Internet the Network That Connects the World

Internet is a massive interconnection of computer networks utilizing the standard Internet Protocol Suite through various devices connecting large number of users around the world. The connected networks consist of private, public, business, and government networks. The connected devices include personal computers, mainframe, server computers, laptops, tablets, cell phones, GPS units, music players, etc. Internet is also referred to as the "Net."

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Internet originated from ARPANET of the US in 1980 which was connecting between different nodes used by academia within the country. ARPANET was expanded and the Internet Protocol Suite (TCP/IP) was standardized to form a fully world-wide network with interconnected computer networks. ARPANET was expanded in 1986 and later connected with many supercomputers for research and education. The network was not as popular until 1990 when it was commercialized and internationalized, which resulted in its popularization, incorporation, and  diversification into various needs of human life. Internet as it was called those days was rapidly expanded into Europe, Australia in late 1980s, and to Asia in the early 1990s. In June 2012, about 2.4 billion, which is over 1/3 of the world's population have been using the internet.

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Internet has no centralized government control either in technological implementation or on  policies of access or control. There is no big switch for the internet, instead it communicates along a range of networks  to which it is connected, and each network has its own policies. Communication through the internet is free and there is no barrier or regulator to which it has to exchange data, with the exception of certain political regions. Connection through these network services is open and free with regard to the expression of ideas and thoughts. The cost of the service is attributed to the cost of maintaining the network used for data transmission.  Internet works by the transfer or data. Data is being transferred from one computer to another through a number of  networks.  The internet connection is established using various computer hardware including high speed electronics, network cables, wireless routers, microwave links, optical networks, satellite connection etc.

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The protocols TCP/IP provides connectivity between different computers by specifying how the data should be addressed, formatted, transmitted, routed, and received at the destination. The data transmission is done through 4 layers of abstraction to sort all related protocols according to the type of networking involved. The layers are the 'link layer' connecting single network segments, the 'internet layer' that connects independent networks, 'transport layer' that handles process-to-process communication, and the 'application layer' that interface with the user.

Traditional communication medium such as music, film, television, and telephone have been reshaped and redefined by the internet to services that includes voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) and Internet Protocol television (IPTV). Other print medium such as newspaper, book and other print publishing have been reshaped into blog and web feeds etc. New forms of communication technology were developed that includes instant messaging, internet forums, social networking etc. Online commerce have thrived with more security guaranteed in the internet with the creation of business to business and financial services.

Internet in 2020 Infographics

Internet can be accessed from anywhere at any time and the speed of the internet depends on the speed of the connection it receives and the speed of the Internet Service provider. Internet can be accessed by a variety of devices such as personal computers, laptops, tablets, mobile phones, datacards, and game consoles etc. Cellular routers allows internet to be connected through wirelessly. Internet presents all the knowledge that you wanted to get at your fingertips with the touch of a button. The use of internet is transforming the world into a much smaller place than ever before.