unit -4 Study Material - Internet and Network (20th November 2024) (1)
unit -4 Study Material - Internet and Network (20th November 2024) (1)
Internet and Network: Networking and its Types (LAN, MAN, WAN,
Topologies). Internet and its Features, Services Protocol, browser,
www, DNS, Websites, Search Engine
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COMPUTER NETWORKING
INTRODUCTION
A computer network is a system that connects numerous independent computers in order
to share information (data) and resources. The integration of computers and other different
devices allows users to communicate more easily.
A computer network consists of various kinds of nodes. Servers, networking hardware,
personal computers, and other specialized or general-purpose hosts can all be nodes in a
computer network. Host names and network addresses are used to identify them.
Computer Network means an interconnection of autonomous (standalone) computers for
information exchange. The connecting media could be a copper wire, optical fiber,
microwave, or satellite.
Computer networking refers to connected computing devices (such as laptops, desktops,
servers, smartphones, and tablets) and an ever-expanding array of IoT devices (such as
cameras, door locks, doorbells, refrigerators, audio/visual systems, thermostats, and various
sensors) that communicate with one another.
Definition
Computer network, two or more computers that are connected with one another for the
purpose of communicating data electronically. Besides physically connecting computer and
communication devices, a network system serves the important function of establishing
a cohesive architecture that allows a variety of equipment types to transfer information in a
near-seamless fashion.
Computer Networks simply work using nodes and links. Data Communication Equipment
is simply termed as Nodes. For example, Modems, Hubs, Switches, etc. whereas links in
Computer networks can be referred to as a connection between two nodes. We have
several types of links like cable wires, optical fibers, etc.
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Whenever a Computer Network is working, nodes have the work of sending and receiving
data via the links. Computer Network provides some set of protocols that helps in
following the rules and protocols.
• Programs do not have to execute on a single system because of resource and load
sharing.
• Reduced costs – Multiple machines can share printers, tape drives, and other
peripherals.
• Reliability – If one machine fails, another can take its place.
• Scalability (it’s simple to add more processors or computers)
• Communication and mail (people living apart can work together)
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• Information Access (remote information access, access to the internet, e-mail,
video conferencing, and online shopping)
• Entertainment that is interactive (online games, videos, etc.)
• Social Networking
Networking Components/Devices
Computer network components are the major parts which are needed to install the software.
Some important network components are NIC, switch, cable, hub, router, and modem.
Depending on the type of network that we need to install, some network components can
also be removed. For example, the wireless network does not require a cable.
• Hub: A hub is a device that joins together many twisted pairs or fiber optic
Ethernet devices to give the illusion of a formation of a single network segment.
The device can be visualized as a multiport repeater. A network hub is a
relatively simple broadcast device. Any packet entering any port is regenerated
and broadcast out on all other ports, and hubs do not control any of the traffic
that passes through them. Packet collisions occur as a result of every packet
being sent out through all other ports, substantially impeding the smooth flow of
communication.
• Routers: Routers are networking devices that use headers and forwarding tables
to find the optimal way to forward data packets between networks. A router is a
computer networking device that links two or more computer networks and
selectively exchanges data packets between them. A router can use address
information in each data packet to determine if the source and destination are on
the same network or if the data packet has to be transported between networks.
When numerous routers are deployed in a wide collection of interconnected
networks, the routers share target system addresses so that each router can
develop a table displaying the preferred pathways between any two systems on
the associated networks.
• Bridges: Bridges broadcast data to all the ports but not to the one that received
the transmission. Bridges, on the other hand, learn which MAC addresses are
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reachable through specific ports rather than copying messages to all ports as hubs
do. Once a port and an address are associated, the bridge will only transport
traffic from that address to that port.
1. Resource Sharing
Resource sharing is an application of a computer network. Resource sharing means you can
share one Hardware and Software among multiple users. Hardware includes printers, Disks,
Fax Machines, etc. Computing devices. And Software includes Atom, Oracle VM Virtual
Box, Postman, Android Studio, etc.
Resource sharing is the process of sharing the resources such as storage devices,
input/output devices, etc. over the network. For example, printer can be shared among the
computers connected in a network by attaching it to the server computer. When the users
want their documents to be printed they can simply give the print command from their
computers and get their document printed. The sharing of a printer on a network is relatively
cheaper than attaching separate printers to the individual computers connected in the
network.
2. Information Sharing
Using a Computer network, we can share Information over the network, and it provides
Search capabilities such as WWW. Over the network, a single information can be shared
among the many users over the internet.
3. Communication
Communication includes email, calls, message broadcast, electronic funds transfer system
etc.
