Lyte Global

How Does The Internet Work?

gabriel — Thu, 02 Mar 2023 13:15:46 +0000

In this second part of our series, I have broken down the article into the key concepts you need to understand in order to grasp the full picture of how the internet works.

Assuming that you’re watching a video on YouTube right now, the video you are watching traveled thousands of miles from a Google data center to reach you. Let’s learn how the internet works by getting to understand the details of this data’s incredible journey. The data center, which can be thousands of miles away from you, has your video stored inside it. How does this data reach your mobile phone or laptop?

SATELLITES

An easy way to achieve this goal would be with use of satellites. From the data center, a signal could be sent to the satellite via an antenna.
And then from the satellite, a signal could be sent to your mobile phone via another antenna near to you. However, this way of transmitting signals is not a good idea.

Let’s see why. The satellite is parked nearly 22,000 miles above the Earth’s equator. So, in order for the data transmission to be successful, the data would have to travel a total distance of 44,000 miles. Such a long distance of travel causes a significant delay in receiving the signal.(There’s a whole lot of new innovation in this field which has made the use of satellites more efficient, we will discuss that when we talk about Fixed broadband internet in Nigeria) More specifically, it causes huge latency, which is unacceptable for most internet applications. So, if this video does not reach you via a satellite, then how does it actually get to you?

Optical Fiber Cables

Well, it is done with the help of a complicated network of optical fiber cables, which connect between the data center and your device. Your phone could be connected to the internet via cellular data or any Wi-Fi router, but ultimately, at some point, your phone will be connected to this network of optical fiber cables.

We saw at the beginning that the video you are currently watching is stored inside a data center. To be more specific, it is stored in a solid-state device within the data center. This SSD acts as the internal memory of a server. The server is simply a powerful computer whose job is to provide you the video or other stored content when you request it. Now, the challenge is how to transfer the data stored in the data center, specifically to your device, via the complex network of optical fiber cables. Let’s see how this is done.

The IP Address

Before proceeding further, we should first understand an important concept, which is the concept of an IP address. Every device that is connected to the internet, whether it is a server, a computer, or a mobile phone, is identified uniquely by a string of numbers known as an IP address. You can consider the IP address similar to your home address.

That is, the address that uniquely identifies your home. Any letter sent to you reaches you precisely because of your home address. Similarly, in the internet world, an IP address acts as a shipping address through which all information reaches its destination.
Your internet service provider will decide the IP address of your device, and you are able to see what IP address your ISP has given to your mobile phone or laptop.

The server in the data center also has an IP address. The server stores a website, so you can access any website just by knowing the server’s IP address. However, it is difficult for a person to remember so many IP addresses.

Domain Names

So to solve this problem, domain names like youtube.com, facebook.com, etc. are used which correspond to IP addresses, which are easier for us to remember than the long sequence of numbers. Another thing to notice here is that a server has the capability of storing several websites, and if the server consists of multiple websites, all the websites cannot be accessed with the server’s IP address. In such cases, additional pieces of information, host headers, are used to uniquely identify the website. However, for the giant websites like facebook.com or youtube.com, the entire data center infrastructure will be dedicated to the storage of the particular website. To access the internet, we always use domain names instead of the complex IP address numbers.

DNS (Domain Name Server)

From where does the internet get IP addresses corresponding to our domain name requests?
Well, for this purpose, the internet uses a huge phone book known as DNS. If you know a person’s name but don’t know their telephone number, you can simply look it up in a phone book. The DNS server provides the same service to the internet. Your internet service provider or other organizations can manage the DNS server

