How the Internet Works in 5 Minutes

Summary

In this informative video, Aaron Titus from Security Catalyst demystifies the internet, explaining it as a network of wires rather than a cloud. He clarifies that the internet is a physical infrastructure, with servers and clients, each identifiable by unique IP addresses. Titus details the process of data transmission through packets and routers, ensuring data reaches the correct destination. He also touches on the practical aspects of internet usage, such as email exchanges and web browsing, making complex concepts accessible. The video aims to elevate viewers' understanding of internet mechanics, positioning them among the top 10% of informed users.

Takeaways

• 🌐 The internet is a network of physical wires, not a cloud-based entity.
• 💻 Servers are special computers connected directly to the internet, hosting web pages and files.
• 🏡 Home computers are called clients because they connect to the internet indirectly through an ISP.
• 🔢 IP addresses are unique identifiers for devices on the internet, similar to postal addresses.
• 🌐 Domain names like google.com are used for easier navigation instead of remembering IP addresses.
• 📩 When you send an email or request a webpage, your computer breaks the data into packets.
• 🔄 Packets travel through multiple routers, each adding its IP address to the packet's 'wrapper'.
• 🔐 Routers ensure that packets are directed correctly to their destination, preventing data mix-ups.
• 🔄 The process of sending and receiving data involves the assembly and disassembly of packets at their destinations.
• 🔒 Understanding the basics of the internet's structure is crucial for protecting your online information.

Q & A

What is the internet actually made of?

The internet is made of wires, which can be fiber optics, copper, or occasionally wireless connections like satellite links or cell phone networks.

Why do we use the term 'Cloud' when referring to the internet?

The term 'Cloud' was created by people more concerned about job security than education, and it is not an accurate representation of the internet, which is a physical network of wires.

What is the role of a server in the context of the internet?

A server is a special computer connected directly to the internet that stores web pages or files on its hard drive and communicates with other computers.

What is an IP address and why is it important?

An IP address is a unique identifier for computers on the internet, similar to a postal address, which helps computers find each other.

How do we make IP addresses more user-friendly?

To make IP addresses more user-friendly, we assign them names, such as domain names like google.com or securitycatalyst.com.

What is the difference between a server and a client in the internet context?

A server is a computer connected directly to the internet, while a client, like your home computer, is connected indirectly through an internet service provider (ISP).

How does the process of sending an email across the internet work?

When you send an email, your email provider (like Gmail) sends the email to the recipient's email provider (like AOL), where it is retrieved the next time the recipient logs in.

What are packets and why are they used in internet communication?

Packets are smaller pieces of information that computers break data into for transmission over the internet. They are reassembled at the destination to form the original data, such as an email, picture, or web page.

How do routers ensure that packets reach the correct destination?

Routers direct packets around the internet, ensuring each packet gets one step closer to its destination by unwrapping layers of IP addresses and sending the packet to the next router in the path.

Why is it important to have unique IP addresses and routers in the internet infrastructure?

Unique IP addresses and routers are crucial for directing data packets to the correct destination and preventing them from being mistakenly delivered to the wrong recipient.

How can understanding the basics of the internet help protect your information?

Understanding the basics of the internet can help you make informed decisions about your online activities and use security measures more effectively to protect your information.

Outlines

00:00

🌐 Understanding the Internet's Basics

The script begins by highlighting the common lack of understanding about how the internet works, despite its frequent use. It compares the internet to electricity, which is used daily but not always understood. The narrator, Aaron Titus from Security Catalyst, aims to clarify misconceptions and educate the audience on the internet's true nature. The internet is described as a physical wire, which can be fiber optics, copper, or even satellite or cell phone networks, rather than a 'cloud'. Servers, which are computers connected directly to the internet, store web pages and files and are identified by unique IP addresses. These addresses, while crucial for computer communication, are often remembered with domain names for ease. The script explains that home computers are clients, connected to the internet through ISPs, and uses an example of accessing AOL.com to illustrate this relationship. It also touches on the process of sending emails between different email services, emphasizing the role of packets in transmitting data across the internet.

