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  Asked: Mar 12 2008   8:59 PM GMT
  Asked by: NetworkingATE

Differences between synchronous and asynchronous data transfers


Telecommunications, Networking, Data transfer, Asynchronous Transfer Mode, Synchronous transfer mode, Synchronization

What is the difference between a synchronous and an asynchronous data transfer?

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Last Answered: Mar 12 2008  11:56 PM GMT  by Buddyfarr




There are different technical specs on this depending on what technology you are talking about. When speaking of network connections, such as dsl and adsl, synchronous dsl would be when the upload and download speeds are the same and asynchronous dsl would be when the download speed is much higher than the upload speed, (this is the standard dsl you would get from yahoo, etc.)

another way at looking at the two terms is how two systems communicate over a physical link. This is more in depth. please look at the following article:

http://www.inetdaemon.com/tutorials/theory/concepts/asynchronous_vs_synchronous.shtml
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Jmkelly  |   Mar 14 2008  2:03AM GMT

Buddyfarr, it’s ASSYMETRIC Digital Subscriber Link (or Line) — it’s assymetric because, as you said, the download bandwidth is not equal to the upload bandwidth. Whether the phone company uses a synchronous or asynchronous protocol to provide the service is up to the phone company.

“Synchronous” means that the transmitter and receiver are clocked together — that timing is essential to the signaling scheme, and if a certain voltage change/phase transition/whatever arrives early or late, an error will ensue. “Asynchronous” means timing doesn’t matter.