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The far-reaching applications of network are electronic mail and teleconferencing. These
applications allow individuals as well as organizations to use networks for exchanging
messages (written, voice and video) extensively. Electronic mail enables a person to send
and receive instant messages over a computer network with the help of Internet. On the
other hand, teleconferencing enables real-time communication over a distance by allowing
people at different locations to communicate with each other by seeing the video picture of
people at other sites. This is also referred as virtual meeting.
4. Entertainment Industry
In Entertainment industry also uses computer networks widely. Some of the Entertainment
industries are Video on demand, Multiperson real-time simulation games, movie/TV
programs, etc.
Remote data access is the process of accessing the data from remote location in an efficient
way. Different software programs are used to provide an interface to the end users for
accessing the data remotely.
Computer networks allow us to access the Remote Database of the various applications by
the end-users. Some applications are Reservation for Hotels, Airplane Booking, Home
Banking, Automated Newspaper, Automated Library etc.
6. Home Applications
There are many common uses of the computer network are as home applications. For
example, you can consider user-to-user communication, access to remote instruction,
electronic commerce, and entertainment. Another way is managing bank accounts,
transferring money to some other banks, paying bills electronically. A computer network
arranges a robust connection mechanism between users.
7. Business Applications
The result of business application here is resource sharing. And the purpose of resource
sharing is that without moving to the physical location of the resource, all the data, plans,
and tools can be shared to any network user. Most of the companies are doing business
electronically with other companies and with other clients worldwide with the help of a
computer network.
8. Mobile Users
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The rapidly growing sectors in computer applications are mobile devices like notebook
computers and PDAs (personal digital assistants). Here mobile users/device means portable
device. The computer network is widely used in new-age technology like smartwatches,
wearable devices, tablets, online transactions, purchasing or selling products online, etc.
9. Social Media
Social media is also a great example of a computer network application. It helps people to
share and receive any information related to political, ethical, and social issues.
The Network allows computers to connect and communicate with different computers
via any medium. LAN, MAN, and WAN are the three major types of networks designed to
operate over the area they cover. There are some similarities and dissimilarities between
them. One of the major differences is the geographical area they cover, i.e. LAN covers
the smallest area; MAN covers an area larger than LAN and WAN comprises the largest
of all.
LAN stands for local area network. It is a group of network devices that allow
communication between various connected devices. Private ownership has control over the
local area network rather than the public. LAN has a short propagation delay than MAN as
well as WAN. It covers smaller areas such as colleges, schools, hospitals, and so on.
o Local Area Network is a group of computers connected to each other in a small area
such as building, office.
o LAN is used for connecting two or more personal computers through a
communication medium such as twisted pair, coaxial cable, etc.
o It is less costly as it is built with inexpensive hardware such as hubs, network
adapters, and ethernet cables.
o The data is transferred at an extremely faster rate in Local Area Network.
o Local Area Network provides higher security.
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LAN or Local Area Network connects network devices in such a way that personal
computers and workstations can share data, tools, and programs. The group of computers
and devices are connected together by a switch, or stack of switches, using a private
addressing scheme as defined by the TCP/IP protocol. Private addresses are unique in
relation to other computers on the local network. Routers are found at the boundary of a
LAN, connecting them to the larger WAN.
Data transmits at a very fast rate as the number of computers linked is limited. By
definition, the connections must be high speed and relatively inexpensive hardware (Such
as hubs, network adapters, and Ethernet cables). LANs cover a smaller geographical area
(Size is limited to a few kilometers) and are privately owned. One can use it for an office
building, home, hospital, schools, etc. LAN is easy to design and maintain. A
Communication medium used for LAN has twisted-pair cables and coaxial cables. It
covers a short distance, and so the error and noise are minimized.
Early LANs had data rates in the 4 to 16 Mbps range. Today, speeds are normally 100 or
1000 Mbps. Propagation delay is very short in a LAN. The smallest LAN may only use
two computers, while larger LANs can accommodate thousands of computers. A LAN
typically relies mostly on wired connections for increased speed and security, but wireless
connections can also be part of a LAN. The fault tolerance of a LAN is more and there is
less congestion in this network. For example A bunch of students playing Counter-Strike
in the same room (without internet).
MAN stands for metropolitan area network. It covers a larger area than LAN such as small
towns, cities, etc. MAN connects two or more computers that reside within the same or
completely different cities. MAN is expensive and should or might not be owned by one
organization.
