Module 7 The Internet Part 2
Module 7 The Internet Part 2
GE ELECT 1
Living in the Information Technology Era
Module 7
THE INTERNET
INTRODUCTION:
There's almost no limit to what you can do online. The Internet makes it possible to quickly find
information, communicate with people around the world, manage your finances, shop from home,
listen to music, watch videos, and much, much more. Let's take a look at some of the ways the Internet
is most commonly used today.
Once you've set up your computer, you may want to purchase home Internet access so you can
send and receive email, browse the Web, stream videos, and more. You may even want to set up
a home wireless network, known as Wi-Fi, so you can connect multiple devices to the Internet at the
same time.
You may have heard people using terms like the cloud, cloud computing, or cloud storage.
But what exactly is the cloud? Simply put, the cloud is the Internet—more specifically, it's all of the
things you can access remotely over the Internet. When something is in the cloud, it means it's stored
on Internet servers instead of your computer's hard drive.
While exploring the Internet, you’ve probably encountered the term downloading and uploading.
This is the process of saving files you want to get from the internet and load files you want to save into
the internet. Downloading means receiving data or a file from the Internet on your
computer. Uploading means sending data or a file from your computer to somewhere on the Internet.
Have you ever noticed that certain words on the Web look a little bit different? Whenever you
see a word or phrase that's underlined in blue, it's probably a hyperlink, or link for short. You might
already know how links work, even if you've never thought about them much before. For example, try
clicking the link. Hyperlink will show beyond contents found in it. Every time you click a link on a
website or type a web address into your browser, it’s a URL. URL stands for Uniform Resource
Locator. Think of it like a street address, with each portion of the URL each giving you different
information. Let’s examine each component of URL and what we can learn from it.
Navigation and Exploration plays a major role in shaping our experiences on the Web. It
provides access to information in a way that enhances understanding, reflects brand, and lends to
overall credibility of a site. And ultimately, web navigation and the ability to find information have a
financial impact for stakeholders. Navigation design is a task that is not merely limited to choosing a
row of buttons. It’s much broader, and, at the same time, more subtle than that. The navigation designer
coordinates user goals with business goals. This requires an understanding of each, as well as a deep
knowledge of information organization, page layout, and design presentation. This chapter paints a
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broad context for web navigation to help you better appreciate not just its purpose, but its potential
scope of importance.
Week 10, 11 and 12
Lesson 7 The Internet - Part 2
Lesson Title 1. Doing Online?
2. Connecting to the Internet
3. Understanding the Cloud
4. Using a Web Browser
5. Understanding Hyperlinks
6. Downloading and Uploading
7. Using Search Engines
8. Understanding URLs
9. How to Set Up a Wi-Fi Network
Duration/hours 9 hours
SPECIFIC LEARNING At the end of this topic the students must have:
OUTCOME
1. Settled up their computer to the internet wired or wireless
connection.
2. Used the web browser they want that may look and act a bit
differently, but
all web browsers work in basically the same way.
3. Navigated to different websites, using tabbed browsing,
created
bookmarks and more.
5. Identified and recognized words or phrases that underlined in
blue, it's
probably a hyperlink, or link for short.
6. Performed how links work, even if you've never thought about
them much
before. For example, try clicking the link and you will see
beyond the
contents.
7. Explored the Internet and practiced downloading files into the
from the
internet and uploading files from the computer or devices to
the internet.
8. Examined each component of a URL and what we can learn
from it.
TEACHING LEARNING ACTIVITIES
Task 1 - Set up a home wireless network, commonly known as Wi-Fi, or connect from internet
provider so you can connect multiple devices to the Internet at the same time.
Task 2– Find information online. All you have to do is type one or more keywords, and the search
engine will look for relevant websites. For example, let's say you're looking for a new pair
of shoes. A search engine will brought you to different types of shoes, get directions to
find out where to buy them online!
Task 3 - Find and view websites on the Internet. No matter which web browser you use, you'll want
to learn the basics of browsing the Web.
Task 4 - Understand hyperlinks. Click a link to navigate to another web page. When you click a link, it
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will take you to a different webpage. Example, click a link to learn more about the Dupont
Circle neighborhood.
Task 5– Download a file into your computer. Example, click download command button. The
system automatically load the files immediately in the specified program and save it to
your hard drive.
Task 6– Upload file from your computer into the internet
For example, Facebook has a camera icon that begins the upload process. A dialog box will
appear, prompting you to select a file. Browse to the location where your file is stored,
select
it, then click the Open button. Afterward, a progress bar tracking the upload process will
appear on the page.
Task 7 – Use the search engines that enables you to locate information on the World Wide Web.
Example: Google, Yahoo!, and MSN Search.
Perform a search, you'll need to navigate in your web browser, type one or
more keywords—also known as search terms—then press Enter on your keyboard. In
this example, we'll search for recipes.
