Article explaining how access to Internet works

[polomora]

Hello,

I've been looking for an article that explains from "first principles" what happens when a computer on a home LAN accesses a website. This for a colleague who wants to learn more about this. This would ideally include:
- home network configuration using DHCP
- using ARP to access the home LAN gateway
- DNS lookups
- NAT translation
- HTTP interactions

Does such a thing exist? I know instinctively how it works, but I would like a better structured explanation.

Many thanks,
Paul

 

[pete y testing]

sounds like someones homework to me , perhaps a short course at the local trade school would help as thats a pretty dam big area to cover with protocols , layers , tcp etc etc and im pretty sure no one article will cover it

 

[Cloud200]

From least informed target audience to most in-depth:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/0470275197/?tag=snbforums-20
http://www.amazon.com/dp/0071848223/?tag=snbforums-20
http://www.amazon.com/dp/0071848274/?tag=snbforums-20
http://www.amazon.com/dp/1449387861/?tag=snbforums-20

The first few chapters of each book deals with the principles you requested.


For online articles you will have to research yourself to get from a-z.
Some primers;
http://www.smallnetbuilder.com/basics/lanwan-basics
http://www.smallnetbuilder.com/lanwan/lanwan-howto
https://www.dd-wrt.com/wiki/index.php/Networking_101_for_Dummies
http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/local-area-network-wi-fi-wireless,3020.html

Some good videos;

 

[BeachBum]

Networking Crash Course
(its about networking in general, not pfSense)

 

[Nullity]

An Introduction to Computer Networks

 

[BeachBum]

An Introduction to Computer Networks

Nice! Thanks. I have some reading to do...

 

[polomora]

Networking Crash Course
(its about networking in general, not pfSense)

Many thanks BeachBum, this interactive explanation is exactly what I was looking for.