THE EVOLUTION OF THE INTERNET

THE EVOLUTION OF THE INTERNET

Introduction

‘’The internet is becoming a town square for the global village of tomorrow’’. These were Bill Gates’s words when he was trying to tell the future of the internet. The internet has grown over the years, becoming the biggest information powerhouse in the world. Anything one may ask is likely to be found on the internet. It covers different aspects of life, from life to economy to art and lifestyle. It is under constant evolution due to the technological development and improvement of technological gadgets. The emergence of the 5G network has been in a mega leap for humanity in the techno world. It has opened doors to the unimaginable from robotics surgery to teleconferencing from your bed in the morning.

Background and development of the Internet.

The above is a timeline of the development of the internet.

The emergence of the internet can be dated back to 1962. JCR Licklider wrote several memos on the concept of Galactic network. It involved a worldwide interconnection of computers from which access to data would be more comfortable. The internet was originally ARPANET ( Advanced Research Projects Agency Network), based on the concept of numerous independent framework of data access globally. It, however, was to include satellite connection, radio networks, ground-based networks, and other related networks. The current internet is an embodiment of an open architectural network. It is where any specific structural network does not dictate individual connection, but rather one can connect to the internet and interwork with other networks on what is called internetworking architecture. In the open architecture network, one may be in a separate design with a separate interface offered to different users worldwide

PIoneered by Kahn, THe open architecture network was part of packet radio program labeled ‘’interneting’ at the time. It, however, stood on its own over time. Kahn came up with a new protocol that was compatible with the open architectural network known as Transmission Control Network (TCN/IP)

Kahn argued on the fact ha every network should be independent, and if communication didn’t arrive at its destination, it would be redirected from the source. He also wanted to eradicate global control on the network and use routers or getaway. This way, no information would be retained on the flow of packets passing through. It is from backgrounds like this that the online infrastructure evolved to what it is and continues to grow.

Although Kahn’s achievement was a milestone in the online world, it still faced problems. Some of the issues have been evolving with technology and are, therefore, very difficult to handle issues such as hacking and virus attacks, Network coverage on different places in the world and and also hardware malfunctions are some of the problems facing

Problems facing IP and MAC addresses and solution

The evolution saw the emergence of IP and MAC addresses. Initially, sending of data packages was a problem due to the need for physical proximity. The devices exchanging data needed to be within a range of each other. This, however, was solved through the IP and MAC addresses that complement each other. The IP Address enables one to access data from a device anywhere on the globe. IT broke the problem of physical proximity and has since then been a frequent basis for sharing of data globally. MAC Address, on the other hand, handles physical connection from device to device. It allows one to access devices in a home setting. It also an essential aspect of networking needed fr protocol such as TCP/IP to work correctly.

Literature Review

The internet continues to evolve gradually with the coming of new ideas and theories such as 5G

The concept of MAC and IP addresses have been an area to touch on in the issue of internet evolution. While the two are essential cornerstones of the internet connection, the MAC does not go beyond your locale. While the two addresses are traceable back to our computers, MAC Addresses have been used to direct packets from one device to the other, a concept that mentions that the data ill only land on the same device along the way. The IP and MAC addresses have been there on every step of the internet evolution and are essential in their unique style. IP Address enables one to access websites and information packages. It, therefore, breaks the physical barrier that one has to be somewhere to access the information. This, however, is possible by the use of router computers. MAC Address, on the other hand, enables the physical contact of devices to pass information from one device to another. These two addresses complement each other based on physical location.

Discussion

There has been a concern on the online platform about the IP addresses. The issue of malware and computer virus has been a threat that has haunted many as data is shared. Some networks receive viruses on the same system with the capability to manipulate and tamper with your data. However, there are ways of securing  IP addresses to avoid technological malpractices such as hacking and theft of data. This includes the use of firewalls that keep out unauthorized personnel from a personal network. This way, a virus will only attack the gadget only if the user allows it. However, most PC users do not know what a virus looks like. This proves hard do determine what goes into and what does not. Although the computer scientist will keep coming up with new anti-viruses and new methods to curb the issue of data theft and online virus attacks, malware and viruses, like their creator, will still evolve to fit the internet world. The technological advancement cannot eliminate the issue of virus attacks. They can, however, advise internet users not to click on to links they don’t understand or download data from untrustworthy sites. This way, the level of cyber-attacks will reduce.

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Merits and demerits

While distance and physical proximity were the main problems encountered by the internet, the IP Address and MAC address have bridged the gap, with the two being complementary to each other. The two addresses can, however, be privatized through the purchase of a private network, which will mean that no computer or device can locate the IP address anywhere without authorization. While the idea of a closed system is excellent and encourages data security, it becomes difficult to monitor the online activities of a given computer. This issue has promoted the idea of cybercrime without one being identified, and therefore, hackers get away without being caught. While an IP address can be used to mask cyber-crimes through the design of private networks, MAC addresses cannot be used to do anything good or bad. While one may be in knowledge of your MAC address, there is nothing they can do with it apart from being able to track your location. Another disadvantage o the IP address is the issue of cost. Either way, if one is using a public Ip address, they will have to invest in the security of the PC and the data it contains. Many users will prefer to purchase anti-viruses to keep out malware. Big companies, however, incur the cost of setting up hardware firewalls that require maintenance from time to time.  One may also prefer a private IP address to a public one, which, on a monetary basis, is quite costly. So either way, one will incur a cost.  MAC addresses need to be changed from time to time. This is essential to avoid random connection every time someone comes into the system. This is common mostly in organizations, and it keeps out external devices that are not for the benefit of the company. The other disadvantage is if you configure your DHCP server always to assign a specific IP to a particular device, you couldn’t do that if a device has a continually changing MAC address.

The thing with MAC addresses is they are not unique, but the identifiers contain information about the device.

These are some of the advantages and disadvantages of the use of IP addresses and MAC addresses.

Conclusion

The internet has been a significant fabric for the online platform. It holds together and provides a global virtual space for the sharing of data. With its evolution, however, came other threats of cybercrime and data theft. The computer researchers have come up with new methods to curb these issues. The use of anti-virus software and Virtual private network. These platforms block any intrusion of online personal virtual space and prevent theft of data. The VPN works in the same way as the private IP addresses, and therefore one can operate the internet without being traced

The future of the internet is even brighter with the emergence of the 5G network, which enables one to perform activities and send data from one part of the globe to another. This network developed in 2019 will assist in the different sectors and aspects of life as many people are currently dependent on the internet to run the daily lies Fro shopping to driving to surgery and medical practices.

This network has limitations that make it incompatible to the current events in the techno world. The internet, as we know it, is extensive, ranging from social media to businesses to education centers online and art. Although the speed of the internet is of the essence, other aspects should also be considered, such as cost and distance. Many will argue that 5G technology is a bit too soon, but research is underway to stabilize and make it global. The fact that it requires a router is also a limitation, which in time will be solved by the great minds of science.

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