The internet is the largest computer network in the world. It connects millions of smaller networks together so that devices like laptops, phones, smart TVs, and servers can share information with each other. When you send a message, play an online game, or visit a website, your device uses the internet to communicate with others—often across thousands of kilometres.
The internet is not a single machine. It’s made up of cables, satellites, routers, data centres, and wireless signals that all work together. Data travels across this system in tiny pieces called packets, which are sent through different routes and reassembled at the destination. This makes communication fast and reliable, even if parts of the network are busy or broken.
One of the most well-known services on the internet is the World Wide Web (WWW). The web is made up of websites, which are collections of files and pages stored on web servers. These pages are written using code like HTML and are accessed using browsers such as Chrome or Safari. However, the internet is more than just the web—it also includes email, file transfers, streaming services, messaging apps, and much more.
Each device connected to the internet is given a unique address called an IP address. This helps data packets know where to go. Because IP addresses are hard to remember, we use domain names (like google.com) instead. A special system called the Domain Name System (DNS) turns these names into the correct IP addresses so your device can contact the right server.
The internet works thanks to protocols, which are like agreed rules that all devices follow. The most important ones are HTTP (used for web pages) and TCP/IP (used to send data packets). Without these rules, computers wouldn’t know how to communicate with each other, and the internet would break down.
Define the internet and explain how it works.
Describe the difference between the internet and the World Wide Web.
Understand the role of IP addresses, DNS, and data packets.
Identify the purpose of key internet protocols.
Internet: A global system of connected computer networks.
World Wide Web (WWW): A system of websites and pages accessed through browsers
Server: A computer that stores data and provides services to other computers.
Packet: A small unit of data sent over a network.
IP address: A unique number given to every device connected to the internet.
Domain Name: A human-friendly web address like www.example.com.
DNS (Domain Name System): A system that matches domain names to IP addresses.
Protocol: A set of rules that devices use to communicate.
The internet is a network of networks that allows devices to share data.
The web is just one service on the internet—others include email and messaging.
Data travels in packets, each with an IP address.
DNS converts website names into IP addresses so you can reach the correct server.
Protocols like HTTP and TCP/IP are essential for communication between devices.
What is the difference between the internet and the World Wide Web?
Why do devices use IP addresses, and what does DNS do?
What is a packet, and why is data sent in packets?
Give two examples of internet protocols and explain what they are used for.
Search: “What is the Internet for students”
✍ In your WBK:
Write 5 key facts about how the internet works
Add 1 image showing how devices connect
Add 1 graphic that shows how data packets travel across the internet
Title the page: Lesson 1 Summary: The Internet
Search for and list 6 online tools or apps you use (e.g. Gmail, YouTube, Zoom).
✍ In your WBK:
For each one, write whether it uses the World Wide Web, the Internet, or Both
Explain your decision in 1 sentence for each
Search: “how does a website load” or “how the internet works”
✍ In your WBK:
Draw and label a diagram showing: browser → DNS → server → response
Include terms like: IP address, packet, router, protocol
(2 marks) State two services that are part of the internet but not part of the World Wide Web.
(3 marks) Explain how DNS and IP addresses help your device find the correct website.
(3 marks) Describe how data is transmitted across the internet using packets.