Unit 1- Internet Concepts
What is the Internet?
Internet is a global network that connects billions of computers across the world with each other and to
the World Wide Web. It uses standard internet protocol suite (TCP/IP) to connect billions of computer
users worldwide. It is set up by using cables such as optical fibers and other wireless and networking
technologies. At present, internet is the fastest mean of sending or exchanging information and data
between computers across the world.
It is believed that the internet was developed by "Defense Advanced Projects Agency" (DARPA)
department of the United States. And, it was first connected in 1969.
Why is the Internet Called a Network?
Internet is called a network as it creates a network by connecting computers and servers across the
world using routers, switches and telephone lines, and other communication devices and channels. So, it
can be considered a global network of physical cables such as copper telephone wires, fiber optic cables,
tv cables, etc. Furthermore, even wireless connections like 3G, 4G, or Wi-Fi make use of these cables to
access the Internet.
Internet is different from the World Wide Web as the World Wide Web is a network of computers and
servers created by connecting them through the internet. So, the internet is the backbone of the web as
it provides the technical infrastructure to establish the WWW and acts as a medium to transmit
information from one computer to another computer. It uses web browsers to display the information on
the client, which it fetches from web servers.
internet is not owned by a single person or organization entirely. It is a concept based on physical
infrastructure that connects networks with other networks to create a global network of billions of
computers. As of 12 August 2016, there were more than 300 crores of internet users across the world.
Set Up
Physical copper or optical fiber data transmission cables, as well as other networking technologies like
LAN, WAN, and MAN, are used to set up the internet. Even the 2g, 3g, and 4g services, as well as Wi-
Fi, need this physical cable arrangement in order to access the Internet connection. The Internet
Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), a US-based organization, is in charge of
overseeing the management of the Internet and its related protocols, including IP addresses.
How does internet work?
Before understanding this let us understand some basics related to internet:
The internet works with the help of clients and servers. A device such as a laptop, which is connected to
the internet is called a client, not a server as it is not directly connected to the internet. However, it is
indirectly connected to the internet through an Internet Service Provider (ISP) and is identified by an IP
address, which is a string of numbers. Just like you have an address for your home that uniquely
identifies your home, an IP address acts as the shipping address of your device. The IP address is
provided by your ISP, and you can see what IP address your ISP has given to your system.
A server is a large computer that stores websites. It also has an IP address. A place where a large
number of servers are stored is called a data center. The server accepts requests send by the client
through a browser over a network (internet) and responds accordingly.
To access the internet we need a domain name, which represents an IP address number, i.e., each IP
address has been assigned a domain name. For example, youtube.com, facebook.com, paypal.com are
used to represent the IP addresses. Domain names are created as it is difficult for a person to remember
a long string of numbers. However, internet does not understand the domain name, it understands the IP
address, so when you enter the domain name in the browser search bar, the internet has to get the IP
addresses of this domain name from a huge phone book, which is known as DNS (Domain Name Server)
For example, if you have a person's name, you can find his phone number in a phone book by searching
his name. The internet uses the DNS server in the same way to find the IP address of the domain name.
DNS servers are managed by ISPs or similar organizations.
Now after understanding the basics, let us see how internet works?
When you turn on your computer and type a domain name in the browser search bar, your browser
sends a request to the DNS server to get the corresponding IP address. After getting the IP address, the
browser forwards the request to the respective server.
Once the server gets the request to provide information about a particular website, the data starts
flowing. The data is transferred through the optical fiber cables in digital format or in the form of light
pulses. As the servers are placed at distant places, the data may have to travel thousands of miles
through optical fiber cable to reach your computer.
The optical fiber is connected to a router, which converts the light signals into electrical signals. These
electrical signals are transmitted to your laptop using an Ethernet cable. Thus, you receive the desired
information through the internet, which is actually a cable that connects you with the server.
Furthermore, if you are using wireless internet using wifi or mobile data, the signals from the optical
cable are first sent to a cell tower and from where it reaches to your cell phone in the form of
electromagnetic waves.
The internet is managed by ICANN (Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers) located in
the USA. It manages IP addresses assignment, domain name registration, etc.
The data transfer is very fast on the internet. The moment you press enter you get the information from
a server located thousands of miles away from you. The reason for this speed is that the data is sent in
the binary form (0, 1), and these zeros and ones are divided into small pieces called packets, which can
be sent at high speed.