MAN or Metropolitan area Network covers a larger area than that of a LAN and smaller
area as compared to WAN. It connects two or more computers that are apart but reside in
the same or different cities. It covers a large geographical area and may serve as an ISP
(Internet Service Provider). MAN is designed for customers who need high-speed
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connectivity. Speeds of MAN range in terms of Mbps. It’s hard to design and maintain a
Metropolitan Area Network.
o A metropolitan area network is a network that covers a larger geographic area by
interconnecting a different LAN to form a larger network.
o Government agencies use MAN to connect to the citizens and private industries.
o In MAN, various LANs are connected to each other through a telephone exchange
line.
o The most widely used protocols in MAN are RS-232, Frame Relay, ATM, ISDN,
OC-3, ADSL, etc.
o It has a higher range than Local Area Network(LAN).
The fault tolerance of a MAN is less and also there is more congestion in the network. It is
costly and may or may not be owned by a single organization. The data transfer rate and
the propagation delay of MAN are moderate. Devices used for transmission of data
through MAN are Modem and Wire/Cable. Examples of a MAN are the part of the
telephone company network that can provide a high-speed DSL line to the customer or the
cable TV network in a city.
Uses Of Metropolitan Area Network:
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Wide Area Network
WAN covers a large area than LAN as well as a MAN such as country/continent etc.
WAN is expensive and should or might not be owned by one organization. Public
Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) or satellite medium is used for wide area networks.
WAN or Wide Area Network is a computer network that extends over a large geographical
area, although it might be confined within the bounds of a state or country. A WAN could
be a connection of LAN connecting to other LANs via telephone lines and radio waves
and may be limited to an enterprise (a corporation or an organization) or accessible to the
public. The technology is high speed and relatively expensive.
o A Wide Area Network is a network that extends over a large geographical area such
as states or countries.
o A Wide Area Network is quite bigger network than the LAN.
o A Wide Area Network is not limited to a single location, but it spans over a large
geographical area through a telephone line, fibre optic cable or satellite links.
o The internet is one of the biggest WAN in the world.
o A Wide Area Network is widely used in the field of Business, government, and
education.
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Examples Of Wide Area Network:
o Mobile Broadband: A 4G network is widely used across a region or country.
o Last mile: A telecom company is used to provide the internet services to the
customers in hundreds of cities by connecting their home with fiber.
o Private network: A bank provides a private network that connects the 44 offices.
This network is made by using the telephone leased line provided by the telecom
company.
o Security issue: A WAN network has more security issues as compared to LAN and
MAN network as all the technologies are combined together that creates the security
problem.
o Needs Firewall & antivirus software: The data is transferred on the internet which
can be changed or hacked by the hackers, so the firewall needs to be used. Some
people can inject the virus in our system so antivirus is needed to protect from such a
virus.
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o High Setup cost: An installation cost of the WAN network is high as it involves the
purchasing of routers, switches.
o Troubleshooting problems: It covers a large area so fixing the problem is difficult.
Full-Form LAN stands for local MAN stands for WAN stands for wide
area network. metropolitan area area network.
network.
Design & LAN’s design and While MAN’s design Whereas WAN’s design
Maintenance maintenance are easy. and maintenance are and maintenance are also
difficult than LAN. difficult than LAN as
well MAN.
Fault tolerance There is more fault While there is less In WAN, there is also
tolerance in LAN. fault tolerance. less fault tolerance.
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Conclusion –
There are many advantages of LAN over MAN and WAN, such as LAN’s provide
excellent reliability, high data transmission rate, they can easily be managed and shares
peripheral devices too. Local Area Network cannot cover cities or towns and for that
Metropolitan Area Network is needed, which can connect a city or a group of cities
together. Further, for connecting a Country or a group of Countries one requires a Wide
Area Network.
The arrangement of a network that comprises nodes and connecting lines via sender and
receiver is referred to as network topology. The various network topologies are: Star,
Bus, Ring, Mesh, Tree
a) Star Topology :
In star topology, all the devices are connected to a single hub through a cable. This hub is
the central node and all other nodes are connected to the central node. The hub can be
passive in nature i.e., not an intelligent hub such as broadcasting devices, at the same time
the hub can be intelligent known as an active hub. Active hubs have repeaters in them.
Figure 2: A star topology having four systems connected to a single point of connection
i.e. hub.
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b) Bus Topology :
Bus topology is a network type in which every computer and network device is connected
to a single cable. It transmits the data from one end to another in a single direction. No bi-
directional feature is in bus topology. It is a multi-point connection and a non-robust
topology because if the backbone fails the topology crashes.
Figure 3: A bus topology with shared backbone cable. The nodes are connected to the
channel via drop lines.
• If N devices are connected to each other in a bus topology, then the number of
cables required to connect them is 1, which is known as backbone cable, and N
drop lines are required.
