The Internet

A global computer network providing a variety of information and communication facilities, consisting of interconnected networks using

standardized communication protocols. (1)Source)

Contents

•Domain Names and IP Addresses

•Domain Names and IP Addresses: The Link

•Data Packets and Packet Switching

•Function of Routers

•Sources

•Image Sources

Domain Names and IP Addresses

• Domain names: the part of a network address which identifies it as belonging to a particular domain. (3)source)

• IP Addresses: a unique string of numbers separated by full stops that identifies each computer using the Internet Protocol to communicate over a network. (4)source)

Actual Oxford Dictionary Definitions

Domain Names and IP Addresses The Link

• An IP address which is made up of numbers (eg. 212.58.246.10) allows you to establish a link to a network or device and get data from it.

• These numbers are not easy to remember and the above IP Address has a domain name label of ww.BBC.co.uk.

• The domain name is a word or line which could be a company name or subject with one or more pages.

• When typing a domain name which is easy to remember into a browser it converts it back into the IP Address behind the scenes and lets you view the page.

IP Address = Domain Name

(3) Image source)

Data Packets and Packet Switching• Data Packets: A data packet is what the data file is broken down

into so that it can be transferred to someone else over a network. By taking a large file and breaking it into smaller data packets, this allows it to transfer it between the networks quicker. In the example on the teach-ict.com website it explains that a 2MB file would be broken into chunks of 512 bytes in size. I have shown this in the table below that 4096 packets would be sent.

• Packet Switching: It is a way of breaking down files into smaller packets to be able to send them across a network e.g. 4096 packets have been sent and each one is given a reference number so the data is then reassembled once it has been received.

Calculator from source 6

‘How are you?’ is broken into 3 packets and given a reference number 1, 2, 3.

Image source 6

Function of Routers

• Routers are used to transfer data between devices.

• The data packets are transferred from one router to another through the networks.

• The router makes sure the information goes where it is supposed to and doesn’t let it go somewhere it isn’t supposed to.

• It makes sure the information gets to the target.

(5)sources)images 4+5)

Sources for Points of Reference

1. http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/Internet2. http://www.teach-ict.com/gcse_computing/ocr/215_communications_networking/IP_and_DNS/

miniweb/pg8.htm

3. http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/domain-name

4. http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/IP-address?q=IP+address

5. http://computer.howstuffworks.com/internet/basics/internet-infrastructure3.htm

6. http://www.matisse.net/bitcalc/?input_amount=1&input_units=megabytes&notation=legacy

Image Sources 1. Front page - http://dheoalfarisi87.blogspot.co.uk/2013/09/definition-internet-and-intranet.html

2. Front page - http://www.yourdictionary.com/images/articles/lg/234.Internet.jpg

3. Domain Names and IP Addresses: The link - http://www.bbc.co.uk/

4. Router: http://www.homeserverland.com/2009/05/securing-your-whs-and-network-part-8/

5. Router: http://www.techiwarehouse.com/engine/a27dabad/Home-Network-Router-Settings

6. Data packets: http://www.c-jump.com/CIS24/Slides/Networking/N01_0270_ip_data_packets.htm