Discover the Inner Workings of the Internet

How Does the Internet Work?

• The Internet is a long piece of wire that connects different computers to each other.
• Special computers attached to the Internet have the job of serving data and files to users, and these are called servers.
• Computers that users use to access the Internet are called clients.
• A web server is like a giant library that is open 24/7 and serves users with all the files and data needed to view websites.
• DNS servers are like souped-up phone books that find the exact IP address of the website a user is trying to access.
• Every computer connected to the Internet has a unique IP address, like a postal code.
• Undersea cables connect all the continents on Earth, and these cables consist of hundreds of fiber optic fibers that transmit up to 400 gigabytes of data per second.
• Every time a user loads up a web page or clicks a button on a website, signals are sent through wires, both underwater and above water.
• All that is needed to access a website is an IP address.
• Electric signals travel at the speed of light through the oceans and halfway around the world to view websites in a matter of milliseconds.
• To build websites and web apps, it is important to understand how they work.
• The Internet is a marvel of modern technology that allows users to access information and interact with others from anywhere in the world.