Our lives are inundated by internet usage. If you could sit back and ponder over how many aspects of your life are influenced by a stable internet connection in some capacity, you would be surprised at how people ever lived without it. The truth is a working understanding of the internet is not needed to be able to use it. For this reason, not many people understand how the internet works.
A survey reveals that nearly 80% of Americans did not have a sound understanding of how the internet worked. People seem to have rather amusing explanations as to how the internet work. While some considered it a fuzzy cloud, others thought it was supported by solar panels! Neither of the two explanations is true.
If you do not understand how the internet works, we got you covered! Here is all you need to know about the internal working of the internet.
A Brief History of the Internet
The internet is massive now, used by people in the remotest corners of the world. However, you would be surprised to learn that this was not always the case. The internet was created in the 1960s as a way for government researchers to share information. Computers used to be huge and sending information from one computer to the other required manually moving to the site of the other service. With the internet, this information was transferred without making the move.
Later on 1st Jan 1983, a protocol was established to standardize the ways computer networks operated globally. For this reason, 1st Jan is considered the birthdate of the internet.
How the Internet Works
The internet is a network that links many computer networks together globally. This interlinking is made possible by several physical components including copper cables and massive satellites (in some cases) that orbit the earth. Therefore, when you say you go online or use the internet, you are connecting to this massive global network.
The basic idea behind the internet is to move information from one place to the other. When you open your browser and type in a website you wish to visit, your computer sends a signal to your ISP and communicates it to other routers. This information follows a path and reaches the website hosting server. That server will respond to your request with the information you need. This data will follow a similar path back to your computer. Data transfer across the global network can take several paths. It is not linear.
Different Types of Internet Connections
Data is transferred across the internet in different ways. The difference in data transfer technology is the basis of different internet connection types. Here are the most common internet connection types you will come across.
Fiber Optic Internet
Fiber internet is the latest internet connection type, which relies on Fiber optic technology. In a fiber internet connection, data is transferred digitally as light pulses across glass cables. Given that it is transferred as light pulses and not electricity, data transfer in fiber connections is fast, reliable, and secure. As the infrastructure for fiber internet is different from traditional internet service technology, it is not as widely accessible as cable or DSL services.
Cable Internet
Cable internet uses the same coaxial copper cables that your cable TV works on. It is widely accessible unlike fiber optic internet as it relies on pre-existing infrastructure. For this reason, you will notice that ISPs like Altafiber offer bundle services. The underlying mechanism is the same. Therefore, you can get high-speed internet and TV service in the same package.
DSL Internet
Like dial-up internet, DSL internet connection uses your phone lines to transfer data and bring an internet connection to you. However, with a dial-up connection, you could not use your phone services and the internet at the same time. It is often the only option in remote areas.
What You Should Look For in an Internet Connection
New to buying an internet connection? We can help you! Here are some important factors to consider when you are selecting an internet connection.
Speed
Every internet plan comes with two speeds- download and upload speed. The download speed is the megabits of data a connection can download from the server per second. The greater the download speed, the faster your internet will be. The upload speed is how fast the data can be sent to the server. This will affect how quickly you can upload files and the quality of your video conferences. When selecting an internet plan, make sure the internet speeds align with your internet usage.
Reliability
While choosing an internet connection, you must invest in an internet service provider that is reliable and reputable.
Connection Type
When choosing an internet connection, consider all the options available to you. If you have access to multiple connection types, choose the one offering the most reliable and fastest internet service.
There You Are!
The internet is debatably one of the most important and pervasive nations of this century. It has applications in nearly all aspects of human life, from medicine, and education to entertainment. Therefore, one must know how the internet works. With this post, we aimed to simplify the internal working of the internet that people often consider too difficult or technical to understand. Now, you know that is not the case!
