DTE-DCE interface

• DTE – Data Terminal Equipment

• Device that is a source of or destination for binary digital data
• Ex - computer
• DCE – Data circuit Terminating Equipment
• Device that transmits or receives data in the form of an analog
or digital signal through a network
• Ex – modem
• EIA –232 ( RS 232 ) defines the mechanical, electrical and
functional characteristics of the interface between a DTE and a
DCE
 Transmission media
• Guided media
– Conduit from one device to another, twisted pair cable,
coaxial cable, fiber-optic cable
– Twisted pair cable comes in two forms – UTP and STP
– Frequency range of twisted pair cable is 100Hz-5 MHz
– STP is less susceptible to noise but more expensive than
UTP
– Twisted pair cable standards – CAT1, CAT2, CAT3,
CAT4, CAT5 ; UTP connectors – RJ 45
– Frequency range of Coax is 100KHz-500MHz
– Coax cable – RG-8, RG-9, RG-11, RG-58, RG-59; coax
connectors – BNC, T, terminators
 Contd…
• Optical fiber
– Made of glass or plastic and transmit signal in the form of
light
– Two modes – multi mode and single mode
– LEDs ( short distance ) and Lasers ( long distance ) are the
light sources
– Advantages – noise resistance, less signal attenuation and
higher bandwidth
– Disadvantages – cost, installation/maintenance, fragility
 Unguided media
• Wireless communication – transport
electromagnetic waves without using a
physical conductor, instead signals are
broadcast through air.
– Types of propagation – surface, tropospheric, ionospheric,
line-of-sight, space propagation
– Satellite frequency bands
» C – 3.7 to 4.2 GHz (D), 5.925 to 6.425 GHz (U)
» Ku – 11.7 to 12.2 GHz (D), 14 to 14.5 GHz (U)
» Ka – 17.7 to 21 GHz (D), 27.5 to 31 GHz (U)
 Electromagnetic spectrum

Power, Radio communication X, gamma,

infrared UV
Voice Radio, microwave, satellite Cosmic rays

0 300KHz 300 GHZ

Visible light
430-750 THz
 Radio communication band

Band Frequency range Applications

VLF 3 KHz - 30 KHz Long-range radio navigation and submarine
communication
LF 30 KHz – 300 KHz Long-range radio navigation

MF 300 KHZ – 3 MHz AM Radio

HF 3 MHz – 30 MHz Ham radio, CB radio, international broadcasting,

military com, aircraft and ship com, telephone,
telegraph and facsimile
VHF 30 MHz – 300 MHz VHF TV, FM radio, aircraft AM radio, aircraft
navigational aid
UHF 300 MHz – 3 GHz UHF TV, mobile, cellular radio, paging, microwave

SHF 3 GHz – 30 GHz Microwave and radar communications ( terrestrial

and satellite )
EHF 30 GHz – 300 GHz Radar, satellite and experimental ( scientific )
communications