Search

Difference between Baseband and Broadband

In Baseband, data is sent as digital signals through the media as a single channel that uses the entire bandwidth of the media. Baseband communication is bi-directional, which means that the same channel can be used to send and receive signals. In Baseband, frequency-division multiplexing is not possible. (Multiplexing (short muxing) is a process where multiple analog message signals or digital data streams are combined into one signal over a shared medium.)

Broadband sends information in the form of an analog signal. Each transmission is assigned to a portion of the bandwidth, hence multiple transmissions are possible at the same time. Broadband communication is unidirectional, so in order to send and receive, two pathways are needed. This can be accomplished either by assigning a frequency for sending and assigning a frequency for receiving along the same cable or by using two cables, one for sending and one for receiving. In broadband frequency-division multiplexing is possible.

Baseband is used for short distance data transfer. Entire bandwidth of the cable is used for single signal transmission. Common Ethernet Standards use Baseband for LAN data transfer.

Broadband is used for long distance data transfer. Entire bandwidth of the cable is used for multiple signal transmission at different frequencies. Home Internet connection and TV cables use broadband for data transfer.

If you are using a broadband internet connection for your home internet, the signals from your internet service provider up to your broadband router are broadband signals. But, the signals used inside your Ethernet Local Area Network (LAN) are baseband signals.

Please refer below image.

baseband-broadband-comparison.jpg

As a computer networking student, you need to feed your brain that "Ethernet standards use baseband signals for data transfer".

Related Tutorials
Introduction to Computer Networking
Responsibilities of a network engineer
What is a Computer Network?
Why we need computer networks?
Different types devices used to create a computer network
Client Operating Systems and Network Operating Systems (NOS)
Common Network Application Software
Local Area Networks (LAN) and Wide Area Networks (WAN)
Campus Area Networks (CAN) and Metropolitan Area Network (MAN)
Logical Classification of Computer Networks - Peer to Peer Networks and Client/Server Networks
Logical Classification of Computer Networks - Centralized and Distributed Computer Network Models
Internetworks, Internet, Intranet and Extranet
What is a Network Protocol
Difference between Proprietary and Standard Protocols
What are RFCs (Request for Comments)
Organizations which control Internet, Network Protocols and Standards
What is network topology
Difference between physical topology and logical topology
Network Topologies - Bus Topology
Network Topologies - Star Topology
Network Topologies - Mesh, Ring and Hybrid Topologies
Network Topologies - Partial-Mesh Topology
Network Topologies - Full-Mesh Topology
Advantages and disadvantages of full-mesh topology
Network Topologies - Ring Topology
Network Topologies - Dual Ring Topology
Network Topologies - Hybrid Topology
Network Topologies - Tree Topology
Point-to-point Topology and Point-to-multipoint Topology
What are wireless networks? Advantages and disadvantages of wireless networks.
Ad hoc Wireless Topology
Infrastructure Wireless Topology
Wireless Mesh Topology
Network Infrastructure Devices and Icons
Network Infrastructure Devices - What is a Hub?
Network Infrastructure Devices - What are Bridges and Switches?
Network Infrastructure Devices - What is a Router?
Network Infrastructure devices - What is a Firewall
Main office (Head Office) and Branch Office Networks
Site-to-Site Network Topologies - Hub and Spoke Toplogy
Site-to-Site Network Topologies - Partial-Mesh Toplogy
Site-to-Site Network Topologies - Full Mesh Topology
What is NIC (Network Interface Card)
Common Network Cable types
Differences between STP and UTP twisted pair cables
Twisted pair cable bandwidth and frequency range
Different types of shields used in STP (shielded twisted pair cable)
TIA/EIA 568A and TIA/EIA-568B standards
Straight-Through and Cross-Over cables
What is Auto-MDIX feature in ethernet switches
Network Access Methods - CSMA/CD, CSMA/CA and Token Passing
IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers)
IEEE 802 Standards
IEEE 802.11 Standards
LAN Technologies - Ethernet
Ethernet Media Standards
100Base-TX Ethernet Media Standard
100Base-FX Ethernet Media Standard
4D-PAM5 encoding in Gigabit Ethernet
1000Base-T Ethernet Media Standard
1000Base-SX Ethernet Media Standard
1000Base-LX Ethernet Media Standard
10GBase-T 10 Gigabit Ethernet Media Standard
10GBase-SR 10 Gigabit Optical Fiber Ethernet Media Standard
Meaning of 10/100/1000 Ethernet
Twisted pair Cable categories for 1 Gigbit and 10 Gigabit networks
Broadband over Power Line (IEEE 1901-2010 standard)
What is Power over Ethernet (PoE)
What is PoE (Power over Ethernet) Switch
LAN Technologies - Token Ring
Advantages and disadvantages of Fiber optic cable
Structure of fiber optic cable (FOC)
Single Mode Fiber Optic Cable (SMF fiber cable)
Multimode Fiber Optic Cable (MMF fiber cable)
Different types of fiber optic cables
Fiber optic transceivers
Fiber optic connectors
LAN Technologies - Fibre Distributed Data Interface (FDDI)