The building that answers
A computer in a building reads the request and sends a reply back along the same kind of path.
One more sentence, for a grown-up
The building is mostly power, cooling, and computers. One machine can answer many requests by taking turns, or by sharing the work. Power figures for a large building are rough and change fast, as of 2026.
A building, sometimes several. The model is not to scale.
Real: What it looks like.
- Packets
- The reply
Keys: arrows rotate · + / − zoom · 0 reset · 1–4 views · S signal · T tour · L labels · Space spin. The model is stylised. The network on this page is made up.
Every labeled part
- 1
The door in
The request arrives at a computer that has the page.
- 2
The computer
It reads the request and prepares the reply.
- 3
The line
Many requests can be waiting. They are answered one by one or shared across machines.
- 4
The way back
The reply travels back through cables, the router, and the device.
- Packets
- The reply
Try it
Several requests are waiting. The building answers them one by one.
Waiting: A library page, A map, A song
Answered: none yet