This comprehensive reference supplies authoritative insight into recent developments in multimedia, digital communications, and networking services and technologies. It provides a review of fundamental concepts, requirements, and constraints in networks and telecommunications. It describes channel disturbances that hinder system performance and provides transmission techniques for mitigating these limitations. Analyzing both cable and wireless transmission mediums, the book describes the network protocol architecture concept and includes coverage of twisted pairs, coaxial and optical fiber cables, wireless propagation, satellite communications, and terrestrial microwave systems.