Transmission Media

Transmission media is the medium in which data, more specifically electromagnetic waves, are transferred between two or more devices. The medium may be guided, such as telephone wire or fibre optic cable, or wireless, such as WiFi or a mobile network. Transmission media is all around us, and we use it everyday whether we realize it or not.

Fibre Optics and Traditional Cable Technology

Uses of Optical Fibres

In this section we will show you how optical fibres are used. As you will be able to see when you read further, optical fibres are revolutionising fields like communications and medicine.

Telecommunications Industry

Until the optical fibre network was developed, telephone calls were mainly sent as electrical signals along copper wire cables. As demand for the systems to carry more telephone calls increased, simple copper wires did not have the capacity, known as bandwidth, to carry the amount of information required.

    Systems using coaxial cables like TV aerial leads were used but as the need for more bandwidth grew, these systems became more and more expensive especially over long distances when more signal regenerators were needed. As demand increases and higher frequency signals are carried, eventually the electronic circuits in the regenerators just cannot cope.

    Optical fibres offer huge communication capacity. A single fibre can carry the conversations of every man, woman and child on the face of this planet, at the same time, twice over. The latest generations of optical transmission systems are beginning to exploit a significant part of this huge capacity, to satisfy the rapidly growing demand for data communications and the Internet.  

The main advantages of using optical fibres in the communications industry are:

- A much greater amount of information can be carried on an optical fibre compared to a copper cable.

- In all cables some of the energy is lost as the signal goes along the cable. The signal then needs to be boosted using regenerators. For copper cable systems these are required every 2 to 3km but with optical fibre systems they are only needed every 50km.

- Unlike copper cables, optical fibres do not experience any electrical interference. Neither will they cause sparks so they can be used in explosive environments such as oil refineries or gas pumping stations.

- For equal capacity, optical fibres are cheaper and thinner than copper cables which makes them easier to install and maintain.

Here is a look at how fibre optic cables are made, the process is incredible!

 

Fiber Optic Vs. Cable

Technology is constantly advancing and along with improvements in automobile and cell phone technology are advancements in the way our houses are linked to the world. Cable technology seems to be fading into the background as fiber optic technology is steadily making its name known, offering a number of benefits you could never have with traditional copper wire and cable.

Resistance to Interference

-While copper cables are subject to interference from other wires, radio signals and other forms of electromagnetic interruption, you'll find none of that with fibre optics. This is because fibre optic cables work using light pulses, meaning the cables aren't metal but are instead made of glass. Therefore it is not subject to the same issues as traditional copper cables.

Bandwidth

-Fiber optic cables are said to have "limitless bandwidth." While this isn't literally true, it's close, featuring more bandwidth than most people would ever hope to use. This results in a super-fast connection that runs circles around the bandwidth allotted by cable connections.

Maintenance

-Because fiber optics are made of glass strands rather than expensive metal materials, it costs much less to maintain and service. Traditional cables, however, don't have this benefit.

Picture Quality

-While it's possible to get high definition picture using cable, it doesn't compare to the high-quality of a fibre optic set up. This is because of the power of the technology on top of the lack of external interference found with fibre optic cables.

Other Benefits

-Considering that people are slowly making the transition to fibre optic cable technology, the advantage of converting as soon as you can is that you'll be ready for the change if it ever becomes mandatory. Along with this, you'll be on the cutting edge, having the highest quality available for your home phone, television and internet

Here is a great site for a more detailed look at types of transmission media: 
http://ninjacraze.hubpages.com/hub/Data-Communication

WiFi and 4G Technology and Usage in Todays Business World

Wireless fidelity, more commonly known as WiFi, is a form of transmission media that uses radio waves to transmit data from electronic devices to a computer network. Many electronic devises today already come WiFi ready, such as smartphones, tablets, and laptops. Desktop computers will have to be equipped with a wireless network interface card, and all of these WiFi products will then connect to a building’s wireless access point. If your building has a computer/internet network, then WiFi can be incorporated into your network. This network is more generally known as a wireless local area network. Products equipped with WiFi capabilities use the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers 802.11 standards; these standards must be met and approved by Wi-Fi Alliance in order for any devices to carry the “Wi-Fi Certified” designation.

General Managers of any business should be aware of some of the benefits of adopting WiFi into their business network. First off, the use of WiFi in society has spread rapidly since inception and is a fairly common transmission media in today’s standards, and makes it is a tested and proven method of transmitting data. For an already built building, installing or upgrading a computer network that utilizes WiFi may be more cost effective overall, since it is less invasive to incorporate than the installation of a network composed entirely of wires and cables, which requires more labor, materials and in turn, costs. Also, network wires and cables cannot always be run through all areas of a building because of the physical properties of the walls, ceiling or floor. This is where a WiFi network is invaluable for a manager’s operations. For managers and employees who need an Internet connection indoors for their tablet or smartphone to carry out business, WiFi is a more reliable and cheaper solution than relying on a mobile network such as 3G since mobile network signals can quickly deteriorate inside. The newest standard of WiFi, 802.11ac, is 3 times the speed of the previous generation, providing speeds suitable for business needs.