Let’s have a recap of the whole operation.
You enter the domain name. The browser sends a request to the DNS server to get the corresponding IP address. After getting the IP address, your browser simply forwards the request to the data center, more specifically to the respective server. Once the server gets a request to access a particular website, the data flow starts. The data is transferred in digital format via optical fiber cables, more specifically in the form of light pulses. These light pulses sometimes have to travel thousands of miles via the optical fiber cable to reach their destination. During their journey, they often have to go through tough terrains such as hilly areas or under the sea. There are a few global companies who lay and maintain these optical cable networks. A plow is dropped deep into the sea from the ship, and this plow creates a trench on the seabed into which is placed the optical fiber cable. In fact, this complex optical cable network is the backbone of the internet. These optical fiber cables, carrying the light, are stretched across the seabed to your doorstep, where they are connected to a router. The router converts these light signals to electrical signals.
An ethernet cable is then used to transmit the electrical signals to your laptop. However, if you are accessing the internet using cellular data, from the optical cable,
the signal has to be sent to a cell tower(mast). And from the cell tower, the signal reaches
your cell phone in the form of electromagnetic waves.

How's The Internet Managed?

Since the internet is a global network, it has become important to have an organization to manage things like IP address assignment, domain name registration, etc. This is all managed by an institution called ICANN, located in the USA. One amazing thing about the internet is its efficiency in transmitting data when compared with cellular and landline communication technologies. The video you are watching from the Google Data Center is sent to you in the form of a huge collection of zeros and ones. What makes the data transfer in the internet efficient is the way in which these zeros
and ones are chopped up into small chunks, known as packets, and transmitted. Let’s assume these streams of zeros and ones are divided into different packets by the server, where each packet consists of six bits.
Along with the bits of the video, each packet also consists of the sequence number and the IP addresses of the server and your phone.
With this information, the packets are routed towards your phone. It’s not necessary that all packets are routed through the same path, and each packet independently takes the best route available at that time. Upon reaching your phone, the packets are reassembled according to their sequence number.

If it is the case that any packets fail to reach your phone, an acknowledgement is sent from your phone to resend the lost packets.
Now compare this with a postal network with a good infrastructure, but the customers do not follow the basic rules regarding the destination addresses. In this scenario, letters won’t be able to reach the correct destination.
Similarly, in the internet we use something called protocols for the management of this complex flow of data packets. The protocols set the rules for data packet conversion, attachment of the source and destination addresses to each packet,
and the rules for routers, etc. For different applications, the protocols used are different.
We hope this article has given you a good understanding about how the internet works.

More specifically, about the amazing journey of data packets
from the data center to your mobile phone. Please don’t forget to patronize us at Lyte Global Projects Limited.
We offer convenient services!

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How to Maximize Your Data Usage and Avoid Losing Bonus Data with MTN Data Plans and Bundles

gabriel — Fri, 17 Feb 2023 03:26:26 +0000

MTN offers a variety of data plans and bundles that can be confusing to navigate. To ensure that you get the most out of your data subscription, it’s important to understand how the plans and bundles work.

MTN data plans come in three categories:

normal data plans,
social media plans, and
night plans.

Any data bundle you have, whether from subscription or data bonus, falls into one of these categories and is consumed by whichever plan came first.

For example: whenever I recharge MTN xtravalue voice of 500 Naira, it comes with a bonus data of 100mb which expires after one week. This 100mb bonus falls into the first category. assuming I already have a monthly data plan running, I will have to exhaust the monthly plan before I can use the 100mb bonus. Most of the times, the 100mb expires before I can use it.

Another example, whenever I do 3500 Naira MTN Data4Me plan, it comes with 12GB normal data plan and YouTube night bonus of 12GB. Meanwhile, I YouTube night bonus from my previous plan is remaining 3GB. I discovered that although I had normal MTN data plan which can access YouTube at night normally, my previous YouTube night bonus kept reading while the new 12GB YouTube night bonus data was paused.

It’s important to plan your MTN data subscriptions, especially if you’re on a tight budget. Avoid having multiple data plans, especially from the same category, to prevent your bonus data from expiring before you can use it.

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Thermal, Photopolymer and Silver-halogen Plates: Which is the Best for Your Business. Photopolymer Plates(part 2…)

gabriel — Sat, 10 Jul 2021 05:10:39 +0000

Photopolymer Plates.

Photopolymer plates have experienced many changes over the years.

