Are you online? of course, you are! that's how you can read this article!

How many of you still think about whether or not you are "online"? we all expect our devices, mobile phones, tablets, and computer to always be connected to the internet.

We use this network to interact with our friends, shop online, share pictures and experiences and learn. The internet has become such a part of our life that we almost take it for granted.

This article is for Computer Networks students or anyone, at any level of education who wants to understand the complexities between me & you to be able to connect to the internet.

At the end of this article, you should be able to understand :

• Who owns the internet?

• What are Local Networks?

• What are the Different network connections?

Let's get started

1. Who owns the internet?

The internet is not owned by any individual or group. The internet is a worldwide collection of interconnected networks, cooperating to exchange information using common standards.

Internet users can exchange information through the following medium:

• Wireless transmission

• Wires and fibre -optic cables

• Satellite links

Everything that you access online is located somewhere on the global internet. for example, Multiplayer games, online courses, and social media sites

1. Local Networks

Local networks can range from simple networks consisting of two computers to networks connecting hundreds of thousands of devices.

Large networks, mainly used in business, can be used to advertise and sell products, order supplies, and communicate with customers. Small networks, mainly used in small offices or homes, can let you share resources such as Printers, documents, Pictures and music.

The internet is considered a "Network of networks" because it is made of thousands of local networks that are connected.

Example of different networks are:

I.Small home networks

Small home networks connect a few computers to the internet.

II.Small Office and Home Office network(SOHO)

The SOHO network allows computers in a home office to connect to shared resources.

III.Medium to Large networks

These are networks used by schools and corporations, and they can have many locations with hundreds or thousands of interconnected hosts.

1. Different Network Connections

The internet not only connects desktop and laptop computers but also connects devices all around that you may interact with daily. These devices include:

• Mobile device

• Home device, such as:

Smart tv

• Appliances such as:

Smart refrigerator

Smart Oven

• Other connected devices such as smart cars, medical devices, sensors,...

Smart cars

Generally, communication over a network is usually more efficient and less expensive than traditional forms of communication, such as regular mail or long-distance calls.

Whether you are a software engineer, designer, or any tech-related field-person, knowing just what happens under the hood in communication in a connected world can give you confidence and increase your productivity, since you know what's does what, and how you can handle different internet-related issues(bugs).

Now that you've made it to the end of this article, hope you learnt something new!! comment your thoughts in the comment section