Uses of the internet
Generally speaking, the Internet may be used to exchange information with people all over the world,
communicate across great distances, and locate information or answers fast on almost any subject.
Here are some examples of specific uses for the Internet:
o Using social media and content sharing.
o Instant messaging, video conferencing, Internet Relay Chat (IRC), Internet telephony, and email
are all examples of electronic communication. These all are used through the Internet.
o Access to online degree programs, courses, and workshops for education and self-improvement.
o Searching for jobs: To advertise available positions, submit job applications, and hire candidates
identified on social networking sites like LinkedIn, both employers and applicants use the Internet.
Other examples include:
o Online gaming
o Research
o Reading electronic newspapers and magazines
o Online shopping, or e-commerce.
o Online discussion groups and forums
Difference between the World Wide Web and the Internet
The World Wide Web (also known as the Web) and the Internet are fundamentally dissimilar from one
another because the Web is a collection of information that can be accessed using the Internet, whereas
the Internet is a global network of networks that offers access to almost all types of information. In other
words, the Web is a service that was added to the Internet's foundation.
The Web is the part of the Internet that gets the greatest traffic. One unique aspect of this is hypertext, a
rapid cross-referencing method. The majority of websites feature text that highlights keywords or
phrases by being a different color than the rest of the text. When a user selects one of these words or
phrases, they will be sent to the chosen website or page. Buttons, graphics, and even particular areas of
images are also utilized as hyperlinks.
On the Internet, there are billions of pages of information. The most popular web browsers are Google
Chrome, Firefox, and Internet Explorer. A web browser is used to surf the internet or do online browsing.
Security and the Internet
Due to the volume of private and public information collected online, customers are at risk for security
attacks and data breaches. Crackers and hackers have access to networks and systems, and they are
able to steal personal data, such as login passwords or information on bank and credit card accounts.
Among the steps that may be taken to protect online privacy are:
o You can install antivirus and antimalware on your system.
o Generating complex, unique passwords that are impossible to decipher by anyone.
o A virtual private network (VPN) can be used, or at least a private browsing mode like the Incognito
window in Google Chrome.
o Only using HTTPS
o Keep private your all-social media accounts.
o Deactivate the autofill feature.
o Turn off the GPS of the device.
o Instead of just closing the tab or window, log out of accounts.
o Update cookies so that if a cookie is set, an alert is sent anytime.
o Spam emails should be avoided, and never open or download files from sources you are not aware
of.
o Need to use caution when using hotspots or public Wi-Fi.
Furthermore, the "dark web" is an additional component of the Internet. Standard browsers do not allow
users to access the dark web, which is hidden. It instead makes use of the Tor and I2P browsers, which
let users maintain complete anonymity. While this anonymity can be a fantastic way to safeguard a
user's security and freedom of speech online or for the government to conceal confidential information,
the dark web also fosters an environment that makes cybercrime, the transfer of illicit commodities, and
terrorism easier.
Internet Connection Protocols
Protocols are a set of guidelines that aid in regulating the operation of any specific organization or
technology.
Three main categories of Internet Connection Protocols are discussed below:
o TCP/IP Network Model: The most popular protocols for linking networks are Transmission Control
Protocol (TCP) and Internet Protocol (IP). Any communication is split up into a number of packets
that are sent from source to destination.
o File Transfer Protocol: With the help of FTP (File Transfer Protocol), a user can transfer
documents, text files, multimedia files, program files, etc., from one device to another.
o Hypertext Transfer Protocol: It is used to move a hypertext between two or more computers or
other devices. Links can be made using HTML tags and can take the form of text or graphics.
History of the Internet
The forerunner of the Internet, the ARPANet, went live for the first time in 1969. The TCP/IP, open
networking protocol suite, was adopted by the ARPANet in 1983, and the National Science Foundation
Network (NSFN) developed the network to link university computer science departments across the US in
1985.
When the hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP) was developed in 1989, it enabled different computer
platforms to connect to the same Internet sites, which dramatically improved communications over the
network. The Mosaic Web browser was developed in 1993.
