Asynchronous Connections

Asynchronous connections are a method of communication at the data link layer where data is transmitted character by character in small frames.

• Frame: Each character is encapsulated in a small frame.
• Start and Stop Bits: A start bit is added to the front of the frame and a stop bit to the end to indicate the beginning and end of transmission.
• Parity Bit (optional): Used for error detection.

Despite the term asynchronous, synchronization is maintained using start bits. This makes it efficient for small, irregular data transfers, but inefficient for large data transfers due to the extra bits added to each character.