Both guided and unguided media are used to transmit the signals or information. Their mediums are different, but their motive is to transfer the signals. Let’s discuss some more differences between guided and unguided media.
What is Guided Media?
Guided media is like a physical medium via which the signals are transmitted. The guided media is used to provide a conduit from one machine to another that can have twisted-pair, coaxial cable and fibre-optic cable. It is also known as Bounded media.
There are four types of Guided Media which are as follows:
- Open Wire
- Twisted Pair
- Coaxial Cable
- Optical Fibre
What is Unguided Media?
Unguided transmission media are techniques that allow transmission of electromagnetic waves through a wireless medium or we can say without using any physical medium. It provides a mechanism for transferring electromagnetic waves but does not direct them.
There are three types of Unguided Transmission Media which are as follows:
- Microwave Transmission
- Radio Transmission
- Infrared Transmission
Difference between Guided and Unguided Media
| S.No. | Guided Media | Unguided Media |
| 1. | In guided media, the signal energy communicates via wires. | In unguided media, the signal energy communicates through the air. |
| 2. | Guided media is generally preferred when we want to execute direct communication. | Unguided media is generally preferred for radio broadcasting in all directions. |
| 3. | The guided media formed the different network topologies. | The unguided media formed the continuous network topologies. |
| 4. | Here, the signals are in the state of current and voltage. | Here, the signals are in the state of electromagnetic waves. |
| 5. | In the case of guided media, the transmission capacity can be boosted by counting more wires. | In the case of unguided media, it is not feasible to acquire more capacity. |
| 6. | Open Wire, Twisted Pair, Coaxial Cable, and Optical Fibre are the different kinds of guided media. | Microwave Transmission, Radio Transmission, and Infrared Transmission are the types of unguided media. |
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