The internet is a network of Billions of computers all over the world that are all connected to each other. But what happens when you search for google.com?

But before we (user) can use the internet, we need an device that can access the internet (eg.laptop, tablet, phone). Once we have a device, we need a connection provided by a modem. Sometimes these are provided to us by the ISP (Internet Service Provider) companies to connect us to the internet. Most modems also work as a router which coordinate the network traffic when there are multiple users. At the moment most broadband is copper wires but ISP's are slowing upgrading to fibre optic cables. These send signals as light which is much faster than copper.

Once our connection is established between the ISP and the modem/device we need an application called a browser, such as Google Chrome/Internet Explorer/Safari/Opera/Firefox. Then, when we search for something the computer looks for a web server. This lets us access the world wide web, which is an information space where different people can upload web pages about pretty much anything you can think of.

Anyway, our computer sends a request for google.com to Spark digital hub in Auckland or wherever your nation’s main internet hub is via fiber optic cables. These cables, are thin, tubes of reinforced glass in which the signal is transformed into light signals instead. Along the way, the signal finds its way by sometimes being redirected by things called Routers. Routers are basically the traffic wardens of the digital world, they make sure that all the packets reach their destination; no matter how they get there. Our computer is then notified that the specified URL for google.com isn’t located on the Auckland server, so its request is sent along more cables to eventually end up in Bellevue hub USA. This is where finally the IP address for google.com is found inside the DNS records (Domain Name System) and sent back to your computer. Every device has an IP address and is a series of numbers and full stops that identify that device and make it unique. The IP address of Google.com is a webserver that hosts the Google.com webpage (in html) and sends it back to our browser. The crazy thing is, is that all of this happens in under a SECOND! I hope you found this helpful and informative.

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