Internet 101

Question 1

Fundamental definition of the internet

Answer 1

Interconnected computers that follow protocols to ensure smooth data transfer; a network of networks

Question 2

Who/Why/When for building the Internet?

Answer 2

Department of Defense in the 1960s as a distributed communications network that could withstand a nuclear war

Question 3

IP

Answer 3

Internet Protocol - concerned with data origin and destination

Question 4

TCP

Answer 4

Transmission Control Protocol - preserves the data on the journey from origin to destination

Question 5

HTTP

Answer 5

Hyper Text transfer protocol - moving data between the client (web browser) and server (website)

Question 6

Packet

Answer 6

The smallest unit of data is transferred across networks; contains meta data on the IP addresses and re-assembly directions

Question 7

Router

Answer 7

Tells packets where to go

Question 8

IP Address

Answer 8

Unique identifier for a device within a network, typically a series of 4 numbers separated by periods

Question 9

Domain Name

Answer 9

Human-readable identifier for a website

Question 10

Domain Name Server

Answer 10

Translates domain name to an IP address

Question 11

SSL

Answer 11

Secure Sockets Layer - security standard for packet transmission

Question 12

TLS

Answer 12

Transport Layer Security - security standard for packet transmission

Question 13

UDP

Answer 13

User Datagram Protocol, reliable and efficient packet transmission on the journey - similar to TCP

Question 14

HTTPS

Answer 14

Leverages the SSL/TLS protocols for data transfer

Question 15

Ports

Answer 15

Application or service ID’s that are accessible on target IP server

Question 16

Socket

Answer 16

A combination of IP and port number creating a unique endpoint for the client to request

Question 17

Connections

Answer 17

Two sockets that agree to communicate; negotiates the segment size and window size

Question 18

Connections - Segmentation

Answer 18

The sender breaks down data into segments (or packets) that fit within the network’s MTU (Maximum Transmission Unit) to avoid fragmentation. These segments must also adhere to the receiver’s window size, which dictates the maximum number of segments that can be sent without waiting for acknowledgment from the receiver.

Question 19

Connections - Window Size

Answer 19

The maximum number of packets (aka segments); each less than the network’s MTU (Maximum Transmission Unit), that the receiver will accept without granting permission/giving acknowledgment.

Question 20

Security - SSL/TLS Certificates

Answer 20

Secure Socket Layer and Transport Layer Security Certificates are essentially ID’s granted to both server and client from a Certificate Authority to prove they are talking to the right, trusted machines

Question 21

Security - Handshake

Answer 21

Client and Server negotiate encryption and security standards for further communications

Question 22

Latency

Answer 22

Time required for data to travel point to point (aka ping time). Sometimes referred to as RTT (round trip time). Influential factors: physical distance, routing (path), and network traffic

Question 23

Bandwidth

Answer 23

Max amount of data that travels through your network per second; metaphor # of lanes on a highway, # of cars you can fit in a single instant

Question 24

Internet Speed

Answer 24

How fast data moves to/from your device; influenced by the bandwidth and latency