Task 8 – Understand Uniform Resource Locator. Let’s examine each component of a URL and what
we can learn from it. Every URL begins with the scheme. This tells your browser what
type of address it is so the browser connects to it correctly.
Example, Type the domain name ferry.ncdot.gov in the URL. It will open you to its
website pages
SYNTHESIS:
Finding information online , with billions of websites online today, there is a lot of
information on the Internet. Search engines make this information easier to find. All you have to do
is type one or more keywords, and the search engine will look for relevant websites.
For example, let's say you're looking for a new pair of shoes. You could use a search engine to
learn about different types of shoes, get directions to a nearby shoe store, or even find out where to
buy them online!
There are many different search engines you can use, but some of the most popular
include Google, Yahoo!, and Bing.
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Email
Short for electronic mail, email is a way to send and receive messages across the Internet.
Almost everyone who uses the Internet has their own email account, usually called an email
address. This is because you'll need an email address to do just about anything online, from online
banking to creating a Facebook account.
Social networking
Social networking websites are another way to connect and share with your family and
friends online. Rather than sharing with just a few people over email, social networks make it easier
to connect and share with many people at the same time. Facebook is the world's largest social
networking site, with more than 1 billion users worldwide.
Chat and instant messaging (IM) are short messages sent and read in real time, allowing
you to converse more quickly and easily than email. These are generally used when both (or all)
people are online, so your message can be read immediately. By comparison, emails won't be seen
until recipients check their inboxes.
Online media
There are many sites that allow you to watch videos and listen to music. For example, you
can watch millions of videos on YouTube or listen to Internet radio on Pandora. Other services,
like Netflix and Hulu, allow you to watch movies and TV shows. And if have a set-top streaming
box, you can even watch them directly on your television instead of a computer screen.
Everyday tasks
You can also use the Internet to complete many everyday tasks and errands. For example,
you can manage your bank account, pay your bills, and shop for just about anything. The main
advantage here is convenience. Rather than going from place to place, you can do all of these tasks
at home!
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Dial-up: This is generally the slowest type of Internet connection, and you should probably
avoid it unless it is the only service available in your area. Dial-up Internet uses your phone
line, so unless you have multiple phone lines you will not be able to use your landline and the
Internet at the same time.
DSL: DSL service uses a broadband connection, which makes it much faster than dial-up.
DSL connects to the Internet via a phone line but does not require you to have a landline at
home. And unlike dial-up, you'll be able to use the Internet and your phone line at the same
time.
Cable: Cable service connects to the Internet via cable TV, although you do not necessarily
need to have cable TV in order to get it. It uses a broadband connection and can be faster than
both dial-up and DSL service; however, it is only available where cable TV is available.
Satellite: A satellite connection uses broadband but does not require cable or phone lines; it
connects to the Internet through satellites orbiting the Earth. As a result, it can be used
almost anywhere in the world, but the connection may be affected by weather patterns.
Satellite connections are also usually slower than DSL or cable.
3G and 4G: 3G and 4G service is most commonly used with mobile phones, and it
connects wirelessly through your ISP's network. However, these types of connections aren't
always as fast as DSL or cable. They will also limit the amount of data you can use each
month, which isn't the case with most broadband plans.
Hardware needed
Modem
Once you have your computer, you really don't need much additional hardware to connect to
the Internet. The primary piece of hardware you need is a modem.
The type of Internet access you choose will determine the type of modem you need. Dial-
up access uses a telephone modem, DSL service uses a DSL modem, cable access uses a cable
modem, and satellite service uses a satellite adapter. Your ISP may give you a modem—often for a
fee—when you sign a contract, which helps ensure that you have the right type of modem.
However, if you would prefer to shop for a better or less expensive modem, you can choose to buy
one separately.
Router
Home networking
If you have multiple computers at home and want to use all of them to access the Internet, you
may want to create a home network, also known as a Wi-Fi network. In a home network, all of
your devices connect to your router, which is connected to the modem. This means everyone in
your family can use the Internet at the same time.
Your ISP technician may be able to set up a home Wi-Fi network when installing your
Internet service. If not, you can review our lesson on How to Set Up a Wi-Fi Network to learn
more. If you want to connect a computer that does not have built-in Wi-Fi connectivity, you can
purchase a Wi-Fi adapter that plugs into your computer's USB port.
Let's look at some of the most common reasons to use the cloud.
File storage: You can store all types of information in the cloud, including files and email.
This means you can access these things from any computer or mobile device with an
Internet connection, not just your home computer. Dropbox and Google Drive are some of
the most popular cloud-based storage services.
File sharing: The cloud makes it easy to share files with several people at the same time. For
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Pixlr: Pixlr is an image editing application that runs in your web browser. Much like Adobe
Photoshop, it includes many advanced features, like color correction and sharpening tools.
