Physical Layer Flashcards
What are the components of a wireless router access point?
a) The wireless antennas
b) Several ethernet switch ports
c) An internet Port
How to connect to a wireless router through a wired connection?
Network Interface Cards: Network interface cards (NICs) connect a device to the network. Ethernet NICs are used for a wired connection
Talk about the physical layer
The OSI physical layer provides the means to transport the bits that make up a data link layer frame across the network media. This layer accepts a complete frame from the data link layer and encodes it as a series of signals that are transmitted to the local media. The encoded bits that comprise a frame are received by either an end device or an intermediate device.
The physical layer encodes the frames and creates the electrical, optical, or radio wave signals that represent the bits in each frame. These signals are then sent over the media, one at a time.
The destination node physical layer retrieves these individual signals from the media, restores them to their bit representations, and passes the bits up to the data link layer as a complete frame.
What are the three functional areas that the physical layer addresses?
1) Physical Components
2) Encoding
3) Signaling
Define the Physical Components
the electronic hardware devices, media, and other connectors that transmit the signals that represent the bits. Hardware components such as NICs, interfaces, and connectors… are all specified in standards associated with the physical layer.
Define Encoding
a method of converting a stream of data bits into a predefined “code”.
Codes are groupings of bits used to provide a predictable pattern that can be recognized by both the sender and the receiver.
Define Signaling
The physical layer must generate the electrical, optical, or wireless signals that represent the “1” and “0” on the media. The way that bits are represented is called the signaling method. The physical layer standards must define what type of signal represents a “1” and what type of signal represents a “0”. This can be as simple as a change in the level of an electrical signal or optical pulse
Define Bandwidth
Bandwidth is the capacity at which a medium can carry data. Digital bandwidth measures the amount of data that can flow from one place to another in a given amount of time.
(Number of bits per second not speed that bits travel)
What are the factors that determine the practical bandwidth of a network?
1) The properties of the physical media
2) The technologies chosen for signaling and detecting network signals
What are the terms used to measure the quality of bandwidth?
1) Latency
2) Throughput
3)Goodput
Define Latency
The amount of time, including delays, for data to travel from one given point to another.
Define Throughput
Throughput is the measure of the transfer of bits across the media over a given period.
Throughput does not match the specified bandwidth in physical layer implementations
What are the factors that influence throughput?
a) The amount of traffic
b) The type of traffic
c) The latency created by the number of network devices encountered between the source and destination
Define Goodput
The measure of usable data transferred over a given period. Goodput is throughput minus traffic overhead for establishing sessions, acknowledgments, encapsulation, and re-transmitted bits. Goodput is always lower than throughput, which is generally lower than bandwidth.
Advantages of copper cabling
1) Inexpensive
2) Easy to install
3) Has low resistance to electrical current
Disadvantage of copper cabling
Limited by distance and signal interference.
Define attenuation
The farther the signal travels, the more it deteriorates
What are the sources that interfere with the electrical pulses?
- Electromagnetic interference (EMI) or radio frequency interference (RFI)
- Crosstalk
Talk about EMI and RFI
EMI and RFI signals can distort and corrupt the data signals being carried by copper media. Potential sources of EMI and RFI include radio waves and electromagnetic devices, such as fluorescent lights or electric motors.
Talk about crosstalk
Crosstalk is a disturbance caused by the electric or magnetic fields of a signal on one wire to the signal in an adjacent wire
How data transmission can be affected by interference?
1) A pure digital signal is transmitted
2) On the medium, there is an interference signal
3) The digital signal is corrupted by the interference signal
4) The receiving computer receives a changed signal.
How to counter the negative effects of EMI and RFI?
Some types of copper cables are wrapped in metallic shielding and require proper grounding connections.
How to counter the negative effects of cross talk?
Some types of copper cables have opposing circuit wire pairs twisted together, which effectively cancels the cross-talk.
How to limit the susceptibility of copper cables to electronic noise?
1) Selecting the cable type or category most suited to a given networking environment
2) Designing a cable infrastructure to avoid known and potential sources of interference in the building structure
3) Using cabling techniques that include the proper handling and termination of the cables
What are they types of copper cabling?
1) Un-shielded Twisted Pair
2) Shielded Twisted Pair
3) Coaxial cable
Talk about Un-shielded Twisted Pair
terminated with RJ-45 connectors, is used for interconnecting network hosts with intermediary networking devices, such as switches and routers.
In LANs, UTP cable consists of four pairs of color-coded wires that have been twisted together and then encased in a flexible plastic sheath that protects from minor physical damage. The twisting of wires helps protect against signal interference from other wires.