Introduction to Internet

network
A network consists of two or more computers that are linked in order to share resources (such as
printers and CDs), exchange files, or allow electronic communications.

The community also can consist of several gadgets/mediums that resource communique among or
extra machines; those gadgets are called Network devices and consist of routers, switches, hubs, and
bridges, amongst others.

Internet
Introduction to the Internet is a global communication system that links together thousands of
individual networks. It allows exchange of information between two or more computers on a
network. Thus, the internet helps in transfer of messages through mail, chat, video & audio
conference, etc.

World Wide Web (WWW)

The Web was invented in 1991 by Tim Berners-Lee, while consulting at CERN (European Organization
for Nuclear Research) in Switzerland. The World Wide Web (WWW) or web is an internet based

service. World Wide Web, which is also known as a Web, is a collection of websites or web pages
stored in web servers and connected to local computers through the internet. The Web is viewed
through web browser software such as Google chrome, Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox etc.

Basic Terminologies of Computer Networks

Nodes: Nodes are devices that are connected to a network. These can include computers, Servers,
Printers, Routers, Switches, and other devices.

Protocol: A protocol is a set of rules and standards that govern how data is transmitted over a
network. Examples of protocols include TCP/IP, HTTP, and FTP.

Topology: Network topology refers to the physical and logical arrangement of nodes on a network.
The common network topologies include bus, star, ring, mesh, and tree.

Service Provider Networks: These types of Networks give permission to take Network Capacity and
Functionality on lease from the Provider. Service Provider Networks include Wireless
Communications, Data Carriers, etc.

IP Address: An IP address is a unique numerical identifier that is assigned to every device on a

network. IP addresses are used to identify devices and enable communication between them.

DNS: The Domain Name System (DNS) is a protocol that is used to translate human-readable domain
names (such as www.google.com) into IP addresses that computers can understand.

Firewall: A firewall is a security device that is used to monitor and control incoming and outgoing
network traffic. Firewalls are used to protect networks from unauthorized access and other security
threats.
Types of Computer Network Architecture
Computer Network falls under these broad Categories:

Client-Server Architecture: Client-Server Architecture is a type of Computer Network Architecture in

which Nodes can be Servers or Clients. Here, the server node can manage the Client Node Behaviour.

Peer-to-Peer Architecture: In P2P (Peer-to-Peer) Architecture, there is not any concept of a Central
Server. Each device is free for working as either client or server.

Types of computer network

There are mainly five types of Computer Networks

● Personal Area Network (PAN)

● Local Area Network (LAN)
● Campus Area Network (CAN)
● Metropolitan Area Network (MAN)
● Wide Area Network (WAN)

Personal Area Network (PAN): The smallest and most basic type of network, a PAN is made up of a
wireless modem, a computer or two, phones, printers, tablets, etc., and revolves around one person
in one building. These types of networks are typically found in small offices or residences, and are
managed by one person or organization from a single device.

Local Area Network (LAN): LANs connect groups of computers and low- voltage devices together
across short distances (within a building or between a group of two or three buildings in close
proximity to each other) to share information and resources. Enterprises typically manage and
maintain LANs.

Campus Area Network (CAN): CAN is bigger than a LAN but smaller than a MAN. This is a type of
computer network that is usually used in places like a school or colleges. This network covers a
limited geographical area that is, it spreads across several buildings within the campus. CAN mainly
use Ethernet technology with a range from 1km to 5km.

Metropolitan Area Network (MAN): MANs span an entire geographic area (typically a town or city,
but sometimes a campus). Ownership and maintenance is handled by either a single person or
company (a local council, a large company, etc.).

Wide Area Network (WAN): Slightly more complex than a LAN, a WAN connects computers together
across longer physical distances. This allows computers and low-voltage devices to be remotely
connected to each other over one large network to communicate even when they’re miles apart.

Web Address
The web address contains information about the location of the webpage.
It is also known as the URL (uniform resource locator).
Common domain names:

● .com (business)
● .org (organization)
● .edu (education)
 ● .gov (government)

Introduction of IP Address
An IP address is the identifier that enables your device to send or receive data packets across the
internet. It holds information related to your location and therefore makes devices available for
two-way communication.

An IP address is represented by a series of numbers segregated by periods(.). They are expressed in

the form of four pairs - an example address might be 255.255.255.255 wherein each set can range
from 0 to 255.

IP addresses are not produced randomly. They are generated mathematically and are further
assigned by the IANA (Internet Assigned Numbers Authority), a department of the ICANN.

How to search for IP addresses

Press Window + R > type cmd > write ipconfig > Enter

ISP
The term “internet service provider (ISP)” refers to a company that provides access to the internet to
both personal and business customers. ISPs may also provide other services, including email services,
domain registration, web hosting, and browser packages.

WHAT IS IP?
IP stands for internet protocol. It is a protocol defined in the TCP/IP model used for sending the
packets from source to destination. The main task of IP is to deliver the packets from source to the
destination based on the IP addresses available in the packet headers.

The first version of IP (Internet Protocol) was IPv4. After IPv4, IPv6 came into the market, which has
been increasingly used on the public internet since 2006.

Types of IP Addresses

The IPv4: The most common type of IP address is known as IPv4, for “IP version 4.” Here’s an
example of what an IPv4 address might look like:

24.156.99.202

Goodbye IPv4, Hello IPv6: IPv4 supports a maximum of approximately 4.3 billion unique IP
addresses. IPv6 supports, in theory, a much higher maximum number:

340,282,366,920,938,463,463,374
WHAT IS MAC (MEDIA ACCESS CONTROL)?
It stands for Media Access Control, and also known as Physical address, hardware address, or BIA
(Burned In Address).

It is globally unique; it means two devices cannot have the same MAC address. It is represented in a
hexadecimal format on each device, such as 00:0a:95:9d:67:16.

Difference between MAC address and IP address