Internet Technology
What is internet technology? Internet technology has revolutionized the way information is transmitted and received worldwide and has launched humanity into the digital age with an ever relying dependence on this infrastructure. The technology that formed the backbone of the internet we know today was started in the 1950s as a way to transfer data quickly which was used primarily by the military and scientific communities. It wasn’t until 1982 that the first Internet Protocol Suite (TCP/IP) became the standard which allowed a much larger usage potential for individuals who are not as tech savvy.
To many the internet is a “black box” which means that the way it works eludes most people however they are familiar with the concept of it. The internet is a series of networked systems which transmit data in a binary language which uses a system of 0s and 1s similar to the morse code to transmit information. Binary language although relatively simple in concept is actually a complex system which we rely on today to receive information, news, media and entertainment in the digital age.
Types of Internet Connections
PCI Modem – Analog Dial Up Connection (56k)
The first to hit the market, analog or dial up connections are what many of us remember using when first connecting to the internet. Yes that horrible sound of beeps and blips as your computer connected through the telephone network to the internet while disallowing phone calls on the same connection. It’s hard to image being able to put up with those inconveniences now in the age of wi-fi and 4g however at the time we had no other alternative.
DSL
This connect is characterized as being “always on” and uses a system of two copper wires which connect to a telephone line allowing its use in conjunction with your phone without the hassle of occupying the line. This acronym stands for Digital Subscriber Line and provides additional speed advantages over a 56k connection.
Cable
Cable internet connections are the most common used today and can be found in two forms, coaxial cable lines and fiber optics. Coaxial cable is what is commonly used in cable television and is an efficient method of data communication. This consists of a copper wire layered in insulation, then by a copper mesh followed by another layer of outer insulation. The inner copper wire actually serves to transmit the data through the line while the outer copper mesh works to ground the connection.
Fiber Optic
Fiber optic lines are of thin optical material which can transmit data through a system of lights instead of standard methods. The interior portion of the wire is reflective and designed to bounce light photons in the desired direction of travel between networks. This works by sending pulses of light down the fiber optical cables to transmit binary language to the systems connected to the network. Although this is one of the highest speed internet technologies available today, its use is limited due to the lack of infrastructure supporting these lines currently. In first world nations fiber optic lines are expected to replace standard cable lines in our near future however this is still an ongoing process.
Wireless Internet Connections – WIFI
Wireless internet technology uses radio signals to transmit data to devices on a system that supports WIFI connection access. This is common today in cell phones, smart phones, laptops, tablet devices and many other portable devices which connect to the internet. WIFI is efficient for portability since the concept of mobile devices is the emphasis on mobility, which is only hindered by needing a cord to connect to the internet.
Satellite – IoS
Internet over Satellite or IoS is a system which is not as widely used in the private sector but is used for scientific and military purposes. This is one of the technologies used by news media corporations who often travel to remote regions of the world to transmit a story to their nation of origin. There is a delay in the data transmission relay since the signal must first be beamed from the source to the satellite then back down to the receiving source. Weather factors have also been attributed to blocking connections in some cases however this is a very reliable method of internet when traveling to areas that do not have extensive infrastructure for radio or cable internet technologies.