Internet Fundamentals

Networking Fundamentals: From LANs to the Internet Networks connect devices to share files, printers, and online services. A home network starts with a few pieces: a modem from your provider, a router, and devices like laptops or phones. Understanding how these parts fit together helps you troubleshoot, improve speed, and keep things secure. Two basic concepts are useful: LANs and WANs. A LAN covers a small area, such as a home or office, while a WAN links multiple LANs over longer distances. The Internet is the largest WAN, a global network of networks that carries traffic through many routes. ...

Communication Protocols Across the Internet When you load a webpage or send a message, you rely on a set of rules called communication protocols. They define how devices identify each other, how data is packaged into messages, how those messages travel through networks, and how errors are handled along the way. The Internet works through layers. Each layer has a job, and a protocol lives in one of them. The TCP/IP model is the most common: four layers — link, internet, transport, and application. Data moves from your device, through local networks and routers, to distant servers, crossing many hands and checks. ...