Network medium: Difference between revisions
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A '''network medium''' is the physical medium to which | A '''network medium''' is the physical medium to which devices connect in order to transfer information encoded into the [[electromagnetic spectrum]]. It may be a physical between two hosts. It may be a shared physical medium implemented either as a shared cable, or a star of cables that meet in a device that makes them appear to be a shared medium. It may be the frequency assigned to a particular wireless channel. | ||
Network media have [[network topology|network topologies]] ranging from simple point-to-point to the any-to-any exchanged of the idealized [[Internet]]. A given medium may allow only a pair of communicating devices to attach to it, or it may be a shared [[multiaccess medium]]. The medium may support physically simultaneous two-way communications (i.e., [[full duplex]]), or only in one direction (i.e., [[half duplex]]). | |||
Revision as of 16:48, 8 January 2009
A network medium is the physical medium to which devices connect in order to transfer information encoded into the electromagnetic spectrum. It may be a physical between two hosts. It may be a shared physical medium implemented either as a shared cable, or a star of cables that meet in a device that makes them appear to be a shared medium. It may be the frequency assigned to a particular wireless channel.
Network media have network topologies ranging from simple point-to-point to the any-to-any exchanged of the idealized Internet. A given medium may allow only a pair of communicating devices to attach to it, or it may be a shared multiaccess medium. The medium may support physically simultaneous two-way communications (i.e., full duplex), or only in one direction (i.e., half duplex).