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In computing and telecommunications, "baseband" refers to a communication system where a signal is transmitted in its original, unmodulated form, using a single channel to occupy the entire bandwidth of a physical medium. This differs from broadband, which can transmit multiple signals over different frequencies simultaneously.

The term is used to describe two related concepts:

Baseband signal transmission, in this context, baseband describes a type of signal and the way it is transmitted.

The signal: A baseband signal is a raw, low-frequency signal that has not been modulated onto a higher frequency "carrier" wave. The signal is typically generated by a transducer, like a microphone or a computer's network controller.

The channel: In a baseband communication system, the signal is sent directly over the physical medium without shifting its frequency range. This means only one communication channel is available at a time.

Networking examples: The most prominent example is Ethernet, which uses standards like 10BASE-T and 1000BASE-T. The "BASE" part of these names denotes that they are baseband systems.

Limitations: Because the signal is not amplified or shifted, baseband transmission is best suited for shorter distances. The signal can degrade over long stretches of cable.