Keywords

💡Internet

The internet is a global network of interconnected computers and servers that use the Internet Protocol Suite (TCP/IP) to communicate with one another. In the video, the internet is described as a wire, emphasizing its physical infrastructure, which includes fiber optics, copper, and even satellite and cell phone networks. The script clarifies that the internet is not a 'bubble cloud' but rather a tangible system of connections that facilitate communication between devices.

💡Fiber Optics

Fiber optics refers to the technology of transmitting data as pulses of light through a fiber-optic cable. These cables are made of glass or plastic and are used as a medium for telecommunications and computer networking. In the context of the video, fiber optics are mentioned as one of the types of 'wires' that make up the internet's infrastructure, highlighting the advanced technology used for data transmission.

💡IP Address

An IP address (Internet Protocol address) is a numerical label assigned to each device connected to a computer network that uses the Internet Protocol for communication. In the video, IP addresses are likened to postal addresses, helping computers identify and locate each other on the network. The script uses '72.14.205.100' as an example of an IP address, which is crucial for directing data packets to their correct destinations.

💡Server

A server in the context of the internet is a computer system or device that provides data, services, or functions to other computers, known as clients. The video explains that servers are special computers connected directly to the internet, hosting web pages or files on their hard drives. Servers are essential for the internet's functionality, as they store and manage the data that clients request.

💡Client

A client in computer networking refers to a program or device that accesses a service made available by a server. In the video, it is mentioned that everyday computers like home laptops are not servers but clients because they connect indirectly to the internet through an internet service provider (ISP). Clients initiate requests for data from servers, which then respond with the requested information.

💡ISP (Internet Service Provider)

An Internet Service Provider (ISP) is a company that provides individuals and organizations with access to the internet. The video uses the example of AOL, which is both a server and an ISP, to illustrate how ISPs act as intermediaries between clients and the broader internet. ISPs provide the necessary connection for clients to access online services and content.

💡Packets

In the context of the internet, a packet is a unit of data that is sent from one device to another over a network. The video explains that when information such as an email, picture, or web page travels across the internet, it is broken down into smaller pieces called packets. These packets are then reassembled at their destination to form the original content, ensuring that data is transmitted efficiently and reliably.

💡Routers

A router is a networking device that forwards data packets between computer networks. In the video, routers are described as essential for directing packets around the internet, ensuring that each packet gets one step closer to its destination. Routers play a critical role in the internet's infrastructure by managing the flow of data and preventing packets from being misdirected.

💡TCP/IP (Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol)

TCP/IP is the fundamental communication protocols used for transmitting data over the internet. While not explicitly mentioned in the video script, the concept is foundational to the internet's operation. TCP/IP is responsible for the reliable and ordered delivery of data packets, as well as the addressing and routing of these packets across the network.

💡Cloud Computing

Cloud computing refers to the delivery of computing services, including servers, storage, databases, networking, software, analytics, and intelligence, over the internet (the cloud) to offer faster innovation, flexible resources, and economies of scale. The video script mentions cloud computing in the context of debunking the 'fuzzy cloud' metaphor, emphasizing that the internet is a physical network of wires and servers rather than an abstract concept.

Highlights

The internet is not a cloud but a physical network of wires, including fiber optics and copper.

Servers are special computers connected directly to the internet, hosting web pages and files.

Every server has a unique Internet Protocol (IP) address, aiding in computer-to-computer communication.

Domain names like google.com are used for easier navigation instead of numeric IP addresses.

Home computers are called clients as they connect indirectly to the internet through an ISP.

When visiting a website, your computer connects to the server hosting that site's web pages.

Emails are sent from one email server to another and then retrieved by the recipient.

Data is broken into packets for transmission, which are reassembled at the destination.

IP addresses and routers ensure that data packets are directed correctly and securely.

