Chapter 8: Media

Chapter 8: Media

Introduction

The preceding chapter discussed topologies and access methods for major types of local area network, but none of these discussions tied topology, access method, operational methods, or any other aspect of the network to the transmission medium used. The exclusion of media from the discussion was intentional, because rings, busses, and stars utilizing tokens, CSMA/CD, and other access methods are available in almost all combinations on a wide variety of media.

In this chapter, the physical properties of various media will be discussed, and despite the variety of local area networks using each medium, the most common use will be identified. Each medium has its unique advantages and disadvantages and these are additive to the other features of the local area network chosen.

Media suitable for local area networks divide into five categories: wireless, twisted pair wiring, baseband coaxial cable, broadband coaxial cable, and optical fibers.

Wireless

Developments in wireless LAN technology have made the use of radio waves or light propagating through the air an attractive media choice for installations where service points (workstation and personal computers) move frequently and operating speeds above about 10 Mbps are not required.

There are presently three alternative wireless LAN technologies: spread spectrum radio, narrowband radio, and infrared light. Each has its advantages and disadvantages.

Spread Spectrum Radio

In this technology, long used in military communications, stations transmit over a broad frequency range using large numbers of redundant bits. This technique is quite secure, since only equipment...

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