Think it through together · A little story
A girl wants to open the school website from home. The robot draws a route along the connections.
Lay out the process
- ComputerJoins the home network
- Home network deviceSends data outward
- Internet provider’s networkForwards it onward
- School serviceReceives the request
Home devices usually join a local network through Ethernet or Wi-Fi, then connect to the internet over a line provided by an internet service provider.
Fiber connections often use an optical network terminal, sometimes called an ONT. Some devices combine several functions. The exact setup varies from home to home.
If a webpage will not open, check the route in sections: Is the local connection down, or is the outside service unavailable?
Your turn to try
A computer can connect to a local printer but cannot open any outside websites. Which part would you check first?
Have you thought it through? Open for an explanation
You could start by checking the connection to the outside network and services such as DNS. A working local connection rules out some problems, but it does not identify one certain cause.
Take away one discovery
Home devices usually join a local network through Ethernet or Wi-Fi, then connect to the internet over a line provided by an internet service provider.
Try covering the diagram above and explaining each step to someone in your family. If one step is hard to explain, go back and look at that card again.