Overview of Common Transmission Media

The physical layer transmission media in computer networks include the following types:

1. Twisted Pair: Twisted pair is a commonly used transmission medium widely applied in Local Area Networks (LANs). It consists of two insulated wires tightly twisted together and can support different data transmission rates depending on specifications such as Cat5, Cat6, and others.
2. Coaxial Cable: Coaxial cable is a transmission medium composed of a central conductor, an insulating layer, a mesh-like conductor, and an outer insulating layer. It is widely used for television signals and broadband internet.
3. Fiber Optic: Fiber optic is a high-speed transmission medium that utilizes the reflection and refraction of light to transmit data. Compared to twisted pair and coaxial cables, fiber optic offers faster transmission speeds, longer distances, and enhanced security.
4. Radio Waves: Radio waves are a wireless transmission medium widely used in Wireless Local Area Networks (WLANs), Bluetooth, mobile networks, and other applications. They enable data transmission through radio waves without the need for traditional wired transmission media.
5. Microwave: Microwave is a high-frequency electromagnetic wave commonly employed for long-distance data transmission. Data can be transmitted through microwave antennas through the air, making it suitable for satellite communication and remote connections.

The above are common physical layer transmission media. Different transmission media vary in terms of data transmission rate, distance, security, and other factors.