IP addresses
An IP address identifies a device or network interface so data can be directed to the right destination.
Networking, made clear
How does a network move information?
A computer network is a set of connected devices that exchange data using shared rules. Here is what happens, in simplified form, when you open a secure website.
A simplified path across a network
- 01Your device
- 02Router
- 03Networks
- 04Web server
Data travels in packets. Each router forwards them toward their destination.
Devices connected by rules.
Your phone, laptop, router, and a website's server can communicate because they follow common protocols. Those rules describe how to address data, move it between networks, detect errors, and protect private information.
The building blocks
Four ideas help make the journey work.
They work together, but each solves a different part of getting information to the right place.
DNS
Domain Name System looks up the IP address associated with a domain name, often using cached answers first.
Packets and routing
Data is split into packets. Routers use destination information to forward packets across interconnected networks.
Protocols
Protocols such as IP, TCP, UDP, and HTTP define how devices format, transport, and interpret information.
Quick glossary
Similar-sounding terms, different jobs.
A few common terms make it easier to follow what happens on a network.
- LAN / WAN
- A local area network connects devices in a limited area. A wide area network connects networks over larger distances; the internet links many networks together.
- Switch / router
- A switch forwards Ethernet frames within a local network, typically using MAC addresses. A router forwards IP packets between networks.
- IP address
- A logical network-layer address used to identify a destination and route packets between networks.
- MAC address
- A link-layer identifier used to deliver Ethernet frames on a local network segment. It is not the internet-wide address for a device.
- DNS
- The Domain Name System lets devices look up records for a domain, commonly finding an IP address for a website name.
- TCP / UDP
- TCP provides reliable, ordered data delivery. UDP sends datagrams without built-in delivery guarantees; protocols such as QUIC add features above UDP.
A visit to a secure website
From a domain name to a page on your screen.
The precise details vary by device, network, and protocol. This is a practical overview of a common HTTPS visit.
Find the server
Your browser checks for a cached DNS answer. If needed, a DNS resolver looks up the domain and returns an IP address.
Set up a connection
The browser connects to the server. HTTPS uses TLS to authenticate the server and encrypt traffic. The transport may use TCP or QUIC.
Send the request
The browser sends an HTTP request. Network layers package the data with information needed for delivery across local and wider networks.
Forward the packets
Routers forward packets toward the destination IP. Different packets may take different routes before they reach the server.
Return and render
The server sends a response. Your device receives the data, checks and reassembles it as needed, and the browser renders the page.
Worth knowing: TCP provides reliable, ordered delivery. HTTP/3 uses QUIC over UDP, with TLS integrated into QUIC. The network adapts to which protocols both sides support.
Networking is also a security boundary.
Encrypt traffic
TLS helps keep data private and helps verify the server during HTTPS connections.
Filter access
Firewalls apply rules to allow or block traffic between systems and networks.
Limit exposure
Network segmentation separates systems so access can be limited to what is needed.
Keep visibility
Monitoring helps teams understand normal activity and investigate unusual events.
Understand the connections your business depends on.
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