Internet Key Terms

URL

A URL, or Universal Resource Locator, is the reference or address to a resource on the Internet. An example of a website URL is http://www.testout.com/home/about/privacy. It consists of a protocol identifier (HTTP), a web server and domain name (www.testout.com), and an optional path to the resource (home/about/privacy).

HTML

Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) is the programming language that web pages use to display content through web browsers, such as Firefox or Google Chrome.

Intranet

An intranet is like a miniature Internet. It's a private network, not a public one, but it uses many of the same technologies that are used on the Internet, such as websites and email. An organization's intranet may or may not be connected to the public Internet. A security boundary prevents devices on the Internet from accessing the devices within the intranet.

DNS

DNS, short for Domain Name System, is a protocol that associates domain names (such as web servers) with unique IP addresses. DNS servers translate URLs into machine-readable IP addresses

IP Address

Every computing device that accesses the Internet is assigned a unique Internet Protocol (IP) address. These addresses consist of either four (IPv4) or eight (IPv6) parts. An example of a four-part IP address is 137.75.68.206.

ISP

Internet Service Providers, or ISPs, manage an access point to the Internet. They don't manage the entire Internet. If you think of the Internet as a big freeway, then ISPs manage the on-ramp to the freeway. They're responsible for building the on-ramp and keeping it maintained and open, but they're not responsible for the Internet itself.

The Web

Short for World Wide Web, the Web refers to the digital content delivered over the Internet, usually through a web browser.

TCP/IP

TCP/IP stands for Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol. It is the suite of protocols or rules that facilitate Internet communication.

HTTP and FTP

The Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) is used to identify resources and transfer content on the web. Some web pages use the HTTPS protocol, which adds an additional layer of encryption to make data transfers more secure. The File Transfer Protocol (FTP) can also be used to transfer data between computers on a network.

Internet of Things

The Internet of Things refers to the network of physical devices connected to the Internet capable of communicating and sharing data through sensors, network connectivity, barcodes, QR codes, and other technologies. The Internet of Things is made up of devices such as refrigerators, thermostats, street lights, and environmental tracking systems.

VoIP

Voice over IP (VoIP) sends voice phone calls using the TCP/IP protocol over digital data lines. With VoIP, phone calls are made through a network connection rather than through a standard phone line. When you make the phone call, it is converted into digital data and sent through the network or over the Internet.

The Internet

While often used synonymously with the Web, the term Internet typically refers to the vast collection of networking hardware and physical computing devices that make up the Internet.

WIFI

WiFi is a technology that provides wireless Internet connectivity through wireless routers. A WiFi network uses radio waves to transmit data within a particular area referred to as a hotspot.