Domain Names

A domain name is a unique Internet address designed to represent a Web site. The domain name server (DNS) was developed to translate between the numeric IP (Internet Protocol) address used by the computer and the less technical name identifier that users can understand. For example, the numeric IP address 193.231.72.31 might be the address of an organization called Kroger, Inc.

All Web access traffic and Web IP addresses operate at the Internet's TCP/IP layer. This layer is like a postal service that offers a set of rules called protocols for delivering messages between and among networks. This is how it works: Suppose you have a computer attached to the Internet via an ISP and you're assigned a unique physical address, called an IP (Internet Protocol) address. To send a message to another computer on the Internet, four steps are involved
1. The sending PC has a unique IP address that takes the form xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx, where each set of xxx's is between 0 and 255.

2. TCP breaks the message into specific bits called packets for easy transmission and handling. Each packet has the sender's IP address so it won't get lost in transit.

3. The IP packets are sent to their destination via a router that reads the destination address and sends it along the fastest available route. Like a traffic officer at an intersection after a football game, the router feeds traffic via several, routes to minimize congestion and keep things moving. The sending computer does not have control over the route the message takes. It is up to the router to look over the total volume and available routes and make an intelligent decision on the most optimum path.

4.On the receiving end, TCP checks to make sure all packets are assembled correctly to present the message intact.

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