How does the internet work

Introduction

The internet was formed by Tim Berners Lee. He created a communication system for memory addresses holding HyperText Markup Language (HTML) files and transferring them to other addresses with HyperText Transfer Protocol (HTTP).

I will discuss important functions that make the internet work.

What is networking infrastructure?

Devices communicate wirelessly with the internet by transmitting radio signals through their antennas. Radio technology pioneered wireless communication in the early 1900s and it remains relevant today. To access the internet without cables, devices use various wireless connection types such as broadband, cellular networks, and WiFi.

The process begins with the physical antenna embedded in the device hardware. The antenna outputs radio signals in binary signals to a designated router. The router communicates the signals to the modem with the ethernet wire where the signals are modulated from binary (digital) to analog signals and vice versa. Antennas send radio waves to a nearby cell tower. When the data reaches the tower it is sent through underground and/or underwater fiber optic cables in a controlled, chaotic sequence of events.

How does YouTube work?

YouTube has among the highest costs from every dimension such as memory, transport infrastructure, just imagine. Having to handle massive feeds of data at their scale is daunting to say the least. We don't know exactly how much data Youtube owns. Google makes major investment in global infrastructure thanks to their deep pockets, infra includes a global fiber optic network to avoid relying on third parties which could bottleneck their service. The fiber optic cables transmit data at the speed of light.

What are network protocols?

The main protocol to know is the TCP/IP protocol which is two protocols named as one. Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) manages data transport over a network by breaking data up into packets and stamping each with source/destination addresses and a sequence number. Packets are sorted and assembled at their destination. Internet Protocol (IP) assigns unique addresses to each device. IPv4 (32-bit) and IPv6 (128-bit) are the different versions used on the web and this will evolve as the internet grows.

Domain name system

Domain name system was made to make IP addresses human readable like google.com instead of 127:00:00:05. Domain names operate under a third party which is critical in the whole internet infrastructure. Domain names are sold for profits due to their inherent value as internet estate. Instagram usernames have a similar play.

Anyways, submitting a domain on a browser starts the TCP/IP protocol. Domains are requested often so you can imagine the protocol's valuable function. Connectivity between client and server is established with a round-trip of network exchanges named the TCP 3-step handshake. Once the connection establishes the data will be sent. TCP/IP standards are regulated by the Internet Engineering Task Force.

What is HTTP?

HTTP is a standardized process for computers to communicate in the world wide web. There are five HTTP verbs with easy to understand names like POST, PUT, DELETE, GET, PATCH.

Conclusion

The internet is growing faster than it was yesterday. Is this a good or bad thing? Comment your opinion.

Thanks for reading