Communication media refers to the paths used to transmit data from one place to another. There are two main types of communication media: guided and unguided. Guided media, also called bounded media, uses physical connections like cables to directly link communication devices. Common examples of guided media include twisted pair wire, coaxial cable, and fiber optic cable. Unguided media, also known as wireless media, transmits data through the air using antenna without physical connections.

1. Communication medium in network

2. Definition
• A path through which data is
transmitted from one place to
another is known as Communication
media.

3. Types of Communication Media
 The communication media is divided into two
types:
o Guided media
o Unguided Media

4. Guided media
 communication devices are directly linked with each
other via cables or physical media is called Guided
media.
 guided media is also called Bounded media.
 The examples of guided or bounded media are:
o Twisted pair wire
o Coaxial cable
o Fiber optic cable

5. Twisted pair wire
• A cable made by intertwining two separate
insulated wires together.

6. Contd..
• There are two twisted pair
types:
 shielded
 unshielded.

7. Shielded Twisted-Pair cable
• STP is a cable originally developed
by IBM for Token Ring.
• That consists of two individual wires wrapped
in a foil shielding to help provide a more
reliable data communication.

8. Unshielded Twisted Pair
• A popular type of cable that
consists of two unshielded wires
twisted around each other.
• Due to its low cost.
• UTP cabling is used extensively
for local-area networks (LANs)
and telephone connections.
• Does not offer as high bandwidth
• But it is less expensive and easier
to work with.
UTP Cable

9. Coaxial cable
• Coaxial cable is the kind of copper cable used
by cable TV companies
• It is also widely installed for use in business and
corporation Ethernet and other types of local area
network.

10. Fiber optic cable
• A technology that uses glass
(or plastic) threads (fibers) to
transmit data.
• A fiber optic cable consists of
a bundle of glass threads, each
of which is capable of transmitting
messages modulated onto light
waves.

11. Fiber optics has several advantages over
traditional metal communications lines:
– Fiber optic cables have a much
greater bandwidth than metal cables. This
means that they can carry more data.
– Fiber optic cables are less susceptible than
metal cables to interference.
– Fiber optic cables are much thinner and
lighter than metal wires.
– Data can be transmitted digitally (the natural
form for computer data) rather than
analogically.

12. Unguided media
• Unguided media relates to data transmission through the air
and is commonly referred to as wireless.
• The transmission and reception of data is carried out using
antenna.
• There are two main ways that antenna work:
» Directional (in a beam)
» Omni directional (all around)

13. THANK YOU