An Overview on Working of Internet
As we know Internet has evolved as an essential service to mankind. Almost within two decades, it made its significance in each and every field. New forms of social interaction, activities, and social associations are now possible because of Internet. We all are used to this technology. From our schools, home, our workplaces and now public places too. It got burst-out to explode almost every corner of the globe in a less time, isn’t that fascinating ?
This multi dimensional rise of Internet often crowds our thoughts about what could be the technicalities involved in its working? or which mysterious magical force controls the internet? 🤔.
Often people imagine Internet as a magical cloud that allows them to access their favorite site within seconds. But obviously there’s no magic involved😂. There’s a complex mechanism involved from searching of a webpage to getting its result .So, let’s see exactly what happens down the road of this mind blowing technology !
In simple terms, INTERNET is the interconnection of large number of computers which continuously send and receive data.
We, the common users access internet using a browser like Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge, Mozilla Firefox etc. which uses World Wide Web(WWW).But don’t misinterpret WWW as the internet .Internet is physical connections of computers, satellites, and cellular networks through cables and wires beneath the ground.
We use internet to access the information available or I should say we ‘request’ for the information . Thus all the users who search or request for some data like photos, music, games or some websites over the internet are known as Clients. Our laptops, personal computers, gears, mobile phones, etc. are all type client devices. These client’s requests are forwarded to computers which are specifically used to respond to the client request with the information stored within them. Such type of computers are known as Servers. Even clients can be a server and vice versa since when connected to internet both store and can request for some data.
So basic definition of Servers could be, “Devices which store information and are specifically used to provide service to the client computers by responding to their requests with appropriate response”.
Internet functions in a “Request-Response Cycle” where client devices request for the data and servers responds with respective response.
For this, client computers needs to be connected to the internet so indirectly they connect to their Internet Service Provider ( ISP’s) network .An Internet Service Provider (ISP) is an organization that provides a myriad of services for accessing, using, or participating in the Internet. In India, Vodafone, Jio, Airtel are all examples of ISP organizations. These ISP’s have their built large networks with other independent networks via physical cabling and other complex mechanisms.
Similarly ISP’s have their connections to each other as well as other core networks world wide which ultimately links millions of devices together in a giant network known as Internet.
For client devices to access information over web, they are assigned a 32 bit number known as IP address by their respective Internet Service Provider which act as an identifier and a MAC address which is another unique and permanently hardcoded identifier assigned at the time of manufacturing by their manufacturer’s organization.
When client requests for a webpage from a web server over the internet, the request is forwarded to the server using the IP address and MAC address of the server where the requested web page is stored.
As soon as the server receives this request, it responds it with appropriate response and uses the IP address and MAC address of the client to deliver the response. This whole sending and receiving of requests and response over network is done in data packets. Data packets are tiny bits of data created by segregating the entire information whether it be video, music, files, emails etc.
But this isn’t that straight forward. It is possible that the server and the client are not directly connected to each other. They both can be connected to two independent networks at two different ends of the globe. So, server forwards the data to the nearest possible device which may know how to reach the client’s IP address. Thus, the data packets hop from several devices and independent networks before it reaches the right IP address and MAC address.
Imagine IP address as your residential address and MAC address as your name. For sending you a letter(data) from some different country, the sender (server) sends the letter to its nearest post office. This post office has its connection with other post offices even across borders. Finally, the letter reaches your country and is sent to your local post office. From their the postman delivers it to your house address(IP address) and your name specifies you as the owner of the letter.
However there are more complex mechanism involved in this working and there are entire books written on this topic. But this is just an overview of it for creating a strong base and lit a interest for further details so I can’t cover the detailed nitty-gritty in a single blog. Comment if you think I continue this topic further
For now, pat on your back and congratulate yourself since now you are familiar with the basic working of this greatest human invention :)
“The Internet is becoming the town square for the global village of tomorrow” - Bill Gates
Do share your valuable review . Feel free to connect with me! Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn.