• The cost of the cable is less as compared to other topologies, but it is used to
build small networks.
c) Ring Topology :
In this topology, it forms a ring connecting devices with its exactly two neighbouring
devices.
A number of repeaters are used for Ring topology with a large number of nodes, because if
someone wants to send some data to the last node in the ring topology with 100 nodes,
then the data will have to pass through 99 nodes to reach the 100th node. Hence to prevent
data loss repeaters are used in the network.
The transmission is unidirectional, but it can be made bidirectional by having 2
connections between each Network Node, it is called Dual Ring Topology.
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Figure 4: A ring topology comprises 4 stations connected with each forming a ring.
1. One station is known as a monitor station which takes all the responsibility to
perform the operations.
2. To transmit the data, the station has to hold the token. After the transmission is
done, the token is to be released for other stations to use.
3. When no station is transmitting the data, then the token will circulate in the ring.
4. There are two types of token release techniques: Early token release releases the
token just after transmitting the data and Delay token release releases the token
after the acknowledgment is received from the receiver.
d) Mesh Topology :
In a mesh topology, every device is connected to another device via a particular channel.
Figure 1: Every device is connected with another via dedicated channels. These channels
are known as links.
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• Suppose, N number of devices are connected with each other in a mesh topology,
the total number of ports that are required by each device is N-1. In Figure 1,
there are 5 devices connected to each other, hence the total number of ports
required by each device is 4. Total number of ports required=N*(N-1).
• Suppose, N number of devices are connected with each other in a mesh topology,
then the total number of dedicated links required to connect them is NC2 i.e. N(N-
1)/2. In Figure 1, there are 5 devices connected to each other, hence the total
number of links required is 5*4/2 = 10.
e) Tree Topology :
This topology is the variation of Star topology. This topology has a hierarchical flow of
data.
Figure 5: In this, the various secondary hubs are connected to the central hub which
contains the repeater. In this data flow from top to bottom i.e. from the central hub to
secondary and then to the devices or from bottom to top i.e. devices to the secondary hub
and then to the central hub. It is a multi-point connection and a non-robust topology
because if the backbone fails the topology crashes.
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Problems with this topology :
• If the central hub gets fails the entire system fails.
• The cost is high because of cabling.
INTERNET
Introduction
The Internet - The Internet is a worldwide network of computers that allows users access to
data, information, and feedback from distant sources. It functions as the world’s largest
public library, providing access to a seemingly endless range of data. It provides access to
communication services and information resources to millions of user around the globe.
The Internet has no central computer; instead, each message sent bears an address code that
lets a sender forward a message to a desired destination from any computer linked to the
Net.
Many benefits of the Internet arise because the Internet is a collection of thousands of small
networks, both domestic and foreign connecting academic, governmental, commercial,
organizational and individuals’ sites, rather than a single computer operation.
Internet enables its users to share and access enormous amount of information worldwide. It
uses WWW, FTP, email services, audio and video streaming etc. At huge level, internet
works on Client-Server model.
Internet uses very high-speed backbone of fiber optics. To inter-connect various continents,
fibers are laid under sea known to us as submarine communication cable.
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Internet Evolution
The concept of Internet was originated in 1969 and has undergone several technological &
Infrastructural changes as discussed below:
• The origin of Internet devised from the concept of Advanced Research Project
Agency Network (ARPANET).
• ARPANET was developed by United States Department of Defense.
• Basic purpose of ARPANET was to provide communication among the various
bodies of government.
• Initially, there were only four nodes, formally called Hosts.
• In 1972, the ARPANET spread over the globe with 23 nodes located at different
countries and thus became known as Internet.
• By the time, with invention of new technologies such as TCP/IP protocols, DNS,
WWW, browsers, scripting languages etc.,Internet provided a medium to publish and
access information over the web.
The Internet can be seen as having two major components: Network Protocols and
hardware. The protocols, such as the TCP/IP suite, present sets of rules that devices must
follow in order to complete tasks. Without this common collection of rules, machines would
not be able to communicate.
The protocols are also responsible for translating the alphabetic text of a message into
electronic signals that can be transmitted over the Internet, and then back again into legible,
alphabetic text.
Hardware, the second major component of the Internet, includes everything from the
computer or smartphone that is used to access the Internet to the cables that carry
information from one device to another. Additional types of hardware include satellites,
radios, cell phone towers, routers and servers.
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These various types of hardware are the connections within the network. Devices such as
computers, smartphones and laptops are end points, or clients, while the machines that store
the information are the servers. The transmission lines that exchange the data can either be
wireless signals from satellites or 4G and cell phone towers, or physical lines, such as cables
and Fiber optics.
