The Internet is arguably one of the most fascinating inventions in human history. This article explores how the Internet made its way to Toronto. Learn more at toronto-future.
What is the Internet?
The Internet is a network of computers interconnected in a way that allows the transfer of information between them. These devices include desktop PCs, laptops, tablets, phones, and gaming consoles. The most popular form of the Internet is the World Wide Web, accessible via web browsers, which are programs that provide specific functions requiring Internet access. For example, Instagram is an application designed for sharing images and videos. While it can also be accessed via a web browser, certain applications, such as text editors, eBook readers, or calculators, can operate without Internet access.
When a computer requests content via a web browser or application, it sends this command to a modem. The modem relays the request to the Internet Service Provider’s (ISP) server, which then communicates with other servers within milliseconds. This exchange occurs through a complex network of cables and optical fibers (glass or plastic threads transmitting information as light signals). The requested content is broken into small “packets” and sent back to the user’s device, where it is assembled into a webpage, social media post, or other content.
For mobile network connections, phones send requests to nearby cellular towers, which communicate with servers. Both cellular and modem-based connections sometimes transmit requests via satellites instead of terrestrial networks. The Internet is not limited to devices with screens; “smart” devices and appliances can connect, exchange data, and work together.
The History of the Internet in Canada
The United States Department of Defense began connecting computers into a network in 1969, allowing scientists and universities to join ARPANET. In 1971, Canada’s Science Council proposed a similar network independent of the U.S. system, but the federal government did not approve the proposal. Canadian defense computers connected to the U.S. system in 1983.
In the 1970s, the Canadian government developed a network called Telidon. Telidon trials became public in 1979, but the network failed to gain traction and lost funding after a few years. Universities connected early to the Internet, and in 1989, McGill student Alan Emtage created the first search engine, Archie. Using keywords for easy searches, Archie indexed files on Internet servers used for file sharing.
The first World Wide Web browser emerged in 1990, and Internet popularity surged in the mid-1990s, thanks to graphical browsers like Mosaic and Netscape. Traditional retailers like Zellers and Sears established online stores, some colleges offered online courses, and CBC Radio started providing downloadable radio shows. In 1996, Victoria-based bookseller Kathy Waters launched a website to help locate obscure titles for customers. Her service, Advanced Book Exchange, survived the 2000 tech bubble burst and is now owned by Amazon as AbeBooks.
The World Wide Web in Toronto
From the start of the World Wide Web, Toronto users could download content in the form of webpages or complete websites. By the early 2000s, new technology allowed users to add content to sites they didn’t own. Known as “Web 2.0,” these sites included social media networks, blogs, wikis, and content-sharing platforms like Flickr.
All websites are coded in Hypertext Markup Language (HTML). Additional programming languages enable dynamic (interactive or changeable) elements on websites. One of the most notable examples is Java, released in 1995 by Calgary-born James Gosling. Another is PHP, developed by University of Waterloo graduate Rasmus Lerdorf. As of 2020, approximately 78.9% of websites use PHP.
About the Toronto Internet Exchange
The Toronto Internet Exchange Community (TorIX) is a non-profit Internet Exchange Point (IXP) located at 151 Front Street West, a carrier hotel, and the Equinix TR2 data center at 45 Parliament Street and 905 King Street West in Toronto. As of March 2024, TorIX has 259 unique autonomous systems representing 285 peer connections and peak traffic speeds of 1.344 Tbps, making it Canada’s largest IXP. According to the Internet Exchange Points list, TorIX ranks as the 16th largest IXP globally by peer count and 17th by average traffic. The exchange is organized and managed by industry professionals on a voluntary basis.
Within 151 Front Street, TorIX is accessible in facilities operated by Equinix, Cologix, Neutral Data Centers, and Frontier Networks or via the building’s Meet-Me Room (MMR), making the IX available to any organization.
TorIX Membership
Membership at TorIX is open to any company that can connect to the exchange at 151 Front Street West or Equinix TR2 and has its own autonomous system number (ASN). Typical members include providers, communication companies, or content delivery networks, though the broader membership includes corporate entities, government, and educational institutions. Peer nodes maintain autonomous control over their routing policies on the exchange and may peer with any number of other nodes at their discretion. The exchange encourages the use of route servers.
Members are not required to have provider-independent address space but are advised to do so. Organizations without such space wishing to join the exchange must provide a Letter of Authorization from their provider, permitting them to advertise their IPv4 or IPv6 prefixes. Peer nodes must possess their own unique ASN. Organizations connecting to TorIX can arrange to colocate their equipment at one of the many providers operating at 151 Front Street West or Equinix at TR2 or use long-distance Ethernet transport from a third party capable of physically connecting to the exchange.
The rationale for joining TorIX is similar to most IXPs: financial savings, network performance improvements, and enhanced security.
Notable TorIX members include Google, Akamai, Facebook, Amazon, Yahoo!, Telus, Zayo Group, CANARIE, CBC, CenturyLink, CloudFlare, Cogeco, DigitalOcean, Distributel, Dropbox, Eastlink, Fastly, iTeraTEL, Limelight Networks, LinkedIn, Microsoft, ORION, OVH, Primus Canada, Rogers Communications, Shaw Communications, StackPath, TekSavvy, Twitch, Cogent Communications, Frontier Networks, Freedom Mobile, and Vianet Inc.
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