Computing
What is the internet?
Quick answer
The internet is a huge network that links billions of computers and phones around the world, so they can share information. The web, email and video calls all run on it.
In one sentence
The internet is a worldwide system of connected computer networks that lets devices send data to each other.
Explained
Imagine a giant web of roads linking every town on Earth. The internet is like that, but for information. Your phone, tablet or laptop connects to a local network, which connects to others, and together they make a "network of networks" that spans the globe.
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How does it work? When you open a website, your device sends a request. It travels as small pieces called packets, passing through machines called routers that pick the next step of the route. The request reaches a server, a powerful computer that stores the website. The server sends the page back, also in packets, and your device puts them together. Each device has an IP address, like a postal address, so packets know where to go. All this happens in a fraction of a second.
The packets move through cables, wireless signals or both. You connect to a router at home by Wi-Fi or a cable. Beyond that, the signal travels along fibre-optic cables, which carry data as pulses of light. Almost all of the data between continents goes through cables laid on the sea floor. Satellites help in remote places.
The internet and the World Wide Web are not the same. The internet is the network, and the web is one service that runs on it: pages that you view in a browser and find with a web address (URL). Email, video calls, games and streaming also use the internet. The internet began in the 1960s as a small network linking universities. Tim Berners-Lee invented the web in 1989 and 1990 while working in Switzerland.
The internet is a wonderful way to learn and talk to others, but you must stay safe: keep personal information private, use strong passwords, be kind, and tell a trusted adult if something feels wrong. Read more in online safety. Computers understand only binary, and websites are written using code. See parts of a computer for the devices themselves.
Examples
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Server | computer that stores and sends websites |
| Router | device that directs packets |
| IP address | the address of a device |
| Browser | program for viewing web pages |
| URL | a web address |
Common mistakes
- "The internet is the web." The web is one thing that uses the internet.
- "The internet is in the cloud." The cloud is other people's computers in data centres.
- "Everything online is true." Always check sources.
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Related topics
Online safety
Staying safe online means keeping personal details private, using privacy settings and strong passwords, being kind, and telling a trusted adult if anything worries you.
Coding
Coding, or programming, means writing instructions in a language a computer understands so it can do a job, like run a game, an app or a website.
Parts of a computer
A computer has input devices to put information in, a processor to work on it, memory and storage to keep it, and output devices to show results. Software tells it what to do.
Algorithm
An algorithm is a precise, step-by-step set of instructions for solving a problem or doing a task. Computers follow algorithms written as code.
Debugging
Debugging means finding and fixing mistakes, called bugs, in an algorithm or a computer program. It is a normal part of coding for everyone.
Artificial intelligence
Artificial intelligence (AI) is computer software that does tasks that usually need human thinking, like recognising pictures, understanding speech or writing text. Most AI today learns from examples.