For those managers who work in a business that deal with customers in their building, providing a free WiFi connection can provide an experience other competing businesses do not provide and can truly differentiate your company. Just be aware that too many wireless signals and products concentrated in an area can cause "WiFi pollution", where the wireless signals conflict with each other causing disruptions in data transfer; of course your IT department should already know of this. Just a side note for managers: many products state that a device is Bluetooth capable, this is not the same as WiFi; although they are both wireless connections using radio waves, Bluetooth is used for removing any wire connections between electrical devices and connects them wirelessly, whereas WiFi connects electronic devices to the internet or LAN of a building's network wirelessly. Lastly, transmitting confidential information via WiFi may pose security risks. Current WiFi systems are more secure than previous generations but it is still not as secure as an fibre optic connection, which is not susceptible to data interception.

A visual may help to understand how a wireless system is set up

For business users who require an internet connection while commuting, being near a WiFi “hotspot” can become problematic. Managers may want to supply their employees with a mobile data network connection for their electronic devices. The newest mobile network is the 4G network which many providers are now offering; 4G transmits data via satellite and radio towers.  4G network providers boasts data transfer speeds up to 42 Mbps, but in reality tests have shown only about 1/10^th that speed is achieved. As this technology matures, this speed should increase. 4G is also expected to be more reliable than previous generation networks, providing seamless connectivity in a geographical location. For business managers, reliability is essential since, for example not being able to send an important email to clients or employees at the right time can be detrimental for business.

This video explains what differentiates 4G from 3G technology,

 

The use of wireless transmission media is only growing and is a technology every business should be familiar with. Utilizing this technology appropriately will strengthen an information system and be advantageous to the business process.

The Future of Wireless Technology

Innovation in wireless technology is constantly moving forward. More and more devices are being equipped with wireless technology and is becoming the standard in today's world. Future wireless technology is connecting objects in innovative ways, for example "D-lights" are light bulbs that are capable of transmitting data through illumination without the use of wires. Even humans are being implanted with devices that can receive wireless signals and vibrates notifying the user of a particular event.

Conceived by a German physicist, Herald Hass, the D-light aims to bring "the next stage and evolution of lighting." Data is sent through LED light bulbs by varying the intensity of the light; this is thought to replace fibre optic cables and will be able to act as a wireless router. The light bulb itself can be turned on or off and dimmed remotely with a linked electronic device. The light signals fluctuate so fast that it is undetectable by the human eye. Because of the ability to monitor and control each bulb within a building, this smart lighting technology can save money for an organization and can keep tabs on which bulbs need replacement. This transmission media has the capability of transferring 10 Mbps. It also eliminates the health concern of electromagnetic waves that are caused by WiFi signals since these light wave lengths are considered harmless. This technology holds the possibility of creating more "hot spots" in an area, such as at every street light, bringing greater WiFi coverage. Google has been confirmed of adopting and testing this technology in their buildings.

For more information about this technology, you can visit Herald Hass's blog,
visiblelightcomm.com/





A stranger advancement of Wireless technology is presented in Nokia's Haptic Tattoo, haptic being the Greek word for "feedback". It creates a physical feedback through vibrations in the skin where the tattoo is applied. Ferromagnetic ink is used in place of conventional ink; skin vibrations are initiated via phone commands, such as an incoming text message or phone call. The ferromagnetic ink detects the magnetic field transmitted by the cell phone and vibrates in response, different commands can produce varying vibration sensations. For those business users who have trouble hearing or feeling their phone vibrate, or dislike carrying their phone in their pocket, this might the solution for you; it'll be hard not to notice a vibrating sensation directly on your skin. Since this is fairly new and unfamiliar technology, people may find it hard to accept such a bizarre idea. Obvious worries of health concerns may plague the adoption of this technology, along with the invasion of personal space and privacy. The tattoo needs to be maintained regularly, with the ink having to be re-magnetized after being applied to the skin and over a given period of time since heat can affect the magnetic properties.

Here's a brief video about the Haptic Tattoo,

These are just a few things managers should be aware of, because staying in the forefront of emerging technologies will give you a definite advantage over competitors. Although the adoption of the Haptic Tattoo may seem farfetched to many managers, other applications and uses may emerge from this technology, and knowing about these types of technology from infancy can keep you one step ahead of everyone else.