Untangling the Web: A Beginner's Guide to How the Internet Really Works

Have you ever stopped to wonder how the internet works? We use it every day to communicate with friends and family, stream movies and music, and shop for groceries and clothes. But what's happening behind the scenes to make all of this possible? In this post, we'll take a closer look at the inner workings of the internet, from the physical infrastructure that powers it to the protocols and standards that allow devices to communicate with each other. By the end of this post, you'll have a better understanding of how the internet works and the role it plays in our daily lives. So let's dive in!

What actually internet stands for?

At its core, the internet is a massive and global network (interconnection of networks) that connects people and devices from all over the world. It enables us to communicate with each other, access information, and share resources across vast distances and at incredible speeds. The internet has become a critical part of modern life, powering everything from social media and online shopping to banking and healthcare. It's hard to overstate the importance of the internet, which has transformed the way we live, work, and interact with each other. In fact, the internet is often described as the "information superhighway" because of its ability to transmit vast amounts of data quickly and efficiently.

Tracing the origin of the internet: A look back at its Earliest Days

Back in the 1960s, In response to Soviet Union's launch of the Sputnik satellite spurred the U.S. Defense Department .it lead to the formation of Advanced Research Projects Agency (ARPA) .In order to make use of information stored in any one of the computer, one had to either travel to the site of the computer or have magnetic computer tapes sent through the conventional postal system, the US Department of Defense launched a communication system called ARPANET. Its mission was to link researchers and scientists involved in various government projects, but it turned out to be much more than that. ARPANET was the first network to use a technology called packet switching, which revolutionized the way data was transmitted. Unlike traditional methods that relied on a continuous stream of information, packet switching allowed data to be broken down into small, discrete packets that could be sent and reassembled more efficiently. This made ARPANET more reliable and paved the way for the future of networking technology.

Today, the internet is a vast and complex network of interconnected devices and computers, spanning the globe and linking people and businesses together in ways that were once unimaginable. While its early days were marked by government and military projects, the internet has become a vital part of modern life, powering everything from social media and online shopping to education and healthcare.

Tracing the origins of the internet can give us a better appreciation for how far we've come and the incredible possibilities that lie ahead. It's a testament to human ingenuity and collaboration, and a reminder that even the most revolutionary technologies often start with humble beginnings.

Physical infrastructure of the Internet

It refers to the physical components that make up the internet, such as data centers, fiber optic cables, and routers. Data centers are large facilities that house servers and other networking equipment, and are used to store and process vast amounts of data. Fiber optic cables are thin strands of glass or plastic that transmit data using light, and are used to connect different parts of the internet together. Routers are devices that direct traffic between different networks, and are responsible for forwarding data packets from one device to another.

Internally, all the countries are connected to each other through the submarine cable medium across the ocean and sea. below is the image which shows , How they are connected.

Closer look at the sea cable*

How devices find each other on the internet

It gives the origin of idea IP address and Domain name. They help devices find each other on the internet. Every device that connects to the internet, such as a computer, phone, or tablet, is assigned a unique identifier called an IP address. IP addresses are numerical values that consist of four sets of numbers separated by dots, like 192.168.0.1. When two devices want to communicate with each other on the internet, they use each other's IP addresses to send and receive data packets.

Domain names, on the other hand, are human-readable names that are used to represent IP addresses. For example, instead of typing in an IP address like 172.217.7.174 to access Google's search engine, you can simply type in "google.com". This is much easier for humans to remember and type than a string of numbers. When you type a domain name into a browser, the browser uses a Domain Name System (DNS) server to translate the domain name into its corresponding IP address.

you can manually check your ip address , ISP(internet service provider), network, much more about your internet connection by visiting website browserleaks.com

You can also use bash terminal to check the IP address of given website by the following command according to your pc configurations.

Open command prompt and depend on your OS, type in:
- MacOS/UNIX: traceroute [the website link]
- Window: tracert [the website link]

Example: on a MacOS, I would use:
tracert google.com

Inner working of of Online Communication: Protocols and Standards

The protocols and standards that govern how devices communicate on the internet. In order for devices to communicate with each other on the internet, they need to follow certain protocols and standards. These protocols define how data is transmitted, how devices identify and authenticate each other, and how errors are handled. Some of the most important protocols used on the internet include Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) and Internet Protocol (IP), which together make up the TCP/IP protocol suite.

Other important protocols and standards used on the internet include Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) and Hypertext Markup Language (HTML), which are used for accessing and displaying web pages, and Secure Sockets Layer/Transport Layer Security (SSL/TLS), which are used for encrypting data and ensuring secure communications.

Internet society :

It is nonprofit organization founded in 1992, with the mission of promoting the open development, evolution, and use of the internet for the benefit of all people . The organization has been a strong advocate for the open development and implementation of these protocols, and has worked to promote their adoption around the world. The Internet Society has also been involved in the development and promotion of other key protocols and standards used on the internet, including the Domain Name System (DNS), which is used for translating domain names into IP addresses, and the Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP), which is used for managing network devices and monitoring network performance.

The Internet Society has played a vital role in shaping the development of the internet and ensuring that it remains an open and accessible platform for communication, innovation, and economic growth. you can visit at their website to know more about this suites https://www.internetsociety.org/

Concept of routing and how packets of data are sent:

Routing is the process by which data packets are directed from one device to another over the internet. When a device wants to send a packet of data, it first determines the destination address for the packet. This destination address is typically an IP address that uniquely identifies the target device on the internet.

The routing table helps the sending device to identify the next hop along the path to the destination device. The next hop is the network device that is closest to the destination and that can help to forward the packet along its journey. This process continues until the packet reaches its final destination, with each network device along the way helping to direct the packet to its next hop.

Routing is a critical process that enables data to be sent between devices on the internet, and it plays a key role in ensuring that data is delivered reliably and efficiently across the network.

The future of the internet, including emerging technologies like 5G, artificial intelligence, and the Internet of Things.

The future of the internet is a topic of much speculation and excitement, as emerging technologies promise to transform the way we live, work, and communicate. Three of the most significant emerging technologies that are set to impact the future of the internet are 5G, artificial intelligence (AI), and the Internet of Things (IoT).

The future of the internet is set to be shaped by a range of emerging technologies that will continue to push the boundaries of what is possible. 5G, AI, and the IoT are just a few examples of the many exciting developments that are on the horizon, and it will be fascinating to see how these technologies evolve and shape the internet in the years to come.

To sum up, the internet is an incredibly complex and ever-evolving network of networks that has revolutionized the way we communicate, access information, and do business. From its humble beginnings as ARPANET to the global network we know today, the internet has come a long way, and it continues to change and adapt to new technologies and user needs. As we look to the future, it's clear that emerging technologies like 5G, AI, and IoT will play a big role in shaping the next chapter of the internet's history. Whether we're streaming movies on our smartphones, collaborating with colleagues on the other side of the world, or controlling our home appliances with our voice, the internet will continue to be a vital part of our daily lives.

I hope this post has given you a clearer understanding of how the internet works, its history, and what the future may hold. By demystifying some of the technical aspects of the internet and exploring its impact on our lives, I hope you've gained a new appreciation for this amazing technology. Keep exploring and learning, and let's see where the internet takes us next!

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