Louis Minsk, an employee of Eastman Kodak, patented the 1^st synthetic photopolymer plate in 1952. Time, Inc. introduced the 1^st photopolymer-based letterpress plate in 1957 for printing magazines Jump to 2002 when DuPont’s Cyrel Fast technology entered the market, eliminating the need for solvents in plate processing and melting unexposed photopolymers.

Photopolymer plates differ from other technologies by applying a light-sensitive coating to the surface of an aluminum plate, exposing it to light, causing the coating to harden in image areas and remain soluble in non-image areas.

Advantages.

Coatings provide more durable and abrasion-resistant image areas
Produce longer print runs up to 250,000 impressions
Have been known to print runs of more than 1,000,000 impressions
Dye-sensitized photopolymers can be etched by lasers
Requires more energy for exposure

Disadvantages.

- Requires a chemical treatment after exposure to remove the coating in non-image areas
- Cannot print as high of a resolution as silver-halide plates

Choosing between Thermal plates and Photopolymer.

There are different ways printers can determine what plates the need for specific platesetters. The first step is to test the plates you may be considering on your platesetter and presses. Of course, this means purchasing various types of plates. Once you’ve determined a plate works, you need to consider direct cost — including plates and processing expenses — and indirect costs, such as purchasing a processing, or baking unit.

True in any industry, it pays to hire an expert for advice and equipment warranties. Lyte Global is one such expert and has earned a global reputation as the most dependable source for reconditioned prepress CTP equipment, parts and service. For a complimentary consultation about your imagesetters’ plate needs, call Lyte Global at 091-3515-4139 or contact us below.

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Thermal, Photopolymer and Silver-halogen Plates: Which is the Best for Your Business. (part 1)

gabriel — Sat, 10 Jul 2021 04:08:38 +0000

The type of plate you choose, can impact your bottom-line.

The concept of Computer-to-Plate (CTP) technology is relatively easy for those in the printing industry to understand, but the numerous nuances and wide variety of manufacturers often make it difficult for business owners and decision-makers to choose the best solution for their specific business needs.

One such distinction is the type of printing plate —the tool which transfers images onto a certain type of material to create the final product — that will meet your expectations.

Thermal plates are the most common among pre-press and printing operations. However, like most solutions, each technology — thermal, photopolymer and silver-halogen plates — has its pros and cons.

Here’s a look at those differences.

Thermal Plates.

Thermal CTP has been a big hit around the world. Thermal technology was introduced at DRUPA, the largest printing equipment exhibition in the world, held every four years in German. In 1995, the conference attracted over 385,000 visitors, 1,670 exhibitors from 44 countries and all of the big printing brands announced one or more thermal-related products.

Advantages.

Offer the highest quality output when compared to the other two competing technologies
Depending on the type of paper, thermal printers don’t need ink or toner, only heat
Processing during daylight hours is possible so a safe light is not necessary
Improved print consistency across both the length of runs and repeat runs
Require little or no processing
Provide the largest section of plate options across a multitude of providers
Less impact to the environment
Can output longer runs, exceeding 1 million impressions (but requires baking); Unbaked run lengths vary from 100,000 to 500,000
A durable plate
Doesn’t cause overexposure
Outputs finer and sharper detail, accommodating over 200 lines per inch (LPI)
High process stability

Disadvantages.

- Some thermal plates need baking to achieve longer runs, requiring an additional step in the process, more labor resources and time
- There are fewer plate choices in the no-bake category
- Post-baking may damage plates by weakening the aluminum, cracking and requiring early replacement
- Requires more time
- Some printers cite substantial cost premiums
- Thermal equipment is more complex than competing technologies
- Maintenance costs can be higher
- Plate imaging is slower

In our next post(Part 2)...

we will talk about photopolymer plates.

we will also discuss its advantages and diadvantages.

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Types Of CTP Printing Plates.

gabriel — Sat, 10 Jul 2021 02:38:34 +0000

From our previous blog, we learnt that printing plates are templates or master forms by which graphics designs(images and texts) are reproduced in massive quantities.

Printing plates varies depending on the technology. There are printing plates for CTF but in this article we are going to focus on the printing plates for CTP.

