Internet Basics
The Internet is a global network of billions of computers or other electronic devices. * The pieces of this network are connected by physical cables, such as copper telephone wires, TV lines, and fiber optic cables, which span the entire globe - below or above ground, and across the ocean floor. * Even wireless connections, such as Wi-Fi, ultimately rely on these cables.
At its simplest, the Internet exists to carry data, 0's and 1's, from one place to another.
Protocols¶
Protocols are rules or standards for how the members of a network present and read data - in other words, speak the same language.
Protocols can exist at several levels in a connection. For example: * Certain protocols allow hardware to transfer data between devices. * Other protocols define the exchange of data between programs running on those devices.
By following protocols, the devices on each side of the connection know how to interpret the 0's and 1's of data.
