Glossary attenuation

Definition of attenuation

attenuation

1.  The loss of power of a signal or wave between transmission and reception points.

More Information:
Attenuation can relate to faxes, copiers, printers and multifunction devices in a couple of different ways. Attenuation of a phone signal can affect the reliability of the reception of a fax, if the signal is too weak when received by the fax/MFC device. This can occur if an excessively long phone cord is used to connect the fax to the wall, or if the building has a problem with internal wiring. Attenuation also affects the signal into the building. The phone company is responsible for amplifying the signal to provide a high-quality line. Attenuation can also affect network devices. Excessively long network cables can drop signals to levels too low for reliable reception. See the IEEE 802.3 specifications for length requirements.

• Related terms: 100BaseT, 10Base2, 10Base5, 10BaseT