First, I will explain step by step how Wi-Fi or Mobile data works when we request something using our device (Means when we want to use something that is not present in the devices, but we are trying to access it using the Internet) which is connected with any Wi-Fi or network. t
Getting data over Wi-Fi involves a series of steps that allow information to travel from a source (such as a server or another device) to your mobile or PC over a wireless network. Here’s a simplified explanation of how data travels through Wi-Fi:
- Data Source: Data is usually stored on servers, websites, or other devices connected to the internet.
- Data Packetization: The data is broken down into smaller packets. Each packet contains a portion of the original data, along with headers that include routing information, source, destination addresses, and error-checking codes.
- Data Transmission:
- Modulation: The data packets are modulated into radio waves. This process involves changing the characteristics of the radio waves to represent the binary code (0s and 1s) of the data packets.
- Sending Signals: The modulated radio waves are sent from the source device, such as a Wi-Fi router, as electromagnetic signals into the air.
- Wi-Fi Router:
- Signal Transmission: The Wi-Fi router receives the electromagnetic signals and translates them back into data packets.
- Routing: The Wi-Fi router examines the destination address in each packet’s header and determines the best path for the packets to reach their destination.
- Wireless Transmission:
- Radio Frequency Bands: Wi-Fi routers operate on specific radio frequency bands. The 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands are commonly used for Wi-Fi communication.
- Access Points: Routers use access points to transmit and receive signals. Devices will connect to these access points using Wi-Fi antennas.
- Device Connection with Wi-Fi Router:
- Device Scanning: Your mobile or PC scans for available Wi-Fi networks and detects the SSID (Wi-Fi network name) of the router.
- Authentication and Association: Once the SSID is selected, your device establishes a connection to the router through a process of authentication and association. This involves exchanging security credentials (passwords) to ensure secure communication.
- Data Reception and Processing:
- Signal Reception: The data packets from the router are received by your device’s Wi-Fi antenna.
- Demodulation: The radio waves are demodulated to recover the original data packets.
- Data Reassembly: The receiving device (i.e. Your PC or mobile) is responsible for reassembling the received packets back into the original data. This involves organizing the packets in the correct order and using information from the packet headers to ensure accurate reconstruction.
- Application Processing:
- Data Processing: The device’s hardware and software process the received data. This can involve decoding, decompression, decryption, and other necessary operations.
- Application Interaction: The processed data is then presented to you through various applications, such as web browsers, social media apps, or messaging apps.
- User Interaction:
- Display and Interaction: The data is displayed on your mobile or PC screen, and you can interact with it based on the application’s functionality.
Throughout this process, Wi-Fi communication relies on the principles of radio wave propagation, modulation, and signal processing. It allows you to access and utilize data from various sources over a wireless network, providing the convenience of mobility and connectivity.
How Protocols work in data flow between Server to Device
Let’s break down the data transmission process from the server or device to the user using various protocols. We will understand them under the above scenario. I’ll present this in a sequential manner to help you understand the flow of data in real life and at which step which protocol will be used.
- HTTP/HTTPS:
- Protocol: Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) or Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure (HTTPS).
- Role: Your web browser or application uses HTTP/HTTPS to send a request to the server for a specific webpage or resource.
- DNS (Domain Name System):
- Protocol: DNS protocol.
- Role: If the URL you entered in your browser (e.g. www.thecloudops.org) is in human-readable form, DNS translates it into the corresponding IP address that the server understands.
- TCP/IP (Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol):
- Protocols: TCP for reliable data transmission, IP for addressing and routing.
- Role: Your device establishes a TCP connection to the server’s IP address. TCP ensures reliable delivery of data by managing packet ordering, error correction, and flow control.
- HTTP Request:
- Protocol: HTTP/HTTPS.
- Role: Your device sends an HTTP request to the server, specifying the resource you want to access (e.g., a webpage). This request includes the HTTP method (GET, POST, etc.) and headers.
- Server Processing:
- Role: The server processes the request, generates the requested resource (webpage), and prepares the response.
- HTTP Response:
- Protocol: HTTP/HTTPS.
- Role: The server sends an HTTP response back to your device. This response includes the requested resource (HTML content) along with appropriate HTTP status codes and headers.
- TCP/IP:
- Protocols: TCP, IP.
- Role: The response is broken into packets, each with headers. TCP ensures these packets are transmitted reliably.
- Wi-Fi:
- Protocol: 802.11 Wi-Fi standards.
- Role: Your device’s Wi-Fi hardware modulates the TCP packets into radio waves and transmits them over the air to the Wi-Fi router.
- Wi-Fi Router:
- Protocol: Wi-Fi protocols (e.g., 802.11ac).
- Role: The router receives the radio waves, demodulates them back into TCP packets, and routes them within the local network.
- TCP/IP:
- Protocols: TCP, IP.
- Role: The TCP packets are delivered to your device’s Wi-Fi hardware.
- Reassembly and Processing:
- Role: Your device reassembles the TCP packets into the HTTP response. The device’s networking stack processes the response, handling headers, content decoding (if applicable), and SSL/TLS decryption for HTTPS.
- Application Interaction:
- Role: The processed HTML content is handed over to your web browser’s rendering engine for display. The browser interprets the HTML, renders images, executes scripts, and presents the webpage to you.
Throughout this process, different protocols work together to ensure seamless and reliable data transmission from the server to your device. From high-level protocols like HTTP and DNS to lower-level ones like TCP/IP and Wi-Fi, each plays a crucial role in delivering the information you request.
I hope now you understand how using data transmission works on Internet and also How different types of protocols come into the data transmission flow between server and device in real-time.
That’s all for now.
Thank you for reading!!
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