Internet & Computer Basics

Understanding how devices connect to the internet and how data travels across networks.

Table of contents

1. What is the Internet?
   1. The Internet vs. The Web
2. Basic Internet Diagram
3. Basic Network Components
   1. Client Devices
   2. Network Infrastructure
   3. Servers
4. Hands-On Demonstration
   1. What’s Happening Behind the Scenes
5. Understanding Web Addresses
   1. Anatomy of a URL
6. Introduction to Computer Hardware
7. Next Steps
8. Additional Resources

What is the Internet?

Overview of how the internet works

The internet is essentially a network of networks - a vast system that connects computers and devices worldwide. When you type a website into your browser, your device sends a request through this network to retrieve the information you want.

❗ Key Concept

Everything on the internet happens through data 'packets' traveling across networks - whether you're browsing websites, sending emails, or streaming videos.

The Internet vs. The Web

Many people use the terms “internet” and “web” interchangeably, but they’re actually different:

• The Internet: The physical infrastructure of interconnected networks
• The World Wide Web: A service that runs on the internet, using HTTP protocol and web browsers

Other internet services include email, file transfers (FTP), messaging, and more.

Basic Internet Diagram

Simplified view of how devices connect to the internet

When you connect to the internet, your data follows this basic path:

1. Your Device → Local Network: Your computer connects to your home router
2. Local Network → ISP: Your router connects to your Internet Service Provider
3. ISP → Internet Backbone: Your ISP connects to larger networks
4. Internet Backbone → Destination Server: Data travels to the server hosting the website
5. Server → Back to You: The server sends the requested information back through the same path

Basic Network Components

Client Devices

• Computers: Desktops and laptops
• Smartphones: Mobile devices with internet capabilities
• Tablets: Portable touchscreen devices
• Smart devices (IoT): Internet-connected appliances, sensors, etc.

Network Infrastructure

• Routers: Direct traffic between networks
• Switches: Connect devices within a network
• Modems: Convert signals between your home and ISP
• Cables and wireless signals: Physical and wireless transmission media

Servers

• Web servers: Host websites and web applications
• Email servers: Process and store email messages
• File servers: Store and serve files
• Database servers: Store and retrieve structured data

Hands-On Demonstration

Let’s try a simple command to see how data travels across the internet:

ping google.com

This command shows:

• If you can reach a website
• How long it takes (in milliseconds)
• If any data packets are lost

💡 Try It Yourself

Open your computer's terminal or command prompt and try pinging different websites to see how response times vary.

What’s Happening Behind the Scenes

When you run the ping command:

1. Your computer looks up the IP address for google.com (using DNS)
2. It sends small data packets to that IP address
3. It waits for a response from the server
4. It measures how long the round trip takes
5. It reports the results to you

Understanding Web Addresses

When you type a web address (URL) like www.example.com:

1. Your browser needs to find the server’s actual address (IP address)
2. It uses DNS (Domain Name System) to look this up
3. Once found, it can request the webpage

📝 IP Addresses

IP addresses are like phone numbers for devices on the internet. IPv4 addresses look like 192.168.1.1, while newer IPv6 addresses are longer and include letters and numbers.

Anatomy of a URL

A typical URL (Uniform Resource Locator) has several parts:

• Protocol: https:// (secure web protocol)
• Domain: www.example.com (the website name)
• Path: /products/item1 (specific location on the site)
• Parameters: ?color=blue&size=large (additional information)

Introduction to Computer Hardware

While we’ll cover computer hardware in more detail later, it’s important to understand the basic components that enable internet connectivity:

• CPU (Central Processing Unit): The “brain” that processes instructions
• RAM (Random Access Memory): Short-term memory for active processes
• Network Interface Card: Hardware that connects to networks
• Storage: Where your files and programs are kept

Next Steps

Continue to How the Internet Works for a deeper dive into internet protocols and communication methods.

Additional Resources

• Internet Basics Video
• Command Reference Guide
• Network Troubleshooting Tips

---

Table of contents

• How the Internet Works