Routers are essential in directing packets across the internet, ensuring they reach the correct destination.

Each packet is wrapped with IP addresses of the sending and receiving computers for routing purposes.

The process of sending and receiving data involves multiple routers unwrapping and rewrapping packet layers.

Understanding the basics of the internet's structure and function can greatly enhance one's online experience.

Security is a key aspect of internet usage, and proper knowledge can help protect personal information.

The video aims to educate viewers, placing them in the top 10 percent of people who understand the internet's workings.

For further insights on internet security and protection, securitycatalyst.com is recommended.

Transcripts

so how does the internet work most of us

know how to use the internet without

actually understanding how it works sort

of like electricity in your home you use

it every day but may not understand the

mechanics behind it

and if the electric grid is difficult to

understand then the internet must be

impossible right

wrong

in the next few minutes I'll put you in

the top 10 percent of people who

understand how the internet actually

works for security catalyst.com I'm

Aaron Titus

whenever most people think of the

internet this is what comes to mind

the internet is not a bubble Cloud even

in the new age of cloud computing the

whole fuzzy Cloud picture was created by

people more concerned about job security

than education

this is the internet

the internet is a wire a actually buried

in the ground it might be fiber optics

copper or occasionally beam to

satellites or through cell phone

networks but the internet is simply a

wire

the internet is useful because two

computers connected directly to this

wire can communicate a server is a

special computer connected directly to

the internet and web pages or files on

that server's hard drive

every server has a unique Internet

Protocol address or IP address just like

a postal address IP addresses help

computers find each other

but since

72.14.205.100 it doesn't exactly roll

off the tongue we also give them names

like google.com facebook.com or security

catalyst.com

so this is how it works your computer at

home is not a server because it's not

connected directly to the internet

computers you and I use every day are

called clients because they're connected

indirectly to the internet through an

internet service provider

here we'll pretend that this is my home

laptop and I'm using DSL

now let's pretend that I want to visit

aol.com which is coincidentally both a

server and an ISP

I hop onto my laptop with DSL go through

my ISP onto the internet and look at

AOL.com my computer connects with

aol.com and I can look at its web pages

now let's say that I want to send an

email to Aunt Ruth

and Ruth has AOL dial up from home and

I've got a Gmail account

I log onto gmail.com and compose a

message to Aunt Ruth's email address and

Ruth aol.com

once I click Send gmail.com sends the

email to aol.com the next day Aunt Ruth

dials into AOL servers and retrieves the

email

whenever an email picture or web page

travels across the internet computers

break the information into smaller

pieces called packets

when information reaches its destination

the packets are reassembled in their

original order to make a picture email

web page or tweet

okay so imagine you're at work sitting

next to your boss and you're both

surfing online

your boss is doing market research and

you're updating your Facebook profile

you're both sending packets back and

forth over the internet

but what's to keep your packets from

accidentally ending up on your boss's

screen that could be embarrassing

the solution to that problem is IP

addresses and routers

everything connected directly or

indirectly to the internet has an IP

address everything

that includes your computer servers cell

phones and all of the equipment in

between

anywhere two or more parts of the

internet intersect there's a piece of

equipment called a router

routers direct your packets around the

internet helping each packet get one

step closer to its destination

every time you visit a website upwards

of 10 to 15 routers may help your

packets find their way to and from your

computer

imagine each packet as a piece of candy

wrapped in several layers the first

layer is your computer's IP address

your computer sends the packet to the

first router which adds its own IP

address

each time the packet reaches a new

router another layer is added until it

reaches the server then when the server

sends back information it creates

packets with an identical wrapping as

the packet makes its way over the

internet back to your computer each

router unwraps a layer to discover where

to send the packet next until it reaches

your computer and not your bosses

and that's how the internet works in

five minutes or less and you're now

easily in the top 10 percent of people

who understand the basics of the

internet

if you found this video helpful check

out security catalyst.com for all kinds

of ideas on how to protect your

information

I'm Aaron Titus