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- What is the internet?
- Internet origin
- How it functions
- How do websites function?
- Pace and data capacity
- Extra resources
- References
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The internet represents an expansive system linking computers globally via a network exceeding 750,000 miles (1,200,000 kilometres) of cabling beneath the earth and oceans, as detailed by the University of Colorado Boulder.
It stands as the globe’s swiftest mode of correspondence, enabling data transmission from London, U.K. to Sydney, Australia, in a mere 250 milliseconds, as an illustration. The creation and upkeep of the internet signify a remarkable achievement of inventiveness.
What is the internet?
The internet is an immense computing grid, uniting countless devices through subterranean and submarine fiber-optic lines. These lines establish connections across continents and islands, with the exception of Antarctica.
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Each cable comprises glass threads that convey data as light signals, according to the publication Science. These threads are encased in shielding layers and placed under the ocean floor by vessels equipped with specialized plows. This safeguards them against various threats, from rust to shark bites.
When utilizing it, your computer or gadget transmits requests via these cables to access data residing on other devices. In accessing the internet, most individuals will be interacting with the world wide web.
The internet has the power to link us with individuals worldwide. When did the internet come to be?
The U.S. government initiated its creation during the Cold War. In 1958, President Eisenhower established the Advanced Research Projects Agency (ARPA) to bolster the nation’s military technology, as stated in the Journal of Cyber Policy. Researchers and engineers pioneered a network of interconnected computers termed ARPANET.
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ARPANET’s initial goal involved connecting two computers across distances to enable data exchange. This aspiration materialized in 1969, according to historian Jeremy Norman. Subsequently, the team connected multiple computers, resulting in a network of over 30,000 machines by the close of the 1980s, as reported by the Science and Media Museum in the U.K.
How the onternet works
The majority of computers achieve internet connectivity wirelessly, via Wi-Fi, utilizing a physical modem. It gains connection through a cable to a wall outlet, which joins to an external hub. That hub, in turn, connects to an underground cable network. Collectively, they transform radio waves into electrical signals into fiber optic pulses, and conversely.
Throughout the subterranean network, junction points known as routers are located at each connection point. Their function involves figuring out the optimal route for transmitting data from your computer to the targeted computer. As indicated by the IEEE International Conference on Communications, they leverage your IP addresses to pinpoint the destination of the data. According to Frontier, latency is the specialized term denoting the duration for data to transit from one location to another.
Wired Internet links can achieve speeds tenfold faster than those of wireless connections.
Each router maintains connections solely with its adjacent network. In the event that a communication surfaces, directed toward an unrecognized computer by the router, the message is relayed to a router situated higher up in the local network. Each maintains a record, a routing table. Based on the Internet Protocol Journal, the table maps the pathways through the network to all the local IP addresses.
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The internet distributes data across continents and seas, as visualized on the Submarine Cable Map. The data transitions among networks until nearing its final destination. Consequently, it moves through local routers until arriving at the computer holding the compatible IP address.
The internet relies on the premise that both linked computers share a common digital language. This is achievable through a series of protocols known as the Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) and Internet Protocol (IP), as noted by Cloudflare, an internet infrastructure and website security company.
TCP/IP allows the internet to function akin to a postal framework. There exists an address book comprising the unique identity of each network-connected device, along with a standardized set of envelopes utilized for enclosing data. These envelopes must contain the sender’s and recipient’s address, in conjunction with details pertaining to the enveloped information. The IP outlines the address format, whereas TCP details data encapsulation and delivery methods.
How do websites work?
Select the numerals on the ensuing interactive image for insight into the processes occurring when you input www.livescience.com into your browser:
Internet speed and bandwidth
With respect to the speed of the internet, bandwidth refers to the volume of data accessible for download per second. According to Tom’s Guide, a bandwidth of 25 megabits per second is adequate for basic web browsing, email correspondence, and social media updates. Conversely, engaging in activities such as streaming 4K films, live video broadcasts, or participating in online multiplayer games may require speeds spanning 100 to 200 megabits per second.
The primary determinant of your download speed lies in the quality of the underground cables linking you to the broader world. Based on the cable assessment firm BASEC, fiber optic cables outpace their copper counterparts in data transmission speed, and your domestic internet performance is subject to the infrastructure accessible in your locality.
Cable.co.uk indicates Jersey as holding the highest average bandwidth globally. This diminutive British isle off the French coastline boasts average download rates surpassing 274 megabits per second. Conversely, Turkmenistan’s rates barely touch 0.5 megabits per second, marking the lowest.
Additional resources
More information pertaining to the annals of the internet can be sourced at the Internet Society’s portal. To learn how the Internet has revolutionized our everyday routines, peruse this article by Computing Australia.
Bibliography
- “Getting to the bottom of the internet’s carbon footprint”. University of Colorado Boulder, College of Media, Communication and Information (2021).
- “The evolution of the Internet: from military experiment to General Purpose Technology”. Journal of Cyber Policy (2016).
- “The Internet: Past, Present, and Future”. Educational Technology (1997).
- “Three-Way Handshake”. CISSP Study Guide (Second Edition) (2012).
- “Content Routers: Fetching Data on Network Path”. IEEE International Conference on Communications (2011).
- “Analyzing the Internet’s BGP Routing Table”. The Internet Protocol Journal (2001).
- “The Internet of Tomorrow”. Science (1999).
Laura Mears
Laura Mears, a biologist, traded the lab for a desk as a science journalist and software engineer. Her writing experience includes How It Works and T3. Her interests are science, tech, and games.
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