You wanna stream a show, but when you go to load it, it does this.

你想透過串流播放節目，但需要時間加載的時候，就會變成這個樣子。

In the age of high speed internet the circle can be maddening.

活在高網速的時代，這圈圈絕對會讓你抓狂。

But before you call your provider know that you're probably already paying for faster internet speeds than you actually use.

但在你打電話給網路供應商前，要知道你所支付的網速費用其實很可能已經比你實際使用的速度還快了。

We'll explain.

接下來要來解釋給你聽了。

This is your computer, it connects to your router.

這是你的電腦，連接到你的路由器。

Your router is one of many routers which make up your provider's network.

供應商的網路由眾多的路由器所組成，而你的只是其中之一。

Your provider's network is one of more than 70,000 such networks that make up the internet.

而互聯網是由 70,000 多個類似的網路所組構而成，你的網路供應商是其中一員。

When you try to load a video or type really anything into your browser, your router sends the request on a journey across the internet.

所以當你要載入一支影片時，或是在瀏覽器輸入任何東西的時候，你的路由器就會通過互聯網發送請求。

Often, it's the journey back where things can get a little complicated and crowded.

通常都是把回應傳送回去的時候，就會變得有點複雜或擁擠。

Imagine a network of highways with delivery trucks running across it.

試想像網路就像高速公路，有眾多的貨車在上面穿梭。

Each of these are packets, the basic unit of internet traffic.

每台車代表數據包，是網路流量的基本單位。

Some are Amazon, some are Netflix and some might be a photo you're e-mailing to your aunt.

有的可能是 Amazon，或是 Netflix，或可能是你寄給阿姨有圖檔的電郵。

And they're all taking different routes based on agreements the networks have with each other.

他們都根據網路之間的協議而使用不同的路線。

Your video might be passed from one network to another until it gets back to you.

你想載入的影片回應你之前，就可能已經從一個網路傳送到另外一個網路。

Or the content provider might pay a transit provider to carry the request back.

或是內容提供商會付款給網路傳輸商以回傳回應。

Either way, it's sharing the road with a lot of other content.

但不管是哪一種方法，都需要與其他的內容共享這條網路的道路。

So there are plenty of places where things can get jammed up.

所以會有不少地方會造成網路塞車。

Anytime one network hands off content to another, there's potential for a traffic jam, which can slow down your video and cause a spinning wheel.

只要有一個網路要把內容移送至另一個網路，網路就有可能會塞車，導致你的影片載入速度變慢，那個圈圈就會出現。

The important thing to understand is that you can't fix a bottleneck out here by paying your provider for higher speeds within your own network.

要知道的是，這個網路塞車的狀況並不是你支付更高的網路費用就可以解決的事。

Your network is only responsible for this leg of the journey.

你所支付的網路只負責這一段。

Paying for faster internet just because you encountered a spinning wheel is kind of like getting a bigger driveway in hopes you'll get to work faster.

因為在載入影片時出現圈圈而支付更高速的網路，其實就只是把車道加寬，希望你的網路可以跑得快一點。

So, what does all of this look like in real life?

那麼，這些在現實生活中到底是怎麼樣的呢？

In real life, these networks are made of millions of miles of fiber and cable running around the world and connecting with each other in big data centers full of servers.

現實生活中，這些網路由長達數百萬英哩以及遍布全球的光纖和電纜所組成，並互相連接於大型數據中心裡詞伺服器。

Here's an actual request for the homepage of a local broadcaster in New Zealand, provided to us by researchers at The University of Chicago.

以下是由芝加哥大學研究人員示範，我們向新西蘭當地廣播公司主頁送出請求。

It starts in Vienna, Virginia, outside of Washington D.C. with a Verizon Fios user and travels across the country on Verizon's network.

請求從華盛頓特區外的弗吉尼亞州的維也納，透過 Verizon Fios，把請求透過 Verizon 的網路傳送至全國。

In California, it connects to a different network which sends it to Austin, Texas and then back to California.

在加州，它會連接到另一個網路，請求隨即傳送到德克薩斯州的奧斯汀，然後再傳回到加州。

It then gets handed to a transit provider which sends it across the Pacific Ocean to Auckland, New Zealand.

接著會傳送至網路傳輸商，而網路傳輸商將其請求傳送到紐西蘭的奧克蘭。

It likely takes a similar path back.

回傳回應的路徑也會是差不多。

See all the opportunities for traffic jams?

看到所有導致網路塞車的可能性了嗎？

Other trips have few or even no hand offs.

其他的看路徑可能會很少或甚至沒有這樣的狀況。

Powerful tech companies like Google, Netflix and Amazon and content delivery networks have rolled out thousands of servers spanning the globe to get copies of popular content closer to you.

一些強大的科技公司，如 Google，Netflix 和 Amazon 以及其他內容傳遞網路，已經全球推出數千台伺服器，可以讓你們更快速獲得身邊發生的資訊。

Smaller sites can rent space from some of these companies to speed up their journey.

而較小的網站可以從其中一些公司租用空間來加速他們的網速。

Here's a request for netflix.com that starts in Los Angeles, California.

我們在加州的洛杉磯發送 netflix.com 的請求。

It goes to a server in Calipatria, California.

這個請求會發送至在加州 Calipatria 的伺服器端。

That's it.

就是這樣子而已。

So why do you sometimes get a spinning wheel when you request content from Netflix or other big tech companies?

也就因為這樣，所以當你向 Netflix 或其他大型科技公司送出請求時，會出現這個圈圈。

Well, sometimes their servers can crash and cause an outage, or maybe they took a longer route that got congested.

好吧，其實有時候伺服器會死機而導致網路中斷，又或是因為路徑較長而導致塞車。

But the problem could be closer to home.

但問題可能是跟在家裡有關的。

Are you trying to stream video during peak evening hours?

會不會是你在傍晚的高峰時間播放影片？

In many networks you're sharing bandwidth with your neighbors.

大部分的網路，都是跟鄰居共享帶寬。

Or maybe it's your WiFi.

又或許是你的 WiFi。

Maybe you're leasing an out of date modem or router from your provider that isn't capable of receiving the speeds you're paying for.

也許你從網路供應商租用一台過時的數據機或是路由器，它沒有辦法負荷你所買的網速。

It might be worth an upgrade.

是時候該升級了。

You may also have an interference problem from another device, like your neighbor's baby monitor or maybe you're just too far away from your router.

可能是有其他機器的干擾，像鄰居的嬰兒監視器，或只是你離路由器太遠而已。

Or it just could be your own device.

也有可能是你的行動裝置。

Are you using an old laptop or phone, or an outdated streaming box?

是不是在用老舊的手提電腦或是手機，或是過時的串流媒體裝置？

Your device could be slowing you down.

你自己的行動裝置也會降低你的速度。

It could help to restart your modem or router or even invest in a better one.

有助重新啟動你的調製解調器或路由器，甚至去買一個更好的。

Same for your devices.

你自己的行動裝置也是一樣。

But a lot is still out of your control.

但有很多狀況是你無法控制的。

Like if your neighbor's son is downloading 15 video games one night.

比如你鄰居的兒子，一個晚上內下載 15 個電動遊戲。

Or a traffic jam out in the internet.

或者就只是網路間塞車。

So next time this happens and you call your provider, they'll likely try to sell you more speed for your connection, but now you know better.

所以下次出現這情況而你打給供應商告知狀況，他們應該只會向你推銷更高速的網路，不過你現在應該了解狀況了吧！