In this post, we are going to look at;

The types of printing plates in CTP.
Qualities of great printing Plates.

Types Of CTP Printing Plates.

CTP printing plates has three types, namely;

Photopolymer plates.
Silver Halogen plates.
Thermal plates.

In the printing industry today the most commonly used printing plates are the photopolymer plates and the thermal plates.

The major type of photopolymer plate used right now is called “The violet Photopolymer plate”.

Silver Halogen plates are not used anymore because they are not environmental and health friendly.

Therefore we are going to focus on comparisons betweenThermal plates and the violet photopolymer plates.

Qualities of good printing plates.

Before we start it is important to know that there are qualities every printing plate should possess. How good a printing plate is depends on these qualities. They include;

PHOTOSENSITIVITY.

Photosensitivity is the amount to which a printing plate reacts when light falls on it.

Printing plates with high photosensitivity are stored in dark rooms. This might cause additional cost for the user.

However printing plates with low Photosensitivity are difficult to print on when exposed in the CTP machine.

Printing plates should have photosensitivity between 550 nm to 1.070 nm.

LASER ENERGY TOLERANCE.

Printing plates that require high laser energy for exposure usually consumes much electricity.

The amount of laser energy required for plate exposure should be between 100 µJ/cm2

and 200 mJ/cm2

RUN LENGHTS.

The run length of a printing plate is the number of prints a plate will be able to make before it begins to fade away.

Printing plates should have at least upto 100,000 prints.

Printing plates with high run lengths are preferred.

RESOLUTION.

Resolution refers to the sharpness and detail of printed images. Higher resolution means more.

In our next post...

We are going to compare Thermal CTP plates with Photopolymer plates.

Check out the link here.

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What is CTP.

gabriel — Sat, 10 Jul 2021 00:29:48 +0000

CTP which means “computer to plate” is a very popular word used in the printing industry today but do not worry if you haven’t already heard or not familiar with the word.

In this article, we are going to;

Breakdown what CTP is in layman’s terms.
Quickly look at the older way of newspaper printing before the invention of CTP.
We will finally do a quick comparison of CTP over the older way.

CTP is a technology used for mass reproduction of graphics (images and texts).

The images and texts are created in a desktop publishing application, they are then outputted directly on a printing plate.

The printing plate acts as a master form or a template for reproducing the images and texts on the papers.

This method of mass reproduction of graphics originated from the earliest form of printing called lithography.

What is CTF?

Before the the invention of CTP, newspaper companies used a technology called CTF which means “computer to film” for mass reproduction of graphics.

In the CTF technology, the images and texts are outputted directly on a film after being in a desktop publishing application.

The film is then taken to a dark room where it is tightly laid on top of a printing plate.

The printing plate is then exposed with UV light allowing the film to make impressions on the printing plate.

Just like in CTP, the printing plates also act as a template for reproducing the images and texts onto papers.

Learn more about CTF.

What is CTF?

Before the the invention of CTP, newspaper companies used a technology called CTF which means “computer to film” for mass reproduction of graphics.

In the CTF technology, the images and texts are outputted directly on a film from the imagesetter after being published in a desktop publishing application.

The film is then taken to a dark room where it is tightly laid on top of a printing plate.

The printing plate is then exposed with UV light allowing the film to make impressions on the printing plate.

This process is called film handling or development.

Just like in CTP, the printing plates also act as a template for reproducing the images and texts onto papers.

Learn more about CTF.

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20 of Best Radio Broadcasting Software of 2021

gabriel — Thu, 27 May 2021 08:18:04 +0000

Are you searching for a radio broadcasting software for your web radio?

OR are you…curious about the alternatives to the radio software you’re currently using?

Stay put

We reviewed some of the best radio broadcasting software, DJ programs, and encoders with free trial versions!

This means…you can download & test the programs on this list.

That said:

Let’s get on with this –comprehensive– review!

