What Happens When You Press Send? A Look At How Data Travels The Internet

Have you ever been curious about what happens when you press the send button on your smartphone, laptop or desktop? In this blog, we'll see your data's complex journey through the internet maze to reach the other side. From packets to routers and networks, let's see how it works.

What is Data Transfer?

Data transfer between your computer (Client) and the server (Server). When you click on a website's link, your computer sends a message using the Internet Protocol (IP) to a server. These messages are broken into smaller pieces of data called packets. Each packet contains information about where it came from and where it needs to go. These packets are then sent through a series of interconnected networks, called routers until they reach their destination. Once the packets reach the server, the server responds with the requested website's information.

How it Works

Data travels across the Internet in various ways, depending on the type of data and the protocols used. For example,

• Emails are typically sent using the Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP), which defines how the messages are formatted and transmitted between servers. 
• Web pages are usually transferred using the Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP), which specifies how the web browser requests and receives data from the web server.

When you request a web page, your computer contacts the server that houses the desired information through the shortest path available. It then sends a request for that data, and the server responds with the requested data. This data is routed back to your computer through the same path. Along this path, the data passes through several intermediate servers that help route it to its destination.

The path the data takes from its origin to its destination is known as a "data pathway" or "internet backbone". This pathway consists of interconnected networks carrying data to the next network. The Internet backbone comprises many types of networks, including 

• Fibre optic cables
• Copper wires
• Satellite
• Microwave towers

Data can take many different routes to its destination. The exact route often depends on factors such as,

• Amount of traffic 
• Network conditions

When you send an email or request a web page, your computer automatically selects the best route based on these conditions. 

How are Packets of Data Encrypted and Sent?

When you send data over the Internet, it is broken into small packets. Each packet is encrypted before it is sent. Packets are typically encrypted using public key cryptography before they are sent over the network. The process of encrypting packets of data is called packet encryption.

Each packet contains two parts:

• The Header: It includes information about the source and destination of the packet, as well as other control information. 
• The Payload: It is the actual data being sent. When a packet is created, it is given a unique identifier to be tracked as it moves through the network.

Network Protocols and Their Impact on Data Transfer

The most common protocol used on the Internet is TCP/IP (Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol). This protocol was designed specifically for use on the Internet. It allows devices from all over the world to communicate with each other.

TCP/IP consists of four main layers:

• The link layer 
• The internet layer 
• The transport layer 
• The application layer

Each layer has its own set of rules or protocols that must be followed for data to be transferred correctly.

Common Types of Data Transfer Protocols 

SMTP

Email works by using the Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP) to send messages between servers. When you send an email, your computer contacts the server hosting your email account and sends the message. The server then contacts the recipient's server and passes on the message.

FTP

File Transfer Protocol (FTP) is commonly used to transfer large files such as images or videos. FTP works by connecting to a server and transferring files between computers.

HTTP

Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) is another way to send data. Most websites use it to transfer information between servers and browsers.

Conclusion

The way data travels the Internet is an incredibly complex but fascinating process. It shows how interconnected we all are, and it's amazing that something as simple as pressing "send" can trigger a cascade of events that will eventually deliver our message to its intended recipient. If you want to learn all the ins and outs of this work, check out the blogs courses on Skill-Lync. We provide courses like Post Graduate Program in Full Stack Web Development and learn how to keep your data safe with Foundations of Cybersecurity. Our friends over at Crio.do offer courses on Full Stack Development. With our hands-on, project-based learning approach, we ensure that students understand the most complex of concepts. So what are you looking for? Start your learning journey today with Skill-Lync!