Data communication is crucial for our digital world. It connects us to the devices and services that we depend on. It covers a range of techniques and media that dictate the way information is transferred from one end to the other. Understanding how this works helps us create reliable and efficient networks that provide the benefits of increased connectivity, such as improved business efficiency and productivity as well as technological advancements in automation.
Data communication is the transfer of data between computers via a medium or channel. This can be accomplished via a wire cable or radio frequency, satellite signal or wirelessly. The sender is the individual or device sending data, and the receiver is the device that receives the data. In a data communication network, more than two computers can be involved in the process of communication.
Multiplexing and demultiplexing are useful communication technologies that allow several signals to be transmitted over an medium at once, thus optimizing the use of bandwidth and reducing costs. Both of these methods require specialized hardware that can combine and then separate signals. This is usually done by custom integrated circuits, that are found in a variety of communication devices like computers, cell phone, and printers.
The data communication mode that allows for simultaneous two-way communication between the same pair of devices is referred to as full-duplex communications. This mode is more complicated than simplex transmission since it requires the capability to send and receive data simultaneously.