The process of transferring information from one device to another relies on packet
switching. Each computer connected to the Internet is assigned a unique IP address that
allows the device to be recognized. When one device attempts to send a message to another
device, the data is sent over the Internet in the form of manageable packets. Each packet is
assigned a port number that will connect it to its endpoint.
A packet that has both a unique IP address and port number can be translated from
alphabetic text into electronic signals by travelling through the layers of the OSI model from
the top Application Layer to the bottom Physical Layer. The message will then be sent
over the Internet where it is received by the Internet Service Provider's (ISP) router. The
router will examine the destination address assigned to each packet and determine where to
send it.
Eventually, the packet reaches the client and travels in reverse from the bottom physical
layer of the OSI model to the top application layer. During this process, the routing data --
the port number and IP address -- is stripped from the packet, thus allowing the data to be
translated back into alphabetic text and completing the transmission process.
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• searching for jobs -- both the employer and applicant use the Internet to post open
positions, apply for jobs and recruit individuals found on social networking sites
like LinkedIn.
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Additionally, there is an element of the Internet called the dark web. The dark web is hidden
and inaccessible through standard browsers. Instead, it uses the Tor and I2P browsers which
allow users to remain entirely anonymous. While this anonymity can be a great way to
protect an online user's security and free speech or for the government to keep classified
data hidden, the dark web also creates an environment that facilitates cybercrime, the
transfer of illegal goods and terrorism.
• The ability to work from home, collaborate and access a global workforce.
• The ability to monitor and control personal accounts instantly, such as bank
Internet Advantages
Internet covers almost every aspect of life, one can think of. Here, we will discuss some of
the advantages of Internet:
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Internet Disadvantages
Internet technologies
SERVER :
A server is a computer program that provides a service to another computer program and its
user.
Types of Servers
Application Server - a program in a computer that provides the business logic for an
application program.
• Web Server – A web servers is a computer that deliver requested Web pages to your
computer. A computer program that serves requested HTML pages or files.
• Proxy Server – It is a software that acts as an intermediary between an endpoint
device, such as computer and another server from which a user is requesting.
• Mail Server – It is an application that receives incoming e-mail from local users and
remote senders and forward outgoing e-mail for delivery.
• File Server – is a computer responsible for central storage and management of data
files so that other computer on the same network can access them.
• Policy Server – is a security component of a policy –based network that provides
authorization services and facilitates tracking and control of files.
It is a numerical label assigned to each device. This provides identity to a networked device.
Example of an IP address 72.14.207.99. An IP address usually consist of four groups of
numbers. The number in each group is between 0 and 255. The first portion of IP address –
Network, the second portion of IP address – specific Device.
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• Cable Internet Service – provides high-speed Internet access through the cable television
network via cable modem.
• DSL (Digital Subscriber Line) – provides high-speed Internet connection using regular
copper telephone wire.
• FTTP (Fiber to the Premises) – uses fiber-optic cable to provide high-speed Internet
access to home and business.
• A Cellular Radio Network – offers high-speed Internet connection to devices with built-
in compatible technology.
• Wi-Fi (Wireless Fidelity) – network uses radio signals to provide high-speed Internet
connections to compatible or properly equipped wireless computer or device.
• Satellite Internet Service – provides high-speed Internet connections via satellite dish
that communicates with a satellite modem.
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Domain Name Meaning
Edu Education
Au Australia Jp Japan
In India Ca Canada
Fr France Ee Estonia
Za South Africa
In the above diagram each subtree represents a domain. Each domain can be partitioned
into sub domains and these can be further partitioned and so on.
Name Server
Name server contains the DNS database. This database comprises of various names and
their corresponding IP addresses. Since it is not possible for a single server to maintain
entire DNS database, therefore, the information is distributed among many DNS servers.
• Hierarchy of server is same as hierarchy of names.
• The entire name space is divided into the zones
Zones
Zone is collection of nodes (sub domains) under the main domain. The server maintains a
database called zone file for every zone.
If the domain is not further divided into sub domains then domain and zone refers to the
same thing.
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The information about the nodes in the sub domain is stored in the servers at the lower
levels however; the original server keeps reference to these lower levels of servers.
Types of Name Servers
Following are the three categories of Name Servers that manages the entire Domain Name
System:
• Root Server
• Primary Server
• Secondary Server
Root Server : Root Server is the top level server which consists of the entire DNS tree. It
does not contain the information about domains but delegates the authority to the other
server.
Primary Servers :Primary Server stores a file about its zone. It has authority to create,
maintain, and update the zone file.
