Explain the various long distance communication mediums used in networking.

The various long distance communication mediums used in networking are:

1. Coaxial Cables — A Coaxial cable consists of central copper wire surrounded by insulation and then a shield of braided wire.
   1. It is relatively inexpensive and can transmit data at higher rates.
   2. It also provides better immunity against electromagnetic disturbances.
   3. It is mainly used by the cable television industry to connect TVs to a cable TV service.
   4. The two main types of Coaxial cable are:
      1. Baseband Coaxial cable — It supports quick transmission of a single signal at a time. It is mainly used for LANs.
      2. Broadband Coaxial cable — It transmits multiple signals at the same time and is used for longer distances.
2. Fibre optics — A Fibre optic cable consists of a central glass core containing a bundle of glass threads, surrounded by several layers of protective materials. The glass threads are capable of transmitting data converted into light signals at extremely high speed.
   1. A Fibre optic cable is highly resistant to signal interference and provides better data transmission by providing high bandwidth.
   2. It is fragile and the maintenance cost is high.
3. Satellite — Satellites create a communication channel between a source transmitter and a receiver at different locations on the Earth. The ground station with the help of a dish antenna sends signal to the satellite, it amplifies the received signal and sends it back to the ground station for relay.
4. Wimax — WiMax stands for Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access. It is a telecommunication protocol that provides fixed and mobile internet services.
   1. WiMax requires a tower called WiMax Base Station, that is connected to the Internet using a standard wired high-speed connection.
   2. The connectivity between the tower and the end user is provided through microwave link.
   3. WiMax technology provides high speed connection upto 75 Mbps over an area of 30 miles for fixed stations and 3-10 miles for mobile stations.
5. Microwave — Microwave is a wireless communication technology that uses high frequency beams of radio waves to provide high speed signal transmission that can send and receive voice, video, and data information.
   1. The transmission is fast but is limited to line-of-sight transmission, in which signal travels in a straight line with no obstructions between microwave antennas.
   2. Microwave signals are used for both satellite and ground-based communications.
   3. Many TV and telephone communications in the world are transmitted over long distances using microwave signals.
   4. Microwave signals are widely used in radar technology.
6. Radio wave — Radio waves is a wireless transmission medium that distributes radio signals through the air.
   1. Radio waves are widely used as signals on radio communication.
   2. A transmitter is used to send the broadcast signal and a receiver is needed to accept the signal.
   3. Radio waves have lower frequencies and longer wavelength.
   4. Radio waves can have a frequency range from 300 gigahertz (GHz) to as low as 30 hertz (Hz).