When the internet breaks
If the internet is a network of devices, what happens when a connection in that network breaks?
Often, not a lot. There are so many connections, your data will just take a different route. This gives the internet resilience.
If a key connection in the network breaks, that can disrupt your access to the internet.
For instance, if you lose your internet connection at home, any one of the connections in the long chain might have broken – not necessarily the one leaving your house.
If you're having problems with a particular website, you can check if the problem is at your end or elsewhere on the internet using a site like Down For Everyone Or Just Me.
So if your connection breaks while downloading a webpage or uploading a photo, it may well not be your fault!
Understand more about how the internet works from our other explainers: