What is a Transceiver : Working, Types & Its Applications

The term transceiver is not a separate network device but it is integrated into a network card device. As the name suggests, it is a combination of a transmitter as well as a receiver of signals, like analog (or) digital. In principle, the transceiver on a LAN is responsible to situate signals over the network media to detect incoming signals while traveling through a similar cable. These are applicable in network cards and they can be external devices. As much as networking is concerned, these are available in a module type otherwise chip type. Module type transceivers are connected exterior to the network. They are installed & worked equally to other computer devices, or else separate devices. Chip transceivers are small devices and are arranged into a system board otherwise connected directly using wires on a circuit board.

Table of Contents

What is a Transceiver?

Working

Types of Transceivers

• RF Transceivers
• Fiber-optic Transceivers
• Ethernet Transceivers
• Wireless Transceivers

Applications of Transceiver

FAQs

What is a Transceiver?

Definition: It is a combination of transmitter (Tx)/receiver (Rx) in an only package. This device is used in wireless communications devices like cordless telephone sets, cellular telephones, radios, etc.. Irregularly the transceiver name is used as a reference to Tx or Rx devices within cable otherwise optical fiber systems. The transceiver diagram is shown below.

The main function of this device is to transmit as well as receive different signals. This is most commonly used to illustrate the component in LAN to apply signals over the network wire & detect signals flowing through the wire. For several LANs, it is embedded in the NIC (network interface card). Some kinds of networks require an exterior transceiver.

Working

In a radio transceiver, as the transmitter transmits the signals, the receiver will be silenced. An electronic switch lets the transmitter & receiver to be allied to the similar antenna, so that transmitter o/p can be protected from the damage of the receiver.

In a transceiver type, it is not possible to get signals while transmitting, which is known as half-duplex. Some of the transceivers are mainly designed for permitting reception of signals throughout transmission stages which are known as full-duplex. The transmitter & receiver operate on different frequencies so that the transmitter signal does not interfere with the receiver. This kind of operation is used in cordless & cellular phones.

Satellite communication networks frequently use full-duplex transceivers on the subscriber points based on the surface. The transceiver to satellite or transmitted signal is known as the uplink, whereas the satellite to the transceiver or received signal is known as the downlink.

Types of Transceivers

Transceivers are classified into different types which include the following.

• RF Transceivers
• Fiber-optic Transceivers
• Ethernet Transceivers
• Wireless Transceivers

In the above-mentioned types are different but the working remains the same. Each type has its own characteristics like the no. of ports accessible for connecting the network and supports full-duplex communication.

 1). RF Transceivers

RF transceiver is one type of module that includes both a Tx as well as Rx. Generally, this can be used in any wireless communication system by arranging in between baseband modem as well as PA/LNA. Here PA is a power amplifier whereas LNA is a low noise amplifier. Baseband Modem includes chipsets of numerous analog or digital modulation methods & ADC/DAC chips. RF Transceivers are used to transmit the data in the form of voice or video over the wireless medium. RF Transceiver is used to convert intermediate frequency (IF) to radiofrequency (RF). These are used in satellite communication for transmission & reception of TV signal, radio transmission & reception, and ITE networks/Zigbee/ WiMax/WLAN.

 2). Fiber-optic Transceivers

This is also called as fiber optical transceiver, optics module, optical module, etc. This device employs fiber optic technology for data transmission. This is an essential component in the optical network devices that include electronic components to encode or decode the information into light signals. After that, these signals can be transmitted as electrical signals through another end. Here the data can be transmitted in the form of light which uses a light source like VSCEL, DFB laser, and FP.

 3). Ethernet Transceivers

An Ethernet transceiver is used to connect electronic devices or computers in a network to transmit & receive messages. An alternate name of an Ethernet transceiver is MAU (media access unit). This is used in the specifications of IEEE 802.3 & Ethernet. In the ISO network model, Ethernet is the physical layer component and the main functions of transceivers are for detecting a collision, conversion of digital data, Ethernet interface processing, and provides access for the network.

 4). Wireless Transceivers

A wireless transceiver is an essential component in the wireless communication system and the quality of this can be determined by the efficiency as well as data delivery within the wireless system. This includes two functional layers like a physical layer & a media access control layer. The physical layer includes an RF front end as well as a baseband processor, this processor changes a bitstream to a collection symbol flow for data transmission. The MAC layer gives link traffic control used for the transmitter to contact the wireless links, evade collisions & enhance data throughput.

Applications of Transceiver

The transceiver applications are

• This module is applicable in wireless communication
• The main function of this is to transmit the data in the form of voice or data or video over the wireless medium.
• This modem is used to change the frequency from IF to RF
• RF transceiver module is used in satellite communication, radio transmission for TV signal transmission.

FAQs

1). What is the function of a transceiver?

It is used to connect electronic devices within a network and allows them to transmit &receive messages.

2). What is the transceiver module?

This is a collection of transceivers which includes both a transmitter & a receiver to share common circuitry otherwise a single housing.

3). What is the frequency range of the RF transmitter & receiver?

433 MHz

4). What are the types of transceivers?

They are RF, Fiber-optic, Ethernet, and Wireless.

5). Examples of transceiver modules

TM751, RR501.

Thus, this is all about an overview of the transceiver. It is the combination of a transmitter & a receiver. This may vary from one application to another. In a local area network, a network interface card includes a transceiver that transmits the signals on the wire and also notices the signals. In radio communication, the communication is in two ways, where the data can be exchanged in a half-duplex mode. In some transceivers, it allows full-duplex transmissions however the frequencies for transmitting & receiving are generally different. Here is a question for you, what are the Functions of transceiver?