Understanding the Backbone of the Internet: IP Addresses, Domain Names, and Routing

Ever wondered what actually happens when you type google.com into your browser and hit enter? Let’s peel back the curtain and see how the internet really works. We’ll break it down using something we all understand: mobile phones, contacts, and messages. Just like your phone knows how to send a message to "Mom" without you memorizing her number, the internet does something similar behind the scenes.

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Step 1: Domain Names are Like Contact Names

When you want to open a website like google.com, you're using a domain name — something easy to remember.

Think of it like your phone's contact list:

• You tap on "Hitesh" to call him

• But your phone actually uses his phone number to connect the call

Same idea online:

• You type google.com

• Your computer needs the IP address (like 142.250.183.110) to actually talk to Google's servers

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Step 2: DNS Lookup = Phonebook Search

Your computer doesn’t store every domain name and IP address by default. So it asks a special server called a DNS server (Domain Name System), like flipping through a phonebook.

What happens:

• Your PC sends a request to a DNS server: “Hey, what’s the IP for google.com?”

• DNS replies: “It’s 142.250.183.110”

(Sometimes your computer or browser already remembers the IP from earlier — this is called caching.)

Now your computer knows where to send the request.

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Step 3: Routing = Delivery Path

Once your PC knows the IP, it sends out a request through routers — like delivery checkpoints.

Imagine sending a letter:

• You drop it off at your local post office

• It goes through regional centres

• It finally arrives at its destination

Same idea here:

• Your PC sends a data packet

• It goes through multiple routers and network switches

• Eventually, it reaches Google's server

Each router helps move your request closer to the final server, using the IP address like a postal address.

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Step 4: Response = Receiving the Data

Once Google's server gets your request ("Show me the homepage"), it responds with the HTML, images, CSS, etc.

This response travels back through a similar route to your computer, where your browser displays the website.

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📚 Illustration of a Web Request (Step-by-Step)

1. You type google.com into your browser

2. DNS lookup: Your computer asks a DNS server for the IP

3. Gets IP back: e.g., 142.250.183.110

4. Routing: Data packet travels through routers to Google's server

5. Server responds with data (HTML, images, etc.)

6. Browser renders the page so you can see it

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Real World Analogy (Recap)

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Final Thoughts

The internet is surprisingly similar to systems we already use in daily life. DNS is your contact list, IPs are phone numbers, and routing is like your message hopping through the network to reach someone.

Next time your browser takes a moment to load a page, remember the quick dance it performs behind the scenes to make that happen.

Want to explore more? Try looking up your IP or a DNS record using https://whatismyipaddress.com or https://dnschecker.org.