Illustrated TCP/IP by Matthew G. Naugle Wiley Computer Publishing, John Wiley & Sons, Inc. ISBN: 0471196568   Pub Date: 11/01/98

Chapter 8
An Overall View of the Internet

This slide depicts the Internet backbone and shows the overall topology of a national ISP. All of the connection points (shown as cities) are places where the provider has a serial connection to another one of its sites. Located below these connection points are points–of–presence (POP), connection points for dial–in and leased–line users. Local users are connected at POPs by the connection points shown on this map and throughout the rest of the Internet.

The Internet is a connection of networks. Multiple national ISPs are interconnected through a concept of peering. There are points on the Internet where national ISPs connect and allow for routing tables to be shared and allow ubiquitous access to the Internet for all users.

An Overall View of the Internet