Really what is the internet?
The internet is a simple term referring to a vast network of computers that communicate with each other by a common set of standard communications protocols.
Each device on this network has a unique identifier (Machine Access Code also know as the MAC address). All end points on the internet are identified by up to 12 numeric digits made up of four groups of three in the format xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx. This is called the Uniform Resource Locator (URL).
When combined with the Uniform Resource Locator (URL) one device with a unique MAC address can access another at it’s associated URL and send information to it. The response to the originating device’s MAC address (via it’s associated unique URL) creates a two way data exchange between the devices (a conversation if you will).
A word with an associated 3 character extension (called a domain name) can be associated with a URL so you don’t need to know the actual URL number, just the word. The three letter extension is used to identify the type of domain (i.e., .com – commercial, .org – organization, .ca – Canadian, etc)
Note: This is changing and the extensions are becoming unrestricted in length and more informational (e.g., .Deloitte) , this is a change to domain names you will see introduced over time.
What about the world wide web (www)
In addition to the three letter extension at the end of a domain name (suffix) there can be a descriptive prefix called a sub-domain in front. This would be formatted for example as xxxxx.domain.com. This sub-domain allows for access to a number of actual websites associated with the same main domain’s URL but differentiated in location within the main domain URL (actual web address) by the prefix.
In the beginning public internet domain names used the prefix www. (world wide web). Overtime the need to use www. sub-domain in front of your public website on the internet has generally been dropped.
Why post about the internet today?
It started with this picture a colleague shared with me this morning. It really resonated for me as my current career is very much focused on the “web” (and his too) and it just resonated with me. Hence I was prompted to do a short post on the background basics of the convoluted web we call the internet.
