The Internet works by connecting large sets of T3 lines within telephone lines that are able to transmit and transfer data at a rate of around 45 megabytes per second. An easy way to imagine these very large and powerful T3 lines is like the interstate highway system. These highways connect one big city to another big city. The same can be said about these telephone lines. They connect large areas to other large areas.
To ensure that this base level of the Internet functions properly, there are a series of companies that work together to ensure that it operates effectively. To ensure that if one of the main lines go down, they build redundancy into these lines. This means that more than one line goes to the same area to ensure that if something breaks, they are able to redirect all the data being transferred around that break. This can be compared to a detour in a highway. It might slow the trip down, but it doesn’t stop the trip.
While there are these companies that ensure that the Internet functions properly, it would be impossible for them to handle all of the local support. Similar to how a highway has a highway department to repair the roads and then individual cities have their own support, the Internet has the same thing. These smaller companies known as the Internet Service Provider (ISP) take care of traffic within their specific region. This can be compared to major streets within a city that would lead to the main interstate highway.
Now that the entire network has been wired, understanding the Internet and how it works becomes much simpler. Like cars driving on the road, the Internet works by transmitting different data packets. To do this, though, there needs to be an address for every location. Because of this need, each computer and website has a internet Protocol (IP) address unique to it specifically.
When a link is clicked, the browser sends a request out to the website. As that request goes along the wires, different routers interpret what its destination is and then passes it along the route that will result in the quickest transmission. This is done in seconds depending on the Internet connection.
The server interprets the request sent to it by your computer and then sends data packets back to your computer that hold information on each individual page. The return address that the server sends these packets back to is your IP address. Once this list of data packets reaches your computer, the browser reads it and then puts the information onto the screen.
Therefore, thinking about the Internet like a roadway makes understanding the Internet much easier. An individual sends out a request similar to how they’d pull out of their garage and drive down the road. The data packet is sent down bigger and bigger roads. Then the car hits the interstate highways. The packet travels down the main lines and then gets off and goes on smaller roads until it reaches the server. Finally, the person repeats the same process, but if there is construction on the road, they take a detour that slows them down, but doesn’t prevent them from getting home. The Internet and cars on roads work nearly the same way.
