components in accordance with
industry standards..
The terms, communications or networking media refer to the physical
media used to transmit data through your network. As you may
recall, the physical media of a network resides at the lowest level of
the Open Systems Interconnection (OSI) networking model.
What are the most common types?
The most common type of communication medium in networks today
is cabling (bound transmission media). As advances are made, the
types of cables used have changed and wireless technologies are
removing the need for cables altogether.
Common media used in networks include:

UTP (Unshielded Twisted Pair)
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category 5, 5e, and 6
RJ45 and RJ11 connectors
Category 5 UTP cable


STP (Shielded Twisted Pair)
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category 7 cable
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GG-45, TERA connectors
coaxial cable
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commonly used in satellite connections
Coaxial cable and connector

fibre optic cable
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multimode and single mode
8/125µm, 50/125 µm, 65/125 µm sizes
SC, ST, MTRJ, LT, FC, FDDI connectors
Fibre optic cable

wireless
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Wi-Fi (802.11a/b/g//n, see Reading 1: Network
communication devices)
bluetooth
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satellite
IrDA
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WiMax
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UWB (Ultra Wide Band)
laser
xMax (www.xgtechnology.com, xMax www.wikipedia.org).
Once you understand the communications media that are available,
you need to think about how you are going to implement your
network media.
Useful links and further reading:

UTP - www.webopedia.com

UTP - www.wikipedia.org

Category 7 cable - www.wikipedia.org

TERA connector brochure - www.siemon.com (PDF
2.74MB)

TERA connection video - www.siemon.com

Coaxial cables - www.accesscomms.com.au

Coaxial cable - http://whatis.techtarget.com

How fibre optics work - www.howstuffworks.com

Fibre optic communication - www.wikipedia.org

Fibre connectors - www.fiber-optics.info

Connectors - www.anixter.com (PDF 168KB)

Cables - www.anixter.com (PDF 283KB)

Bluetooth - www.wikipedia.org

How bluetooth works - www.howstuffworks.com

Learn Bluetooth - www.bluetooth.com

IrDA - www.webopedia.com

IrDA - www.wikipedia.org

How IrDA works - www.irda.org

What is WiMAX - www.wimax.com

WiMAX - www.wikipedia.org

Ultra wideband technology - www.intel.com

UWB - www.wikipedia.org.
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