Over the years of its existence, the Internet has remained a constant growth and development. For
instance, IPv6 was created to provide for a significant future rise in the number of IP addresses that
could be used. In a related development, the Internet of Things (IoT) refers to the rapidly developing
environment where nearly any entity or device can be given a unique identifier (UID) and the capability
to communicate data automatically over the Internet.
Advantages of the Internet:
o Instant Messaging: You can send messages or communicate to anyone using internet, such as
email, voice chat, video conferencing, etc.
o Get directions: Using GPS technology, you can get directions to almost every place in a city,
country, etc. You can find restaurants, malls, or any other service near your location.
o Online Shopping: It allows you to shop online such as you can be clothes, shoes, book movie
tickets, railway tickets, flight tickets, and more.
o Pay Bills: You can pay your bills online, such as electricity bills, gas bills, college fees, etc.
o Online Banking: It allows you to use internet banking in which you can check your balance,
receive or transfer money, get a statement, request cheque-book, etc.
o Online Selling: You can sell your products or services online. It helps you reach more customers
and thus increases your sales and profit.
o Work from Home: In case you need to work from home, you can do it using a system with
internet access. Today, many companies allow their employees to work from home.
o Entertainment: You can listen to online music, watch videos or movies, play online games.
o Cloud computing: It enables you to connect your computers and internet-enabled devices to
cloud services such as cloud storage, cloud computing, etc.
o Career building: You can search for jobs online on different job portals and send you CV through
email if required.
Disadvantages of the Internet
o Time wastage: Although, Internet has a lot of advantages, it also contains some limitations. Time
wasting is one of among them. It can decrease your productivity if you are spending too much time
on the Internet using social media apps while doing nothing. Rather than squandering time, one
should use that time to do something useful and even more productive.
o Bad impacts on health: You can get health related issues if you spend too much time online;
your body needs outside activities, exercise, and many other things. If you look at the screen for a
long time, it causes negative effects on the eyes.
o Cyber Crimes: These days, crimes including cyberbullying, spam, viruses, hacking, and data theft
are increasing day by day. Cybercriminals can quickly break into your system, which store all of
your private information.
o Effects on children: The constant watching of videos and playing games on the Internet by
young children is bad for their social and overall personality development.
Different ways to Connect to the Internet
The various methods for connecting to the Internet are briefly discussed below:
o Dial-up: This is generally the slowest type of Internet connection, and you
should probably avoid it unless it is the only service available in your area.
Dial-up Internet uses your phone line, so unless you have multiple phone
lines you will not be able to use your landline and the Internet at the same
time.
o DSL: DSL(Digital subscriber Line) service uses a broadband connection,
which makes it much faster than dial-up. DSL connects to the Internet via a
phone line but does not require you to have a landline at home. And unlike
dial-up, you'll be able to use the Internet and your phone line at the same
time.
o Cable: Cable service connects to the Internet via cable TV, although you
do not necessarily need to have cable TV in order to get it. It uses a
broadband connection and can be faster than both dial-up and DSL service;
however, it is only available where cable TV is available.
o Satellite: A satellite connection uses broadband but does not require cable
or phone lines; it connects to the Internet through satellites orbiting the
Earth. As a result, it can be used almost anywhere in the world, but the
connection may be affected by weather patterns. Satellite connections are
also usually slower than DSL or cable.
o 3G and 4G: 3G and 4G service is most commonly used with mobile phones,
and it connects wirelessly through your ISP's network. However, these
types of connections aren't always as fast as DSL or cable. They will
also limit the amount of data you can use each month, which isn't the
case with most broadband plans.
o Integrated Services Digital Network: With the help of using telephone lines, ISDN enables
users to send audio or video data.
Other things you can do on the Internet
The ability to communicate with anyone in the world virtually immediately is one of the best features of
the Internet. With billions of users worldwide, email is one of the most established and widely used
methods of online communication as well as information sharing with others. People can communicate
with each other in a number of ways and create online communities with the help of using social media
platforms.
Also, you can use the Internet for a variety of additional purposes. There are multiple ways to stay up to
date on news and do online shopping. You can take care of your financial affairs, meet new people,
watch TV, or enhance new skills. With the help of Internet, you can do or learn anything online.
What is an Intranet?
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A private network utilized by a company might be referred to as an intranet. Its main objectives
are to support safe staff communication, information archiving, and teamwork. Employees can
create profiles, submit, like, comment on, and share posts using social intranet features that are
common in contemporary intranets.
