Chapter 15 / 15.7 / 15.7.1

15.7.1 A Network Of Networks

Unlike a conventional communication network operated by a single organization, the Internet is a network of networks. It consists of many independently managed networks belonging to Internet Service Providers (ISPs), governments, universities, businesses, and private organizations.

Each organization manages its own internal network while exchanging traffic with neighboring networks through routers using common Internet protocols. This distributed architecture allows the Internet to continue expanding without requiring centralized control.