The internet or world wide web is a network of computers all connected by various means, such as cable (fibre optic), satellite link and more. These computers communicate with one another by means of software protocols.
As an illustrative model for this purpose, two distinct elements can be distinguished. Server computers which are responsible for the storage and transmission of data. These are usually very specialised in terms of hardware and software configuration. In contrast to home computers, the vast majority use the linux operating system, renowned for stability, speed and of course the very low cost of ownership.
Domestic computers for the purpose of displaying web pages use a particular type of program called a browser (such as Microsoft Internet Explorer, Firefox, Safari and Opera being the most popular).
There is yet another layer the ISP (Internet Service Provider). When the domestic user connects to the Internet it is done via the ISP. The Service Provider actually provides the link from the home computer to the Internet. These servers allocate usage between many connections, hundreds or probably thousands of users. It is the task of the ISP server to locate and request the information required from a Host Server. The host servers are where the website information is located and can be situated anywhere within the net. The domain name as such is not indicative of where the host is geographically. In turn, the ISP server returns the requested web page to the user.
The sequence of events leading to the viewing of a web page is as follows:
All these events take place seamlessly and usually within a few seconds or less.