Changes

Now that you're connected, let's discuss what happens when you request to open a particular website and how this site then delivers back to your computer. Numerous protocols and technical standards govern how the Internet and all of its users locate and communicate with each other. The most important of which we will discuss has to do with Internet addressing. Because everyone on the Internet adheres to these, you are able to open webiste.com and send an email from your computer to a friend's mobile phone in another country.

Internet routing is possible because every computer is uniquely identified on the network by what is known as an IP address. These addresses look like 83.169.39.231 and are the building blocks of Internet addressing. Whenever you want to open a website from your computer, the Internet needs to know your IP address and the IP address of the server the website is hosted on, to make the connection. Important! Your IP address is assigned to you by your local ISP or if you are using mobile Internet, by your telecommunications provider. In most countries ISPs are obligated by law to collect and store traffic data (which IP requested a connection to which IP and when) . This is used primarily for identifying user activity on the Internet at a later date and is the main tool in the hands of Internet police.