Secondary Server : Secondary Server transfers complete information about a zone from
another server which may be primary or secondary server. The secondary server does not
have authority to create or update a zone file.
Internet Services
Communication Services
There are various Communication Services available that offer exchange of information
with individuals or groups. The following table gives a brief introduction to these services:
1 Electronic Mail
Used to send electronic message over the internet.
2 Telnet
Used to log on to a remote computer that is attached to internet.
3 Newsgroup
Offers a forum for people to discuss topics of common interests.
5 Mailing Lists
Used to organize group of internet users to share common information
through e-mail.
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6 Internet Telephony (VoIP)
Allows the internet users to talk across internet to any PC equipped to
receive the call.
7 Instant Messaging
Offers real time chat between individuals and group of people. Eg. Yahoo
messenger, MSN messenger.
2 Archie
It’s updated database of public FTP sites and their content. It helps to
search a file by its name.
3 Gopher
Used to search, retrieve, and display documents on remote sites.
Web Services
Web services allow exchange of information between applications on the web. Using web
services, applications can easily interact with each other.
The web services are offered using concept of Utility Computing.
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• Web documents are referred to as pages can contain links to other related documents
in a tree like structure. The person browsing one document can access any other
linked page. The web documents and the web browsers which are the application
programs to access them are designed to be platform independent. Thus any web
document can be accessed irrespective of the platform of the computer accessing the
document and that of the host computer.
Web Page –
A web page is unit of information, often called a document that is available over the WWW
. Web pages are created using HTML, which defines the contents of a web page such as
images, text, hypertext links, video and audio files etc. Web pages send and received
through HTTP. Browser client software enables users to request web pages from HTTP
(web) server, and to view the requested web pages on their computer screen.
Web Browser –
Web Browser – An application or software that allows user to access information on the
Web. Browser are the application used to access the internet and surf for information.
A browser is a software program that acts as an interface between the user and the www.
The browser sends requests for information that is available on the Internet and displays the
information for the user. Or a browser is a piece of software that acts as an interface
between the user and the inner-working of the Internet, specifically www. The browser acts
on behalf of the user and does : contact a web server and sends request for information, and
receives the information and then displays it on the user’s computer. There are many
different types of browsers like text-based browser, graphical browser.
Website
It is a collection of web pages in a Server that is accessible via Internet using a Web address
called a URL (uniform resource locator)
A collection of web pages and media over the internet is called a website. The website can
be published on at least one web server and can be identified by a common domain name,
for example - javatpoint.com, google.com, youtube.com.
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All the websites that are accessible publicly come under the World Wide Web. There is
a website that is accessed only on a private network. Most of the websites are dedicated to a
particular topic or purpose, for example, education, news, commerce, entertainment, or
Social networking. The websites start with a home page, which is followed by some
navigation page that is linked by the Hyperlinking between the web pages.
History of Website
One of the British CERN physicist named Tim Berners-Lee created the WWW (World
Wide Web) in 1990. It was free from 30 April 1993 by CERN. The gopher protocol and
the FTP (File Transfer Protocol) were used before the introduction of the HTTP (Hypertext
Transfer Protocol). They only offer a simple directory structure, and the documents will be
presented as a plain text file without any formatting.
URL stands for Uniform Resource Locator, and is used to specify addresses on the World
Wide Web. A URL is the fundamental network identification for any resource connected to
the web (e.g., hypertext pages, images, and sound files). URL is the address of a web page
on the Internet. Web page – an electronic document on the web.
Definition of URL
A Uniform Resource Locator (URL) is a unique identifier used to locate a resource on the
Internet. It is also referred to as a web address. URLs consist of multiple parts -- including a
protocol and domain name -- that tell a web browser how and where to retrieve a resource.
End users use URLs by typing them directly into the address bar of a browser or by clicking
a hyperlink found on a webpage, bookmark list, in an email or from another application.
protocol://hostname/other_information
For example, the URL for Indiana University's home page is:
http://www.indiana.edu/
The protocol specifies how information from the link is transferred. The protocol used
for web resources is HyperText Transfer Protocol (HTTP). Other protocols
compatible with most web browsers include HTTPS, FTP, telnet, newsgroups,
and Gopher. The protocol is followed by a colon, two slashes, and then
the domain name. The domain name is the computer on which the resource is located.
Links to particular files or subdirectories may be further specified after the domain
name. Directory names are separated by single forward slashes.
