Secret #6: What is the Internet? - Exploring The Internet

 How many people truly know what the internet really is? How are you connected to it? What is WiFi, and how does it determine whether Netflix works or not? It all starts with two computers...

   What Exactly is the Internet

an ethernet chord

 A Network

So let’s say you have computer A, and computer B. You can give them better names in your head. How does A talk to B?  

Back in the day, they couldn’t. Until someone invented a chord, that allowed data to flow from A, to B. This is known as “networking”, and this chord is now known as an Ethernet chord.

When two computers are linked by an Ethernet chord, they can send each other just about anything, very quickly. USB chords are similar, but they are made for simple tasks, so they are slower and not made for networking.

If a third computer entered the room, computer C, and connected via Ethernet to either A or B, it would join the party and A, B, and C could talk freely. But if compute D came along, odds are, there wasn’t any space to put another Ethernet chord.

This is where something called a “switch” comes in to play. No the nintendo thingy, an Ethernet Switch.

an ethernet switch

This now allows A, B, C, D, and any other computers to talk via ethernet, forming their own little network of computers. This is called a local area network (LAN).

An Inter-Connected Network

But then, C has to move away, down the street. So what do they do? They grab a bigger, faster chord. A chord that can send data at light speeds is called a fiber-optic cable. They connect this from computer A, all the way to computer C down the street, and the party continues. But fiber optic cables are expensive. And now computers E, F, G, H, I, J and so on also want to join the network.

So they make a new device; a router. Each house will only need one. The fiber optic will connect to the router, and that router will connect to the switch, and the switch will connect to the computers in the house.

But who is in charge of the party now? Because ever since H joined the network, strange things have been shared and we don’t like it. H is also accessing things we don’t want H to.

communication & power lines

 

That is where your Internet Provider (Comcast, AT&T, etc) comes in. The Internet Provider decided to front the bill for the fiber optic, as well as managing the network to decide what is and isn’t allowed, and how it should be sent/received. They bury the fiber optic in the ground along the street, or perhaps string it along the power lines, and run it all through the neighborhood, then back to their central building.

 

So now, for A to talk to B, it goes:

A → via ethernet → switch → router → via optic → central hub → via optic → router → switch → B.

 

An InterNet, & WiFi

With the invention of Wireless data transmission, aka WiFi, you now no longer need to connect to the switch, you go straight from A to router. It isn’t faster by any means, but it is more convenient. The fiber optic stays because WiFi is unreliable across distances. 

That is also why you can have a strong WiFi signal, but no internet. Your Computer is strongly connected to the router, but the router isn’t connected to the internet.

These central hubs mostly work together, and connect to each other across the entire world. That is the internet.

Just a bunch of computers literally connected to one another. We just don’t notice this physical connection because the chords are hidden.

actual undersea communication lines

Phones can connect through both Wifi and Cell towers, which are essentially just giant routers. The only difference is these towers are built built for sending simple data such as calls & text messages, which is why although cellular data has more range, it is often much slower than WiFi. Computer companies often don’t bother with cell tower compatibility because it is much more expensive, and wasn’t worth it.

But it was always possible, and now with faster 4G & 5G cell towers, it might just be worth it.

Check it out: http://www.notebookreview.com/howto/in-progress-how-to-connect-your-laptop-using-mobile-broadband/

So when you go to netflix.com, you are really asking your internet provider to connect to the nearest Netflix router, and when you click play on a video, you are simply asking them to send you that file. They can either play the file and send you the live feed (streaming), or send you the file itself for you to play whenever you want (downloading).

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