The internet is a global network of interconnected computers that exchange data using a standardized set of rules called protocols. The process works like this: When you want to access something online, your computer breaks the information into small pieces called data packets. These packets are sent from your device to your router, which directs them to your Internet Service Provider (ISP). The ISP uses a network of cables and other infrastructure to send the packets across the internet's "backbone" to their destination (e.g., a website's server). Along the way, specialized devices called routers act as traffic directors, guiding the packets along the most efficient path. When the packets arrive at their destination, they are reassembled to form the original data. The process then reverses, sending the requested information back to your computer.