URL examples
When designing URLs, there are different theories about how to make the syntax most
usable for readers and archivists. For example, in the URL's path, dates, authors, and topics
can be included in a section referred to as the "slug." Consider, for example, the URL for
this definition:
https://www.techtarget.com/searchnetworking/definition/URL
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Look past the protocol (identified as HTTPS) and the permalink (www.techtarget.com) and
we see the file path includes two paths (search networking and definition) and the title of the
definition (URL).
Parts of a URL
Using the URL https://www.techtarget.com/whatis/search/query?q=URL as an example,
components of a URL can include:
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not in the example above, an example could be #history in the URL
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internet#History.
SEARCH ENGINE
• A web search engine is a software system that is designed to search for information
on the World Wide Web.
• Search Engine is a program that searches for and identifies items in a database that
correspond to keywords or characters specified by the user, used especially for
finding particular sites on the World Wide Web.
• A search engine is accessed through a browser on their computer, Smartphone,
tablet, or another device.
Examples of popular Search Engines :
Google, Bing, Yahoo, Ask.com, Aol.com, Internet Archive… Etc.
INTERNET PROTOCOLS
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Internet Protocol Address (IP Address)
other end of the transmission, and reconstruct the data in its original form. TCP/IP
protocol uses a unique addressing scheme through which each computer on the network is
identified.
FTP is used to copy files from one host to another. FTP offers the mechanism for the same
in following manner:
• FTP creates two processes such as Control Process and Data Transfer Process at both
ends i.e. at client as well as at server.
• FTP establishes two different connections: one is for data transfer and other is for
control information.
• Control connection is made between control processes while Data Connection is
made between<="" b="">
• FTP uses port 21 for the control connection and Port 20 for the data connection.
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Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP)
HTTP is the set of rules or protocol that enables hypertext data to be transferred from one
computer to another. HTTP enables users to retrieve a wide variety of resources, such as
text, graphics, sound, animation and other hypertext documents, and allow hypertext
access to other Internet protocols.
HTTP Request
HTTP request comprises of lines which contains:
• Request line
• Header Fields
• Message body
Key Points
• The first line i.e. the Request line specifies the request method i.e. Get or Post.
• The second line specifies the header which indicates the domain name of the server
from where index.htm is retrieved.
HTTP Response
Like HTTP request, HTTP response also has certain structure. HTTP response contains:
• Status line
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• Headers
• Message body
Telnet
Telnet is the protocol that enables one computer to establish a connection to another
computer. The computer establishing the connection is referred to as the local computer,
the computer accepting the connection is referred to as the remote, or host computer.
Telnet can provide access to many resources around the world, such as library catalogs,
database and other Internet tools andapplications.
Telnet is a protocol used to log in to remote computer on the internet. There are a number
of Telnet clients having user friendly user interface. The following diagram shows a person
is logged in to computer A, and from there, he remote logged into computer B.
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Trivial File Transfer Protocol (TFTP)
Trivial File Transfer Protocol is also used to transfer the files but it transfers the files
without authentication. Unlike FTP, TFTP does not separate control and data information.
Since there is no authentication exists, TFTP lacks in security features therefore it is not
recommended to use TFTP.
Key points
• TFTP makes use of UDP for data transport. Each TFTP message is carried in
separate UDP datagram.
• The first two bytes of a TFTP message specify the type of message.
• The TFTP session is initiated when a TFTP client sends a request to upload or
download a file.
• The request is sent from an ephemeral UDP port to the UDP port 69 of an TFTP
server.
Email
Email is a service which allows us to send the message in electronic mode over the internet.
It offers an efficient, inexpensive and real time mean of distributing information among
people.
E-mail Protocols
SMPTP
SMTP stands for Simple Mail Transfer Protocol. It was first proposed in 1982. It is a
standard protocol used for sending e-mail efficiently and reliably over the internet.
Key Points:
• SMTP is application level protocol.
• SMTP is connection oriented protocol.
• SMTP is text based protocol.
• It handles exchange of messages between e-mail servers over TCP/IP network.
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• Apart from transferring e-mail, SMPT also provides notification regarding incoming
mail.
• When you send e-mail, your e-mail client sends it to your e-mail server which further
contacts the recipient mail server using SMTP client.
• These SMTP commands specify the sender’s and receiver’s e-mail address, along
with the message to be send.
• The exchange of commands between servers is carried out without intervention of
any user.
• In case, message cannot be delivered, an error report is sent to the sender which
makes SMTP a reliable protocol.
IMAP
IMAP stands for Internet Message Access Protocol. It was first proposed in 1986. There
exist five versions of IMAP as follows:
• Original IMAP
• IMAP2
• IMAP3
• IMAP2bis
• IMAP4
Key Points:
• IMAP allows the client program to manipulate the e-mail message on the server
without downloading them on the local computer.
