HippoCampus
Technology & ComputingGuidedBeginner10 chapters

How the internet actually works

HippoCampus
· starter course
What actually happens when I load a website? Explain Wi-Fi, IP addresses, DNS, routers, TCP, HTTPS and data centres by following one request from my laptop and back.

What you'll learn

10 chapters
  1. 1

    The Big Picture: What Happens When You Load a Website

    • Describe the main stages of loading a website in simple order
    • Identify the major systems involved between a laptop and a web server
    • Build a mental model of a request going out and a response coming back
  2. 2

    Your Device on the Local Network: Laptop, Wi-Fi, and Home Router

    • Explain how a laptop first connects to a local network
    • Describe the basic role of Wi-Fi in getting data off the device
    • Explain what the home router does on the local network
  3. 3

    Addresses on Networks: IP Addresses and Private vs Public Identity

    • Define what an IP address is in beginner-friendly terms
    • Distinguish between a device's local identity and its internet-facing identity
    • Explain why addresses are needed to deliver data to the right place
  4. 4

    Names to Numbers: DNS Finds the Server

    • Explain why DNS exists
    • Describe the basic path from a domain name to an IP address
    • Show how DNS fits into the timeline of loading a website
  5. 5

    Leaving Home: Routers and the Path Across the Internet

    • Explain how data moves from one network to another
    • Describe the role of routers beyond the home
    • Build a simple understanding of hop-by-hop forwarding
  6. 6

    Making a Reliable Conversation: TCP and Ports

    • Explain why websites need reliable delivery
    • Describe TCP as a way to create an ordered, dependable connection
    • Introduce ports as a way to reach the right service on a machine
  7. 7

    Keeping It Private: HTTPS, TLS, and Trust

    • Explain what HTTPS adds beyond plain HTTP
    • Describe encryption in simple practical terms
    • Explain the beginner-level purpose of certificates and trust
  8. 8

    At the Destination: Servers and Data Centres

    • Describe where websites actually run
    • Explain what a server does when it receives a request
    • Introduce data centres as physical places full of networked machines
  9. 9

    The Return Trip: Responses, Webpage Files, and Rendering in the Browser

    • Explain how the server's response gets back to the laptop
    • Identify the main kinds of files a browser receives
    • Describe how the browser turns returned data into a visible webpage
  10. 10

    Putting It All Together: One Complete Website Load from Start to Finish

    • Retell the full journey of a website request in correct order
    • Connect the roles of Wi-Fi, DNS, routers, TCP, HTTPS, and servers
    • Use the end-to-end model to explain simple real-world problems

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