Have you ever asked yourself where the internet comes from? It’s a tough question, but today I’ll tell you exactly where it originates and how it works. Let’s dive into this fascinating digital journey!
Let’s Start with the Basics
The internet is essentially a global network of interconnected computers that link together to deliver the massive collection of digital pages we know as the World Wide Web, or the "web" for short.
However, they’re not all the same. The internet is a massive system of cables stretching across the globe, connecting our devices to servers that store the webpages we want to visit.
But How Does It Work?
First, your device needs to connect to the internet through your service provider (via a router). Congratulations—you’re now part of the internet!
Now, when you enter a website’s address, your device sends an electronic request for information through your phone line or cable to your ISP (Internet Service Provider).
The ISP then forwards the website address to the DNS (Domain Name System).
The DNS searches for the address you entered, and once it finds it, it sends a request to the server hosting that website.
This server could be located anywhere in the world, so the request must travel through cables—either under the sea or underground—to reach its destination.
These cables literally connect the world to the internet, continent by continent.
Well, except for Antarctica!
About 95% of website visits happen this way. Imagine this: every tweet or post you make travels across oceans!
These cables, stretching thousands of kilometers, are known as the backbone of the internet. Without them, the internet simply wouldn’t exist.
But here’s the catch—these cables aren’t thick or strong enough, making them vulnerable to shark bites!
So, when your internet is slow, you might just have a hungry shark to blame for chomping on a cable—haha!
But don’t worry—this isn’t a big deal. When it happens, the process repeats via a different route, which is why the internet never truly goes down.
Finally, the request reaches the server hosting the website.
The server then sends back the website’s data in small chunks called packets.
Your computer reassembles these packets, and voilà—the website appears on your screen just as you see it!
All of this happens in the blink of an eye, and requests like these occur millions of times per second.
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