A data communication system has ______ components.

- Message: The message is the information (data) to be communicated; Popular forms of information include text, numbers, pictures, audio, and video

- Sender: The sender is the device that sends the data message; It can be a computer, workstation, telephone handset, video camera, and so on

- Receiver: The receiver is the device that receives the message; It can be a computer, workstation, telephone handset, television, and so on

- Transmission medium: The transmission medium is the physical path by which a message travels from sender to receiver; Some examples of transmission media include twisted-pair wire, coaxial cable, fiber-optic cable and radio waves

- Protocol: A protocol is a set of rules that govern data communication