#networks

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What changed when news could travel faster than transport

Electric telegraph networks in the nineteenth century allowed messages to cross connected distances far faster than a person or ship could carry them. This separated the speed of information from the speed of physical transport. News organisations, governments and businesses reorganised around that new possibility.

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networks

How optical fibre guides light around a route

Optical fibre carries information using light guided through a thin core surrounded by cladding. The core and cladding have different refractive indices, helping confine suitable light paths inside the fibre. A receiver detects the transmitted signal and converts it back into electrical information.

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wifi

Why a Wi-Fi connection is not the same as internet access

Wi-Fi connects devices over a local wireless network using radio signals. The access point may connect that network to the internet, but the two links are separate. Your phone can therefore show a strong Wi-Fi signal while websites fail because the network's connection to the wider internet is unavailable.

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internet

How DNS connects a domain name to network information

DNS lets software look up information associated with a domain name, including the IP addresses used to reach services. A resolver finds an answer through a hierarchy of servers or from a cached result. The domain is a convenient name, while the returned address helps the connection reach its destination.

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