Network media – wired and wireless (Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and cellular communication – 1G, 2G, 3G, 4G, and 5G)
Network media can be defined as the channel of communication used to interconnect nodes on a network. Examples of network media include copper twisted pair cables, copper coaxial cables, and fiber optic cables, which are used in wired networks, and radio waves (Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, cellular communication, and so on), which are used in wireless networks. Hence, a network can be wired or wireless, depending on the communication channel being used:
- Wired network: A wired network uses cables such as copper twisted pair cables, copper coaxial cables, and fiber optic cables as a communication channel.
The following figure shows a coaxial cable:
Figure 13.7 – Coaxial cable (RG59) (source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Coaxial_cable_cut.jpg)
The following figure shows a PROFIBUS cable:
