<aside> 💡 Exam question: Describe what the internet is and explain how it works, drawing on your knowledge of hardware and protocols. [10]

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The internet is a vast network that connects computers all over the world. Every computer that is connected to the internet is part of its own smaller network. At home, this is often a Local Area Network (LAN). Whereas, a Wide Area Network (WAN) is used to connected computer over large distances, like large businesses to connect their office networks.

To connect to the internet, a modem is required to connect to the Internet Service Provider (ISP). The modem takes signals from your ISP and translates them into signals that local devices can use. A router connects directly to a modem via a cable, allowing it to transmit signal, creating a Wi-Fi network using built-in antennas.

Hubs are used to pass on anything received on one connection to all other connections.

A switch is similar to a hub but more efficient, as it knows where to send each piece of traffic, and selectively forwarding data to the computer that needs it.

When data is transmitted, it is done so in packets, which hold 1000-1500 of information. It is important that the best route is found to maintain speed and avoid collisions. Protocols define how these packets are sent, like TCP and IP. TCP manages how a message is broken down to be transmitted, and IP defines how to address and route packets for delivery. Packet loss occurs when data fails to arrive at its destination, usually as a result of congestion or issues with data transmission.