A handbook on data communications covering local area networks (LANs), Ethernet, the architecture of I/O devices, parallel and serial data conversion, logic circuits, fibre optic technology and more. Organized for rapid reference, it is aimed at readers from the sophisticated to the non-technical.

Abbreviations Commonly Used in Data Communications Abbreviations Used for Advisory Bodies and Other Organizations Manufacturers' Prefixes for Semiconductor Devices CCITT Recommendations CCITT G-Series Recommendations CCITT I-Series Recommendations CCITT V-Series Recommendations CCITT X-Series Recommendations International Alphabet No. 2 (IA2) Extended Binary Coded Decimal Interchange Code (EBCDIC) EBCDIC Standard Code Table EBCDIC Control Characters International Alphabet No. 5 (IA5) IA5 Standard Code Table IA5 Control Characters Representative Teletype Keyboard Layout (IA2) Representative Personal Computer Keyboard Layout Terminal Control Codes Commonly Used Control Characters (with Keyboard Entry) Decimal, Binary, Hexadecimal and ASCII Conversion Table Powers of 2 Powers of 16 Parallel I/O Devices Internal Architecture of a Representative Parallel I/O Internal Registers of a Programmable Parallel I/O Device CPU Interface to a Programmable Parallel I/O Device IEEE-488 Interface Standard IEEE-488 Bus Signals Multiline Commands IEEE-488 Bus Configuration IEEE-488 Software IEEE-488 Programming Serial I/O Devices Parallel to Serial Data Conversion Serial to Parallel Data Conversion Internal Architecture of a Representative Serial I/O CPU Interface to a Programmable Serial I/O Device Popular VLSI Support Devices Pin Connections for Popular Programmable Parallel I/O Devices Centronics Printer Interface Centronics Interface Pin Connections Serial Data Transmission Pin Connections for Popular Programmable Serial I/O Devices RS-232 RS-232D Signals and Functions Subset of the Most Commonly Used RS-232 Signals RS-232 Waveforms RS-232 Electrical Characteristics RS-232 Logic and Voltage Levels Simplified Arrangement of a Microcomputer RS-232 Interface RS-232 Enhancements RS-422 RS-422 Logic and Voltage Levels RS-423 RS-449 RS-423 Logic and Voltage Levels Electrical Characteristics of Popular Interface Specifications RS-232 Data Cables Male and Female 25-Way D-connectors for RS-232 RS-232 Pin Connections RS-449 Pin Connections RS-232 Signals and Pin Connections S5/8 Interface Standard Line Drivers and Line Receivers Line Driver and Line Receiver Pin Connections Basic Logic Gates Logic Circuit Equivalents Mixed Logic Equivalents Typical Links between Computers Typical Null Modem Arrangements Modems Simplified Block Schematic of a Modem Modem Signal Frequencies V21 Frequency Spectrum (300/300 Baud) V21 Channels for 300/300 Baud Permitted Frequency Spectrum (BS 6305) Modem Connecting Methods DTMF Digits and Tone Pairs Transmitter Carrier and Signaling Frequency Specifications Line Signal Encoding (V26A and V26B) Differential Two-phase Encoding (V26bis) Differential Four-phase Encoding (V26A and V26B/Bell 201) Typical Bit Error Rate Performance for a Modem Data Communications Test Equipment Fault finding on RS-232 Systems Communication Protocols The ISO Model for Open Systems Interconnection Flow Control X-ON/X-OFF Flow Control XMODEM Protocol XMODEM/CRC Protocol Kermit Kermit Transactions Kermit Packet format Kermit Commands CCITT X.25 X.25 Packet Format High-level Data Link Control HDLC Frame Structure Local Area Networks LAN Topology Broadband and Baseband Transmission IEEE 802 Standards Relationship between IEEE 802 Standards and the ISO Model Typical LAN Selection Flowchart Popular Network Standards Summary of Popular LAN Specifications Ethernet Basic Ethernet Connecting Arrangement Ethernet Transceiver Cable Pin Connections Ethernet Transceiver Cable Specifications Typical Ethernet Interface Configuration Typical Cheapernet Interface Configuration Internal Architecture of the 82C502 Ethernet Transceiver LAN Software Network Operating Systems Integrated Services Digital Networks ISDN in the UK ITT System 12 Future Developments in ISDN Data Cable Types Coaxial Cable Data Screened and Unscreened Pair Data Cable Equivalents Recommended Cables Optical Fiber Technology Optical Fiber Connectors Optical Sources Optical Detectors PC Video Display Modes and Adapter Standards Transmission Element Specifications Equivalent Circuit of a Transmission Element Frequency Response of a Transmission Element Decibels and Ratios of Power, Voltage and Current Transmission Line Power Levels and Voltages Flowchart Symbols Addresses of Advisory Bodies, Standards Institutes, and Other Organizations Glossary of Data Communications Terms Index