Computers and the Internet are a very complicated topic and there are many details on how they work. Different models of computers have different ways of working or different features that affect the way in which they function. However, we can use this four-layer model is a very easy and simple way to remember how the internet works.
The people are us, the users of the internet.
The networks are local network in which we connect to, IP addresses and the internet itself.
The software are the BIOs and the operating system.
The Hardware the are 6 main components we need for a computer to work.
A computer is made up of 6 different components:
Case - This holds all of the components of the computer and cools the computer with a fan.
Power Supply - This takes 210-110v input and steps it down for each component in the computer.
CPU (Central Processing Unit) - The computer itself. It performs all the instructions and handles data.
Motherboard: Connects CPU to all other components so it can command the components to help perform the instructions.
RAM - provides all the storage for software/downloads/documents in use.
Hard Disk Drive - Provides cheap and easy (but slow) storage for all applications and software.
You don't need the case, it just keeps everything together.
There are some terms you may come across that are to do with the internet, here are some definitions for these words:
Network of Networks - The networks made by us that all link together to form the internet.
Packet Switching - When you upload a photo/video on facebook, the picture has to split up into packets. The packets don't instantly go to the website you send them to, they "travel" through other networks such as Google and PCCW until it is sent to the website you sent it to.
TCP (Transmission Control Protocol) - A system for moving data through many networks around the internet and to make sure that it gets to the website the data is sent to.
IP (Internet Protocol) - Simply put, it's your computer's ID that your computer is addressed by all over the internet.
History of the internet
The internet was invented in 1969 by the Advanced Research Projects Agency (ARPA) and was designed for education and the government. 3 years later electronic mail was invented by Ray Tomlinson and became a new popular form of communication. He also used the "@" sign to distinguish the network being used to send the email and the email username. In 1976 Queen Elizabeth II sent her first ever email and was the first world leader to do so. 6 years after, the word "internet" was used to name the network of networks. 1984 was a very significant year for users of the internet as the DNS (Domain Name System) was introduced and this gave websites address identifications with extensions like ".org" ".com" and ".net".
The first internet virus was engineered in 1988 and was called "Computer worm". It shut down 10% of all internet servers around the world. 10 years later, Google made their website and based themselves in California. In 2001, a (currently) very popular online encyclopedia called "Wikipedia" was launched. In 2004, Facebook, a social networking website was released and a year after that, Youtube, the worldwide broadcasting network was launched.
Networks
A network is what we use to connect to the internet. When we connect to a network, the network connects to other networks which connect to more and more networks, this forms the internet. An RJ45 cable is used to connect to a router. There is an application called Terminal which is used to ping (remember) a website/IP address so it is able to talk to it. This is what makes a network. Eventually all of these networks link up to make the internet (as previously mentioned, the network of networks)!
Below is a visualization of what the internet would look like, each dot represents a network.
Google has many different networks, normally networks that can be quickly accessed for different countries. For example, there is a google.co.uk, a google.co.nz, all of these networks are linked up to one computer which has all of the information that google needs to run.
Packet Switching
When a picture, for example, is sent to websites such a Google and Facebook, it follows
certain steps. A laptop is connected to a local network which connects to many other networks in return. The networks connect to more and more networks until one or more the these networks connect to the website that you wanted to send the picture to. The picture is divided into packets (smaller fragments of data) that are sent over to the website you're sending it to. Packets will often take different routes to get to the website the picture is sent to.
If you don't understand completely, watch this video:
The pros and cons of the Internet and computers
The pros are that you are able to do schoolwork/work electronically and are able to research things for school work using the internet. The main things that people really like about the internet though are socializing and entertainment such as games and videos. In short, the computer and the internet are both methods of education, communication and trade (purchasing goods online).
However, with everything comes a flaw. There are a few bad points about computers and the internet too. Cyber bullying, a very serious issue online, is one of these. This is where people offend other people via social networks. Computer hacking is what people can do to find out more information about you. They can use this to steal your identity, your money, or to stalk you. Some of the things you download on the computer can carry viruses that can damage the memory or other functions of your computer and "crash" it, destroying all of your documents, information and data that your computer had stored in it at the time of the crash. This is why you should be careful and prepared for the problems with the internet and how it can affect your computer.
