Basic Networking 101
Here's a picture of a basic home network
Attachment 53191
Definitions:
Computer - thing that wants to send/receive data (could be an iPad, computer, game system, network printer, etc,)
Router - a sort of "junction box" where all the computers are connected together so they can talk to each other and the outside worla) Wired - in this case, a physical cable attaches the router to the computer
b) Wireless - in this case, a WIFI (or similar) 2-way radio-like signal connects the computer to the router instead of a cable
Note: You may also hear the word Access Point used to describe a wireless router. In reality, there are 2 devices in one box: The Access Point (Wireless Connection part) and the Router same as above)
MODEM - the connection to the "Outside World" . It is one of the connections to the Router that the computers can access (on one side) and also know how to talk to the ISP (on the other side).It is sort of a "translator" between your home network and the ISP.
Internet Service Provider (ISP) - This is the company that you pay to "allow" you to access the Internet. In reality, the ISP is connected to the Internet...not you. For a fee, they will let YOU access the Internet through THEM.
To do this, they need YOU to connect to THEM so they can 1) Measure how much data you are using (kind of like an electric meter) and 2) Make sure you have paid your bill before they let you access the Internet (kind of like how the phone company will shut off your phone at their end if you didn't pay your bill). After your MODEM accesses your ISP, and if your bill is paid, they will then connect that MODEM to their Internet, so you can get data.
OVERVIEW
- Your computer wants to see what is on Ebay today
- It sends a request to the router via the Ethernet connection in your house (either wirelessly or via a cable) to "Go get me the Ebay Page"
- The Router looks at the request and sees that it is for the "Outside world" rather than one of the computers in your house (doesn't really care that it is for ebay...it just wants to know 'THIS NETWORK?' or 'OUTSIDE WORLD?' ). So it passes the request to the MODEM (the thing that connects Your network to the OUTSIDE World) on that particular connection.
- The MODEM sees that it has got a request to send something to the Internet from the router. It takes the request, translates it into something the ISP understands, and sends it to the ISP
- The ISP sees that YOUR Modem is wanting to send something on the internet. It checks to see that your bill is paid, and then takes that request and sends it to the Internet.
- Various other Routers on the internet see to whom the message is addressed. In your case it was Ebay. They they steer the message to Ebay. (This is very similar to mailing a letter and having the various Post Offices steer the letter to your house, based on the street,city, state, and Zipcode).
Hope this helps a bit ....
DISCLAIMER: I understand that there are MANY more details going on, and I COULD have gotten into all of them, but .... my target audience was a guy that needed a basic "What's going on" to get a high-level understanding of what is happening. Thus I used more common analogies that I thought would be more familiar and helpful to him.
If anyone would like to discuss anything in more detail, please start a new thread, so we don't confuse him.