Use this list to find a radio broadcasting software faster:

(#) – Learn where to find it on our reviews list…

Best Free Radio Automation Programs

RadioDJ – One of the best free radio automation software (#1)
PlayIt Live – Free PC radio automation software with paid plugins (#2)
Mixxx – It’s a free and open source radio automation/DJ program with an inbuilt encoder (#3)
BUTT – One of the most popular free encoder for PC (#15)
AltaCast – It’s a free encoder but it’s not regularly updated (#16)
ProppFrexx ONAIR – (#4)
SAM Broadcaster Pro – (#5)
RadioBOSS – (#6)
PlayoutONE – (#7)
mAirList – (#8)
StationPlaylist Studio Pro – (#9)
NextKast Pro – (#10)
Rocket Broadcaster – PC encoder (#19)
RadioCaster – PC encoder (#20)
Virtual DJ PRO – Needs paid version to use the inbuilt encoder (#11)
Traktor Pro – Paid DJ program that requires an external encoder (#12)
Serato DJ – Paid DJ program that requires an external encoder (#13)
Cross DJ – Paid DJ program that requires external encoder (#14)

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Radio’s New Future

gabriel — Thu, 27 May 2021 07:43:57 +0000

Although the future of radio has been doubted many times throughout its history, it is still in existence. The inherent portability of the medium gives it an advantage over other types of media that require an individual’s full attention, such as television or print. The simplicity of radio has leant itself to a variety of uses.

In recent years, new technologies have promised to expand the reach of radio and to expand the kinds of programming it offers. Satellite and HD radio have increased the amount and diversity of available programming by making more stations available. Internet radio has increased the accessibility of radio communication, and practically anyone who has access to a computer can create subscription podcasts to distribute around the world. These new technologies promise to make radio an enduring, innovative form of media.

Satellite Radio

In 1998, the FCC awarded licenses to two businesses interested in creating a radio version of cable television—without the cables. This act was the beginning of satellite radio, and the companies soon became XM and Sirius. These two networks sold special receivers that could pick up satellite transmissions broadcasting a wide range of formats on different channels to listeners who paid a monthly fee for the commercial-free programming.

Like cable television, satellite radio was not required to censor its disc jockeys or guests for profanity. This attracted somewhat controversial radio personalities known for their conflicts with the FCC, such as Howard Stern and Opie and Anthony. The networks also drew hosts such as NPR’s Bob Edwards and Bruce Springsteen’s guitarist “Little” Steven Van Zandt to create their own shows. Because listeners paid one price for access to all of the channels, disc jockeys experienced less pressure to adhere to the limited playlist style of programming that was the norm for terrestrial radio stations.Bill Breen, “Written in the Stars,” Fast Company, February 1, 2005, http://www.fastcompany.com/magazine/91/open_stars.html. In 2008, Sirius and XM merged to form Sirius XM. In 2010, the company recorded its first profits.Reuters, “Sirius XM Posts Profit, Its First Since Merger, New York Times, February 25, 2010, http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/26/technology/26radio.html.

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Lyte-Global’s Response To Covid-19

gabriel — Thu, 27 May 2021 05:53:37 +0000

Health Cluster teams and partners are responding to the COVID-19 pandemic worldwide within the framework of the Global Humanitarian Response Plan, towards the following strategic priorities:

Contain the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic and decrease morbidity and mortality.
Decrease the deterioration of human assets and rights, social cohesion and livelihoods.
Protect, assist and advocate for refugees, internally displaced people, migrants and host communities particularly vulnerable to the pandemic.

To achieve this, the Health Cluster:

Coordinates with national authorities, partners and international actors to implement COVID-19 response actions targeting the most vulnerable people and hard-to-reach communities;
Raises public awareness on COVID-19 risks and mitigation measures to protect communities and health workers;
Promotes global guidance on COVID-19 and supports its operational adaptation for low-capacity & humanitarian settings;
Maintains access to other essential health services by adapting service delivery approaches, providing essential supplies and training health workers and national/local partners;
Supports the development of a multi-sectoral response to COVID-19, supporting other Health Clusters and Sectors to mainstream public health measures in their response;
Captures operational practice and learning to inform the evolving COVID-19 response.

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