Hey there, tech enthusiasts! If you're new to the world of computer networking, you've come to the right place. Let's dive into the basics and get you up to speed.
First things first, let's talk about what a COMPUTER is.
Fun fact: COMPUTER stands for Common Operating Machine Purposely Used for Technological and Educational Research.
Now, what about the internet? Simply put, the internet is a global network of computers connected to each other.
Computers communicate over the internet using some basic protocols or rules defined by the internet society. The most common ones are TCP, UDP, and HTTP.
TCP (Transmission Control Protocol): This protocol ensures that all data sent over the internet reaches the client in its entirety. Think of it as a reliable delivery service. Examples include FTP and SMTP.
UDP (User Datagram Protocol): Unlike TCP, UDP doesn't guarantee that all data will reach the client. It's a connection-less protocol, meaning it doesn't establish a connection before sending data. This is often used in gaming and streaming.
HTTPS (Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure): This protocol relates to the format of data transferred over the internet. For example, https://www.google.com.
Data transfers in packets!
When data is too large, the internet breaks it into smaller chunks called packets.
Want to know the IP address of your device and your internet provider? Just use this command:
# curlifconfig.me-s
NAT (Network Address Translation): This uses IP addresses to determine which device data should be sent to. It also uses port numbers to identify the specific application that needs the data.
Port Number: A port number is a 16-bit number, meaning it has 16 cells of 0s and 1s, totaling 2^16 or about 65,000. Web browsers typically use HTTP port number 80, while MongoDB uses 27017 and SQL uses 1433. Port numbers 0-1023 are reserved for HTTP, 1024-49152 for applications like SQL and MongoDB, and the rest are for general use.
Types of Internet Network Connections: There are two main types of internet network connections:
Physical connections: Networks connected by physical cables, such as cables, fiber optics, and coaxial cables.
Wireless connections: Networks transmitted wirelessly through the air, like Bluetooth, WiFi, 3G, 4G, and 5G.
Types of Networks: There are three major types of networks:
LAN (Local Area Network): A network of devices connected within a small local area, like a house or small office. Examples include Ethernet and WiFi.
MAN (Metropolitan Area Network): A network of devices connected within a metropolitan area, such as a city.
WAN (Wide Area Network): Devices connected across countries using optical fiber cables.
The internet is essentially a collection of LANs within a MAN, connected to other MANs within a WAN, allowing them to communicate and transfer data.
SONET (Synchronous Optical Networking): This technology carries data over long distances via optical cables.
FRAME RELAY: This connects LANs to WANs within the internet.
And there you have it! Understanding these basics will help you navigate the digital world with confidence. Happy networking!