What is Intranet?
An intranet is a kind of private network. For example, an intranet is used by different
organizations and only members/staff of that organization have access to this. It is a system in
which multiple computers of an organization (or the computers you want to connect) are
connected through an intranet. As this is a private network, so no one from the outside world can
access this network. So many organizations and companies have their intranet network and only
its members and staff have access to this network. This is also used to protect your data and
provide data security to a particular organization, as it is a private network and does not leak
data to the outside world.
Working of Intranet
An intranet is a network confined to a company, school, or organization that works like the
Internet. Let us understand more about the working of the intranet with the help of a diagram, as
shown below:
Here in this diagram, a company or an organization has created its private network or intranet
for its work(intranet network is under the circle). The company or organization has many
employees(in this diagram, we have considered 3). So, for their access, they have PC 1, PC 2,
and PC 3(In the real world there are many employees as per the requirements of an
organization). Also, they have their server for files or data to store, and to protect this private
network, there is a Firewall. This firewall protects and gives security to the intranet server and its
data from getting leaked to any unwanted user. So, a user who has access to the intranet can
only access this network. So, no one from the outside world can access this network. Also, an
intranet user can access the internet but a person using the internet cannot access the intranet
network.
Why is Intranet Important?
Intranets play a crucial role in organizations by providing a centralized platform for seamless
internal communication, collaboration, and knowledge sharing, thereby significantly enhancing
productivity, streamlining operations, and fostering a culture of innovation and efficiency. Here
are the reasons that increase its importance:
o Improves internal communication
o Connects employees across locations and time zones
o Boosts recognition and reward
o Simplifies employee onboarding
o Provides organizational clarity
o Encourages knowledge sharing
Features of Intranet
o Document management: The ability to store, organize, and share documents.
o Collaboration tools: The ability to collaborate on projects and tasks.
o News and announcements: The ability to share news and announcements with
employees.
o Employee directory: The ability to find contact information for employees.
o Training and development: The ability to provide training and development resources to
employees.
o HR resources: The ability to access HR-related information, such as benefits and policies.
o Support services: The ability to submit support tickets and get help from IT.
Advantages of Intranet
o In the intranet, the cost of conveying data utilizing the intranet is very low.
o Using intranet employees can easily get data anytime and anywhere.
o It is easy to learn and use.
o It can be utilized as a correspondence center point where employees can store data at
whatever point they need and download files in just a few seconds.
o It connects employees with each other.
o The documents stored on the intranet are much more secure.
Disadvantages of Intranet
o The expense of actualizing intranets is normally high.
o The staff of the company or organization require special training to know how to use the
system.
o Data overloading.
o Although the intranet provides good security, but it still lacks in some places.
Difference Between Internet and Intranet
As we talk about the Intranet, it is too obvious to compare it with the Internet and for that, we
have to look on the differences of both.
Internet Intranet
Internet is available to all computers and everybody Intranet is limited and available to few computers(members who
has access. have access).
The Internet has wider access and it provides access to
Intranet is restricted.
a larger population with better access to its websites.
Intranet is safe and secure when it comes to data security and
The internet is not as safe as Intranet.
Intranet can be safely privatized as per the user requirement
Similarities Between the Internet and Intranet
As we talk about the Intranet, it is too obvious to compare it with the Internet and for that, we
have to look on the similarities of both.
Internet Intranet
TCP/IP and FTP are the protocol of Internet. Intranet uses TCP/IP and FTP .
internet sites are accessible to all and intranet hosted sites are Via web browser Intranet sites are accessible in the
available only to its members or staff’s with access. same as internet sites are accessible.
Similarly, There is own instant messenger available
There is yahoo messenger or Gtalk available on the internet
in Intranet.
Uses of Intranet
An intranet software is mainly used by organizations as a tool :
o Intranet share organizational updates.
o Intranets become the center repository where important information. news and company
data are stored. We can store files using intranet.
o Easy to communicate with employees. They create employee directories and organization
charts readily available, improving internal corporate communications. Intranet connect
employees of the organization
o Easy to access information. Using intranet collaborate with teams across borders
o Productivity increase using Intranet.
o Give employees a voice in the organization
