.net

Posted by dvb at 4/28/2008 12:47:00 PM and is filed under Nerd,Web
People use it all the time, but a lot of people don’t actually know how the Internet works.
 

I’m going to reveal it’s secrets and try to make it as simple as possible.

The Internet would be much simpler and faster if people could just remember numbers.  If you type 72.14.253.104 into your web browser address bar, Google pops up.  IP addresses work just like phone numbers, the request is routed to the 72 server, which is routed to the 72.14 server, which is then routed to the 72.14.253 server, etc, until the site is found.  Dead simple.

Companies lease blocks of IP addresses, just like phone companies lease blocks of phone numbers.  In order to hit these web sites, these companies host DNS (Domain Name System) servers.  These are servers that literally host text files, very similar to a phone book.  There will be an entry in a DNS server somewhere that looks as follows:

google.com  72.14.253.104
 

For a lot of people, this is nothing new and so far, you haven’t learned anything from me.  I hope you are still reading, cause I’m about to blow your mind.

The proper way to write a URL is as follows:

http://www.google.com.

I put that period after .com on purpose.  Try it when you type in an address.  It works.  URL’s are read by computers in reverse order. There is actually a place in the world known as The Dot.  It is considered the ‘top’ of the Internet.

When you type in a URL into your address bar, it automatically adds the DOT to the end of what you type, and then contacts the dot.

The dot knows the IP address of all the top level domains name servers  (.com, .net, .org, biz, .ca, etc).  That’s why there’s only a specific few of these, and it’s actually a big deal with a new one gets added.


In our http://www.google.com. example, the Dot has no idea where google is, but it knows where the .COM server is.  It contacts the .COM server and passes the routing onto it.
The.COM server knows where google is, but knows nothing about the "http://www." part of it.  Google does though.  It knows that you’re using HTTP as your transfer protocol, and knows that you’re requesting it’s internal server that it has designated www.  
It sends you the requested data, the page that it has setup named WWW, and it sends it to you using hyper text transfer protocol.
If you read this you have just become more nerdy.  Congratulations.

 Digg 

 

What did you think of this article?




Trackbacks
Trackback specific URL for this entry
  • No trackbacks exist for this entry.
Comments
Display comments as (Linear | Threaded)

  • 4/28/2008 1:59:13 PM Davin wrote:
    I did not know about the dot, but did you know that the actual correct way to type in a URL is with a "/" at the end, unless you are requesting a specific file at the given directory.

    Each time you request "http://www.google.com", it gives you "http://www.google.com/". How does this happen? Webservers will take a request for a directory that doesn't have a slash at the end and re-write it to include the slash, and that's what you get back. So in a sense you are doubling your page requests by not including the slash and slowing down the server and ultimately the response time you get. Not important for most people but good practice when linking to other sites.

    NERD!
    Reply to this
    1. 4/28/2008 2:33:27 PM dvb wrote:
      Adding a slash to hyperlinks is a great tip!  Thank you!!

      Reply to this
  • 4/28/2008 2:13:46 PM Davin wrote:
    The response code issued from an Apache or IIS server for a link without a slash at the end (if it's a directory) is a 301 with the "/" added in the header. So it is an actual redirect. This means that if you have an internet connection with some noticeable latency, you can actually HALF your initial response time by using the slash at the end.

    Errr I really added the slash to the end of your post, didn't I?
    Reply to this
    1. 4/28/2008 2:26:10 PM dvb wrote:
      WE ARE NERDS!  HIGH FIVE!!!!

      Reply to this
  • 4/28/2008 2:16:42 PM Graham wrote:
    Interesting, I did not know about the "." part. You explain the internets quite well. You should try explaining how and why the restriction of 256 in IPs addresses basically means that in the next couple of years there will no longer be any free/open IP addresses for new computers. At least, not until they adopt a new IP standard, which seems to be taking as long for them to do as it's taking the TV companies to adopt digital cable.
    Reply to this
    1. 4/28/2008 2:25:31 PM dvb wrote:
      I would be happy to explain how IP addresses work.  I will do it in an upcoming entry.  If I do that, I'd be one step away from explaining the mysteries of... dun dun dunnnn the SUBNET MASK... OooO

      Glad you like the new design!

      Reply to this
  • 4/28/2008 2:18:15 PM Graham wrote:
    PS. I like the new site design.
    Reply to this
  • 4/30/2008 9:43:40 PM amy wrote:
    mmm deliciously nerdy! i didn't know about the dot but i'm glad i do now.
    Reply to this
Leave a comment

 Enter the above security code (required)

 Name (required)

 Email (will not be published) (required)

 Website

Your comment is 0 characters limited to 3000 characters.