How the Internet works

LO4. Understand the components involved to make the Web work:

Glad You Asked host Cleo Abram wants to know: What is the internet actually made of? And, how does it work? Answering that question involves discovering how internet cables are laid in the sea, if 5G is really the future, and how balloons in the stratosphere are helping people connect.

How does the Internet actually work?

• The Internet is a worldwide computer network that transmits a variety of data and media across interconnected devices. It works by using a packet routing network that follows Internet Protocol (IP) and Transmission Control Protocol (TCP).
• TCP and IP work together to ensure that data transmission across the internet is consistent and reliable, no matter which device you’re using or where you’re using it.
• When data is transferred over the internet, it’s delivered in messages and packets. Data sent over the internet is called a message, but before messages get sent, they’re broken up into tinier parts called packets.

• These messages and packets travel from one source to the next using Internet Protocol (IP) and Transmission Control Protocol (TCP). IP is a system of rules that govern how information is sent from one computer to another computer over an internet connection.
• Using a numerical address (IP Address) the IP system receives further instructions on how the data should be transferred.
• The Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) works with IP to ensure transfer of data is dependable and reliable. This helps to make sure that no packets are lost, packets are reassembled in proper sequence, and there’s no delay negatively affecting the data quality.

To revise more about the web competent of the Internet follow the link to the Moodle PDF – How the Internet works

To learn more about how the Internet works and the appropriate terms – use the glossary for definitions and language.