Q46
1 markSection E

Name any two wired media that can be used to connect various computers of a block inside Amritsar Campus.

Computer Networks
Wired Transmission Media
Official Answer

Any two of the following wired media are correct:


  • Twisted Pair Cable (UTP/STP) — commonly used for connecting computers within a single block/LAN via Ethernet.
  • Coaxial Cable — an older but still usable guided medium for short-distance LAN connections.
  • Optical Fibre Cable — used where higher speed/bandwidth or longer intra-block runs are needed.
twisted pair cableUTPcoaxial cableoptical fibre cablewired mediaguided transmission mediaLAN cabling

Marking Scheme

  • 11 mark: any two correct wired media named (e.g. Twisted Pair Cable and Coaxial Cable, or Twisted Pair and Optical Fibre).

Hint

Think of any two guided/cable-based media — Twisted Pair, Coaxial Cable, or Optical Fibre — not wireless media.

Quick Oral Answer

Two wired media suitable for connecting computers within a block are Twisted Pair Cable (UTP) and Coaxial Cable; Optical Fibre Cable is also acceptable if higher bandwidth is needed.

Analysis & Explanation

This is a direct recall question on guided/wired transmission media used within a LAN.


Concept: Wired media physically guide the signal along a cable and include Twisted Pair (UTP/STP), Coaxial Cable and Optical Fibre Cable — as opposed to wireless media like radio waves, microwaves, and infrared.


Exam trap: Students sometimes list a wireless medium (e.g. Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, infrared) by mistake since the question specifically asks for wired media only; only cable-based options score marks here.


Real-world application: Twisted pair (Cat5e/Cat6) Ethernet cabling is the standard choice for connecting desktops within a single building/block due to its low cost and adequate speed for LAN traffic, exactly the scenario described for a single block of the Amritsar campus.

Common Mistakes

  1. 1Naming a wireless medium (radio waves, microwaves, infrared, Wi-Fi) instead of a wired/guided medium.
  2. 2Naming a network device (switch, hub) instead of a transmission medium.
  3. 3Giving only one medium when the question asks for two.

Interesting Facts

Twisted-pair cable's wires are twisted specifically to cancel electromagnetic interference (crosstalk) between adjacent pairs — a technique invented by Alexander Graham Bell in 1881 for telephone lines.

Optical fibre cables carry data as pulses of light rather than electricity, giving them near-total immunity to electromagnetic interference.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is UTP or STP preferred inside a single building block?

UTP (Unshielded Twisted Pair) is generally preferred for indoor LAN cabling because it is cheaper and sufficient over the short distances within one block; STP is reserved for environments with higher electrical interference.

Why not use optical fibre everywhere?

Optical fibre offers higher speed and longer range but costs more and needs specialised connectors/equipment, so twisted pair or coaxial cable is usually adequate and more economical for connecting computers within a single block.