ELI5: How does the internet work?

Imagine you want to send a letter to your friend who lives far away. The internet is like a super-fast, super-organized mail system for computers.

Here's how it works:

1. You write a message. In computer language, this is called data. It could be an email, a picture, or even a video!

1. Your computer breaks down the message. Think of it like tearing up your letter into smaller pieces. These pieces are called packets. Each packet has a little label that says:

1. The packets are sent out. Your computer sends the packets to a special computer called a router. The router is like your local post office.

1. Routers send the packets along. Each router looks at the packet's address and figures out the best way to send it closer to its destination. It's like the post office sending your letter to a bigger post office, and then another, until it reaches your friend's town. This network of routers is the internet.

1. The packets arrive at your friend's computer. Your friend's computer receives all the packets.

1. Your friend's computer puts the packets back together. It uses the numbers on the labels to put the packets in the right order and rebuild the original message.

1. Your friend can now read your message!

• Your computer: Your house.
• Packets: Little pieces of a letter.
• Routers: Post offices.
• IP address: Your home address.
• Internet: The global postal system.