Modes of Data Communication

There are two modes of data communication.

Synchronous

Asynchronous

a. Synchronous Transmission

Synchronous transmission is a method of transmitting data where the sender and receiver are synchronized, or coordinated, to send and receive data at the same time. In synchronous transmission, the sender transmits data in fixed-length blocks, called frames, with each frame containing a specific number of bits. 

The receiver is programmed to expect the frames at a specific interval, and it waits for each frame to arrive before processing the data.

One advantage of synchronous transmission is that it allows for efficient use of the communication channel, as the sender and receiver are always in sync and no time is wasted waiting for the other side to be ready. 

It also allows for error detection and correction, as the receiver can check for errors in each frame as it arrives.

However, synchronous transmission can be sensitive to delays, as the receiver must wait for each frame to arrive before it can process the data. This can be a problem in systems with high latency, or delays, in the communication channel.

b. Asynchronous Transmission

Asynchronous transmission is a method of transmitting data where the sender and receiver are not synchronized to send and receive data at the same time. 

In asynchronous transmission, the sender transmits data one character at a time, with each character preceded by a start bit and followed by a stop bit. The receiver waits for the start bit to arrive and then processes each character as it arrives, one at a time.

One advantage of asynchronous transmission is that it allows for a more flexible use of the communication channel, as the sender and receiver do not need to be synchronized. It is also less sensitive to delays, as the receiver can process each character as it arrives.

However, asynchronous transmission is less efficient than synchronous transmission, as it requires more overhead bits (start and stop bits) to be transmitted with each character. It also does not have built-in error detection and correction, so errors in the transmitted data may go undetected.