• The e-mail is hold and maintained by the remote server.
• It enables us to take any action such as downloading, delete the mail without reading
the mail.It enables us to create, manipulate and delete remote message folders called
mail boxes.
• IMAP enables the users to search the e-mails.
• It allows concurrent access to multiple mailboxes on multiple mail servers.
POP
POP stands for Post Office Protocol. It is generally used to support a single client. There
are several versions of POP but the POP 3 is the current standard.
Key Points
• POP is an application layer internet standard protocol.
• Since POP supports offline access to the messages, thus requires less internet usage
time.
• POP does not allow search facility.
• In order to access the messaged, it is necessary to download them.
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• It allows only one mailbox to be created on server.
• It is not suitable for accessing non mail data.
• POP commands are generally abbreviated into codes of three or four letters. Eg.
STAT.
E-mail Working
Email working follows the client server approach. In this client is the mailer i.e. the mail
application or mail program and server is a device that manages emails.
Following example will take you through the basic steps involved in sending and receiving
emails and will give you a better understanding of working of email system:
• Suppose person A wants to send an email message to person B.
• Person A composes the messages using a mailer program i.e. mail client and then
select Send option.
• The message is routed to Simple Mail Transfer Protocol to person B’s mail server.
• The mail server stores the email message on disk in an area designated for person B.
The disk space area on mail server is called mail spool.
• Now, suppose person B is running a POP client and knows how to communicate with
B’s mail server.
• It will periodically poll the POP server to check if any new email has arrived for
B.As in this case, person B has sent an email for person B, so email is forwarded
over the network to B’s PC. This is message is now stored on person B’s PC.
The following diagram gives pictorial representation of the steps discussed above:
Key Points:
• Gmail manages the mail into three categories namely Primary,
Social and Promotions.
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• Compose option is given at the right to compose an email message.
• Inbox, Starred, Sent mail, Drafts options are available on the left pane which
allows you to keep track of your emails.
Composing and Sending Email
Before sending an email, we need to compose a message. When we are composing an
email message, we specify the following things:
• Sender’s address in To field
• Cc (if required)
• Bcc (if required)
• Subject of email message
• Text
• Signature
You should specify the correct email address; otherwise it will send an error back to the
sender.
Once you have specified all the above parameters, It’s time to send the email. The mailer
program provides a Send button to send email, when you click Send, it is sent to the mail
server and a message mail sent successfully is shown at the above.
Reading Email
Every email program offers you an interface to access email messages. Like in Gmail,
emails are stored under different tabs such as primary, social, and promotion. When you
click one of tab, it displays a list of emails under that tab.
In order to read an email, you just have to click on that email. Once you click a particular
email, it gets opened.
The opened email may have some file attached with it. The attachments are shown at the
bottom of the opened email with an option called download attachment.
Replying Email
After reading an email, you may have to reply that email. To reply an email,
click Reply option shown at the bottom of the opened email.
Once you click on Reply, it will automatically copy the sender’s address in to the To field.
Below the To field, there is a text box where you can type the message.
Once you are done with entering message, click Send button. It’s that easy. Your email is
sent.
Forwarding Email
It is also possible to send a copy of the message that you have received along with your
own comments if you want. This can be done using forward button available in mail client
software.
The difference between replying and forwarding an email is that when you reply a message
to a person who has send the mail but while forwarding you can send it to anyone.
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When you receive a forwarded message, the message is marked with a > character in front
of each line and Subject: field is prefixed with Fw.
Deleting Email
If you don’t want to keep email into your inbox, you can delete it by simply selecting the
message from the message list and clicking delete or pressing the appropriate command.
Some mail clients offers the deleted mails to be stored in a folder called deleted items or
trash from where you can recover a deleted email.
Difference between the World Wide Web and the Internet
The key difference between the Internet and the World Wide Web (WWW or the Web) is
that the Internet is a global connection of networks while the Web is a collection of
information that can be accessed using the Internet. In other words, the Internet is
the infrastructure and the Web is a service on top.
The Web is the most widely used part of the Internet. Its outstanding feature is hypertext, a
method of instant cross-referencing. In most Web sites, certain words or phrases appear in
text of a different color than the rest; often this text is also underlined. When a user selects
one of these words or phrases, they will be transferred to the related site or page. Buttons,
images, or portions of images are also used as hyperlinks.
Web browsing is done through a Web browser, the most popular of which are Google
Chrome, Firefox and Internet Explorer. The appearance of a particular Web site may vary
slightly depending on the browser used. Later or more updated versions of a particular
browser are able to render more complex features, such as animation, virtual reality, sound
and music files.