How Internet Works?

The Internet is a massive network of networks that connects millions of computers together globally. It forms a network in which any computer can communicate with any other computer as long as they are both connected to the Internet. This interconnected system is called the Internet. With that in mind, let’s deep dive and learn more on how internet works.

Getting Connected to the Internet

When you connect to the Internet via your internet service provider (ISP), you become part of this network. Your computer is assigned an Internet Protocol (IP) address, which identifies it to other computers on the network. This address allows packets of data to be transmitted between devices across the intricate web of connections that forms the basis of the Internet.

Packet Switching

So how do these packets of data find their way between computers over the vast Internet? This is accomplished through a system called packet switching. When one computer sends data to another computer, the data is broken up into small blocks called packets. Each packet contains the destination address of where it is going.

Routing Packets

The packets are then sent out onto the network. Special computers called routers receive the packets and use the destination address to determine where to send them next. The routers are connected to multiple other routers, forming a large, interconnected web. By passing the packets from router to router, the data finds the most efficient available route to its destination.

TCP/IP Protocol

The Internet is built on a system called Internet Protocol Suite (TCP/IP). This system defines how data should be transmitted between devices and routed on the Internet. TCP (Transmission Control Protocol) handles breaking up data into packets, transmitting packets, confirming receipt of packets, and reassembling packets in the correct order at the destination computer.

IP (Internet Protocol) handles addressing packets with source and destination addresses and routing packets across the network. Together, TCP and IP create a standardized system for reliable communication between computers over the Internet.

ISPs and Backbone Providers

At the edges of the Internet are Internet service providers (ISPs) that link individuals and businesses to the worldwide network. ISPs have the hardware and software necessary for connecting directly to the Internet backbone – the primary data routes across the globe. Companies known as backbone providers own and operate these high-capacity data connection lines.

So, when you access the Internet through your ISP using your computer, phone, or other devices, your data enters the ISP’s network infrastructure and is routed through their connections out onto the high-speed fiber-optic cables of the Internet backbone.

Packet Switching Optimization

A key aspect of the Internet is a technique called packet switching. Data transmitted over the Internet is split into small blocks called packets, and each packet is sent individually and can even take different routes to get to the destination.

The packets have address information embedded in them that enables the system to reassemble them in the correct order once they reach their destination. This method allows the network to dynamically optimize data flow for the most efficient route to be determined. If a link goes down on one path, packets can be automatically rerouted through alternate links.

Open and Decentralized Network

The Internet has become such an integral part of our modern world because it provides an open and decentralized global network where all parties can share information and access services freely. The story of how a military research network evolved into today’s Internet is truly remarkable.

As of now, over 4.5 billion people use this globally accessible system of interconnected networks to communicate, learn, work, and be entertained every single day. Though the technical workings of the Internet may seem complex, it all starts with computers using a standardized protocol to communicate – allowing packets of data to seamlessly traverse the planet, bringing us together in an incredible international network.