Topic
Networking
Deeper guides on how the internet routes packets, identifies networks, and connects everything.
29 articles
Why is my IP location wrong?
Your IP says you're in a city you've never visited. Or a different country. Or your ISP's headquarters. Here's why IP geolocation is approximate by nature, the cases where it's reliably wrong, and what 'wrong' actually means.
What is VPN split tunneling and when should you use it?
By default a VPN routes all your traffic through the tunnel. Split tunneling lets you choose which traffic goes through the VPN and which goes direct. Here's when that's useful, when it's risky, and how to set it up.
What is RPKI? BGP security explained
BGP runs the internet on trust. RPKI replaces some of that trust with cryptography, letting routers verify that a network actually owns the IP space it announces. Here's how it works and why deployment took fifteen years.
What is mDNS / Bonjour? Local network discovery explained
Your printer just appears on your network. Your AirPods reconnect automatically. Chromecast finds your TV. The reason all of that 'just works' is mDNS — multicast DNS, the silent infrastructure of local networks.
What is IPv4 exhaustion (and what's actually happening with it)?
We ran out of IPv4 addresses years ago — and the internet kept growing. Here's what 'exhaustion' actually means, why CGNAT and IPv6 buy us more time, and the surprisingly active market for buying IPv4 in 2026.
What is HTTPS and why does it actually matter?
HTTPS is the lock icon in your browser. Underneath it's a sequence of cryptographic steps that prevent eavesdropping, tampering, and impersonation on every web request. Here's what's going on.
What is HSTS? HTTP Strict Transport Security explained
HSTS is a small HTTP header that prevents accidental connections to HTTP, even from typed-in URLs and malicious downgrade attacks. Here's how it works, why preloading matters, and when it can lock you out of your own site.
What is CGNAT? Carrier-Grade NAT explained
If you can't host a server at home, port forwarding doesn't work, and your 'public' IP looks like 100.x.x.x — you're behind CGNAT. Here's what carrier-grade NAT is, why ISPs use it, and what to do about it.
What is BGP, and how do route hijacks happen?
BGP is how networks tell each other where to send packets. It's the routing fabric of the entire internet — and also one of its most fragile pieces. Here's how it works, why it occasionally fails spectacularly, and what's being done about it.
What is an ASN? Autonomous System Numbers explained
Every IP block on the internet belongs to an Autonomous System — a network operator with its own routing policy. Here's what an ASN is, how to look one up, and why network engineers care.
What is a SOCKS proxy and how does it differ from HTTP and VPN?
SOCKS is the third major way to route traffic through an intermediary — neither a full VPN nor a simple HTTP proxy. Here's what SOCKS5 does, what it doesn't, and where it fits in the proxy/VPN/Tor stack.
What is a port? Networking ports explained simply
An IP address gets traffic to your computer. A port number tells the OS which app should handle it. Here's what ports are, the well-known port numbers, and why ports 80 and 443 are so famous.
What is a load balancer? Plain-English guide to scaling traffic
When one server can't handle the traffic, you put a load balancer in front of many. Here's how load balancers work, what algorithms they use, and where they fit alongside CDNs and DNS.
What is a DDoS attack and how does protection actually work?
DDoS attacks flood a target with so much traffic that legitimate users can't get through. Here's how attacks work in 2026, the categories of attack, and why anycast networks make protection at scale possible.
TCP vs UDP: what's the difference and when does it matter?
Every internet connection uses either TCP or UDP. TCP is reliable and ordered; UDP is fast and lossy. Here's the difference, the use cases, and why modern protocols are quietly mixing both.
Static vs dynamic IP addresses: which one do you have?
Some IPs stay the same forever; others change every few weeks. Here's the difference between static and dynamic IPs, how to tell which kind you have, and when you'd want each.
Reverse DNS lookup explained: what PTR records are and why they matter
A reverse DNS lookup turns an IP address back into a hostname. Here's how the PTR record system works, when it matters (a lot for email; rarely for users), and how to test your own reverse DNS.
How to change your IP address (every method that actually works)
Want a new IP address — temporarily, permanently, or just to bypass a block? Here are all the ways to change your public IP, ranked by effort and effectiveness.
How HTTPS certificates actually work
Every HTTPS connection starts with a server proving who it is via a certificate signed by a trusted authority. Here's the chain of trust, why Let's Encrypt changed everything, and what 'invalid certificate' warnings actually mean.
How HTTP/3 changed the web (and why you didn't notice)
HTTP/3 quietly replaced TCP with UDP and rewrote the assumptions of decades-old web infrastructure. Here's what changed, why it's faster, and why your browser is probably already using it.
How does NAT actually work? Network Address Translation in detail
NAT is the trick that lets dozens of devices in your home share a single public IP address. Here's exactly what NAT does to packets, the different NAT types, and why it caused decades of headaches for peer-to-peer apps.
How does email actually work? The protocols behind every message
Email is older than the web and built on protocols most people have never heard of: SMTP, IMAP, MX records, SPF, DKIM, DMARC. Here's the whole journey from 'send' to 'inbox' in plain English.
How does DNS work? A friendly walkthrough
Type a domain, see a website. In between, DNS does a quiet 50-millisecond dance through several specialized servers. Here's exactly how every name turns into an IP.
How does a VPN work, technically?
A VPN sounds simple — 'it hides your IP' — but underneath there's encryption, tunneling protocols, key exchange, and routing changes. Here's exactly what happens when you click Connect.
How CDNs work: the invisible layer that makes the web fast
Most popular sites are served by a Content Delivery Network — a global cache layer between you and the origin server. Here's what CDNs actually do, why they speed up the internet, and how the major ones differ.
Cloudflare Tunnel: the modern way to expose your home server
CGNAT, dynamic IPs, and port-forwarding hassles all evaporate with Cloudflare Tunnel — a free reverse-tunnel service that exposes anything you run at home through a stable public hostname. Here's how to set one up in 15 minutes.
Anycast explained: how the same IP is in 200+ places at once
When you query 1.1.1.1, dozens of physical servers around the world could answer — and the right one always does. That trick is called anycast, and it underpins modern DNS, CDNs, and DDoS protection.
Public vs. private IP addresses: what's the difference?
Your device probably has two IP addresses: a private one used inside your home network, and a public one the internet sees. Here's how they work, when each is used, and how to find both.
IPv4 vs IPv6: differences explained simply
IPv4 is running out of addresses. IPv6 has practically unlimited supply. Here's what the difference means for you, your privacy, and how the internet works.