An Explanation of How the Internet Works

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An Explanation of How the Internet Works

Have you ever thought how the Internet works? The research found here will help answer that question. The Internet is a complicated system. There are two main protocols that the Internet uses that allow you to transmit and there are certain procedures that allow you to receive information via the Internet. The Internet is very large and many things have to work correctly for information to get to your computer or to get from your computer to someone else's computer.

"The Internet is a network of networks," according to Quarterman and Salus and they state that it is the world's largest system of routes and connections. No one company or person controls the Internet (Quarterman & Salus). About 8,000 Internet Service Providers (ISPs) connect the matrix of hundreds of thousands of networks operated by many people in many different countries (Quarterman & Salus). The gateway to the Internet from your home computer is through an ISP. To get to the Internet through an ISP you have to have a modem dialup, ISDN (Integrated Services Digital Network), DSL (Digital Subscriber Loop), cable modem, wireless, or leased line. These methods provide a variety of speeds to connect the Internet, without one of these methods you will not be able to connect to the Internet.

Transmitting information using the Internet can be a little confusing to understand. As mentioned earlier, the Internet is a network of networks and there is a network protocol that allows computers electronically describe data (Scott's Newsletter). This protocol is called TCP/IP, Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol. TCP/IP creates a packet-switched network that minimizes the chance of losing any data that ...

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...n how it gets from your computer the recipient's computer.

In conclusion, "the Internet is a network of networks," (Quarterman and Salus), it uses certain protocols to transmit information, and it goes through certain procedures for you to receive information. The Internet is a complicated system but we all use it for school, work, or just pleasure. The information found in this research project was intended to help you learn more about how the Internet works and hopefully you now have a better understanding of the "world's largest distributed system," (Quarterman and Salus).

Works Cited

"About Email." Internet 101. http://www.internet101.org/email.html

""How doe the Net Work." Scott's Newsletter.

http://www.scotsnewletter.com/20quests/hownet.htm#Q2

Quarterman, John and Salus, Peter. "How the Internet Works." http://www.mids.org/works.html

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