What is medium: Wired (Guided) vs Wireless (Unguided) Explained

Introduction about medium in networking?

In terms of networking, “medium” refers to the channel through which data travels from one device to another device. For example, one road allows vehicles to move between different cities. In this case the road is referred to as a medium.

A medium allows communication between different nodes like computers, servers, and other network devices. Without it, devices do not communicate with each other. It can be wired (Guided) or wireless (Unguided), etc.

Mediums are the backbone of all communication in networking. When I send an email to you, watch a YouTube video, or attend Zoom meetings, it all depends on the medium.

For CCNA or CCNP students, understanding mediums is important because Cisco certifications often test your knowledge about how data travels. If you don’t know the role of a medium, troubleshooting networks becomes tricky.

Types of Medium

Then medium devided into two main types.

1. Guided Mediums (Wired)

Guided medium also known as wired medium. These are physical paths where data travels through cables from one device to another. Some guided mediums or wired mediums are listed down.

1. Twisted Pair Cables
   Twisted pair cables are commonly used in local area networks. It is cheap and widely used in telephone lines, computer networks, and connecting networking devices. They support different categories of cables, such as Cat5, Cat5e, Cat6, Cat7, etc. The data rate and bandwidth depend on cable category. Twisted pair cables are suitable for short-distance transmission.
2. Coaxial Cable
   Coaxial cable is an old technology, and those cables are used in cable TV networks and CCTV cameras. Today it’s mostly IPTV and IP camera technology that are used, so coaxial cable is used less than twisted pair cables. It is the most expensive but suitable for long distances, unlike twisted-pair cables.
3. Fiber Optic Cable
   Fiber optic cable is a high-speed transmission medium that uses light signals instead of electrical signals to transfer the data. It is faster than twisted pair cable and also suitable for long distances. It is more expansive than twisted pair cable and coaxial cables.

2. Unguided Mediums (Wireless)

Unguided mediums are also represented as wireless mediums. They used electromagnetic signals to travel data from one device to another device. Some unguided mediums are listed down.

1. Radio Waves (Wi-Fi)
   it is a type of wireless transmission medium that carries data through the air using electromagnetic signals. Radio waves allow devices to connect without physical cables. Wi-Fi is the most common type of radio wave that uses 2.4 GHz, 5 GHz, and 6 GHz radio frequencies.
2. Microwaves
   Microwaves are a type of wireless transmission medium that uses high-frequency radio waves to transmit data. It uses the frequency between 1 GHz and 300 GHz. They are used for point-to-point communication systems where devices are aligned in a straight line. Mostly microwaves are used in satellite communication, cellular networks, long-distance communication, and radar systems.
3. Infrared
   Infrared is used in short-range data transmission between devices. It is commonly used in remote controls and short-range data transfer (like old mobiles, laptops, wireless keyboards, microphones, etc.) and is also used in medical and industrial devices.

difference between wired medium and wireless medium

Here’s a simple table to make it clearer:

Real-Life Example

• When you connect your personal computer with a router using an Ethernet cable, the Ethernet cable acts as a medium. In this case, that allows you to access the internet. on your personal computer.
• When you connect your mobile phone with a router using Wi-Fi, the radio wave becomes the medium.

Medium in Cisco Certifications (CCNA & CCNP)

If you’re preparing for Cisco exams and work on cicso devices, you’ll find that understanding mediums is more than theory. You’ll be asked:

• Which cable type is used for certain network setups?
• How do fiber optics transmit data?
• What are the limitations of wireless mediums?

This knowledge is not just exam-related—it helps in real troubleshooting. For example, if a network is slow, checking whether the problem is with the medium (bad cable, weak Wi-Fi signal) is often the first step.

Conclusion

To wrap it up:

• Medium in networking is simply the path that data takes to travel between devices.
• It can be guided (wired) like Ethernet and fiber or unguided (wireless) like Wi-Fi and radio waves.
• Each medium has its own pros, cons, and use cases.

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FAQs

Q1. What is a medium in networking in simple words?
A medium is the channel through which data travels between devices, like cables or Wi-Fi signals.

Q2. What are the two main types of mediums in networking?
They are guided (wired) mediums like Ethernet and fiber and unguided (wireless) mediums like Wi-Fi and radio waves.

Q3. Which medium is fastest in networking?
Fiber optic cables are currently the fastest, as they use light signals.

Q4. Why is medium important in CCNA and CCNP exams?
Because Cisco exams test your understanding of how data travels, including cable types, speeds, and wireless standards.

Q5. Which is more secure: a wired or wireless medium?
Wired mediums are generally more secure, while wireless requires extra encryption to stay safe.

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