How does the internet work

Ever wondered what happens when you load a webpage using a URL?

How does your favorite webpage load up in your browser within a fraction of a second after you search?

How is this page loaded and you are able to read about "how the internet works"?

The web, sometimes referred to as the world wide web (www), is a collection of information that is accessed via the internet. The internet is a global network of networks, i.e., the infrastructure on which the web runs. Think of the internet as a road that connects towns and cities. The web contains the things you see on the road, like houses and shops.

The web uses a client-server-based architecture. The client, in this context, is a browser that sends a request to the server for information. The server receives the request sent by the client, processes the request, and sends client data based on the request received. The data and the process are stored on the web server. The web browser and server communicate using HTTP/HTTPS, a web communication protocol.

How exactly does it work?

When a user clicks or types in a URL or domain name in a browser, a request is sent to your ISP's (internet service provider) DNS, which checks and maps the domain name to its IP address. If the IP address is not found, the ISP will query an authoritative DNS for the IP address. This will send the IP address of the destination server to the browser.

The browser sends an HTTP/HTTPS request message to the server, asking it to send a copy of the website to the client. This message, and all other data sent between the client and the server, is sent across your internet connection using TCP/IP. The data is wrapped with specific information, including the server's IP address for your request.

The server reads the request and, if the web page exists or is available, pulls information from the server and starts sending the website files to the browser as a series of tiny chunks or packets.

The browser assembles the packet into a complete web page understandable by humans and displays it on the user's browser.

WRAPPING UP

It is important we are aware that the web and the internet are not exactly same. The internet is the platform upon which the web sits on; it is the infastructure on top which the web is served. Now you are not unaware of all that happens behind the scenes. Feel free to surf the internet with more confidence.