How does the Internet work?

How does the Internet work?

Blog Article

The Internet is a network of networks. It works by using a technique called packet switching, and by relying on standardized networking protocols that all computers can interpret.

Before we cover what the Internet is, we must define what a "network" is. A network is a group of connected computers that are able to send data to each other. A computer network is much like a social circle, which is a group of people who all know each other, regularly exchange information, and coordinate activities together.

The Internet is a vast, sprawling collection of networks that connect to each other. In fact, the word "Internet" could be said to come from this concept: interconnected networks.

Since computers connect to each other within networks and these networks also all connect with each other, one computer can talk to another computer in a faraway network thanks to the Internet. This makes it possible to rapidly exchange information between computers across the world.

Computers connect to each other and to the Internet via wires, cables, radio waves, and other types of networking infrastructure. All data sent over the Internet is translated into pulses of light or electricity, also called "bits," and then interpreted by the receiving computer. The wires, cables, and radio waves conduct these bits at the speed of light. The more bits that can pass over these wires and cables at once, the faster the Internet works.

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