Google Docs: Google Docs is an office suite that runs in your browser. Much like Microsoft
Office, you can use it to create documents, spreadsheets, presentations, and more. And
because the files are stored in the cloud, it's easy to share them with others.
Each website has a unique address, called a URL (short for Uniform Resource Locator). It's
like a street address that tells your browser where to go on the Internet. When you type a URL into
the browser's address bar and press Enter on your keyboard, the browser will load the page
associated with that URL.
In the example below, we've typed www.bbc.com/travel into the address bar.
Links
Whenever you see a word or phrase on a website that's blue or underlined in blue, it's
probably a hyperlink, or link for short. You might already know how links work, even if you've
never thought about them much before. For example, try clicking the link below.
Hey, I'm a link! Click me!
Links are used to navigate the Web. When you click a link, it will usually take you to a
different webpage. You may also notice that your cursor changes into a hand icon whenever you
hover over a link.
If you see this icon, it means you've found a link. You'll find other types of links this way too.
For example, many websites actually use images as links, so you can just click the image to
navigate to another page.
Review our lesson on Understanding Hyperlinks to learn more.
Navigation buttons
The Back and Forward buttons allow you to move through websites you've recently viewed.
You can also click and hold either button to see your recent history. The Refresh button
will reload the current page. If a website stops working, try using the Refresh button.
Tabbed browsing
Many browsers allow you to open links in a new tab. You can open as many links as you
want, and they'll stay in the same browser window instead of cluttering your screen with multiple
windows. To open a link in a new tab, right-click the link and select Open link in new tab (the
exact wording may vary from browser to browser).
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To create a new blank tab, click the button to the right of any open tabs.
Your browser will also keep a history of every site you visit. This is another good way to find
a site you visited previously. To view your history, open your browser settings—usually by clicking
the icon in the upper-right corner—and select History.
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Downloading files
Links don't always go to another website. In some cases, they point to a file that can
be downloaded, or saved, to your computer.
If you click a link to a file, it may download automatically, but sometimes it just opens within
your browser instead of downloading. To prevent it from opening in the browser, you can right-
click the link and select Save link as (different browsers may use slightly different wording,
like Save target as).
Plug-ins
Plug-ins are small applications that allow you to view certain types of content within your web
browser. For example, Adobe Flash and Microsoft Silverlight are sometimes used to play videos,
while Adobe Reader is used to view PDF files.
If you don't have the correct plug-in for a website, your browser will usually provide a link to
download it. There may also be times when you need to update your plug-ins. Review our lesson
on Installing and Updating Plug-ins to learn more.
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Understanding hyperlinks
Have you ever noticed that certain words on the Web look a little bit different? Whenever you
see a word or phrase that's underlined in blue, it's probably a hyperlink, or link for short. You
might already know how links work, even if you've never thought about them much before. For
example, try clicking the link below.
Hey, I'm a link! Click me!
Link are used to navigate the Web. When you click a link, it will take you to a different
webpage. In the example below, we're clicking a link to learn more about the Dupont Circle
neighborhood.
You may also notice that your cursor changes into a hand icon whenever you hover over a link.
If you see this icon, it means you've found a link. You'll find other types of links this way too.
For example, many websites actually use images as links, so you can just click the image to
navigate to another page. In the example below, we're clicking the picture of the deer-shaped salt and
pepper shakers to open a page with more information about them.
Links don't always go to another website. In some cases, they allow you to download a file. When
you click a link like this, the file will be downloaded to your computer. In the example below, we're
downloading an installation file for a new application.
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As you can see, links are an important part of using the Web. They allow you to navigate
between different webpages, download files, and do a whole lot more.
Downloading
Usually, when you download a file you will start the download by clicking a link to that file.
Many of our tutorials contain links to files, like this:
Download our practice document. If you click the link, your browser should prompt you to
select one of two methods for downloading the file. Open with will download the file and load it
immediately in the specified program.
Save File will download it and save it to your hard drive.
Either way, once you click OK, the download begins. Your browser will indicate the progress
and time remaining on the download.
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Once the download is complete, either the file will be saved to your computer or it will open
in the program you selected. If you have trouble finding the file after you’ve downloaded it, check
out our Finding Your Downloads lesson.
Some browsers don’t always start this download process when you click the link to a file. In
these cases, you can right-click the link, then click Save Link As, then select a location to download
the file.
Uploading
If a site allows uploads, it will have an upload utility to help perform the file transfer. Each site
handles this process differently, but we’ll give some common examples. Usually, the site will have
help pages to walk you through the upload process. Many sites have an upload button that opens a
dialog box. For example, Facebook has a camera icon that begins the upload process.
A dialog box will appear, prompting you to select a file. Browse to the location where your file
is stored, select it, then click the Open button. Afterward, a progress bar tracking the upload process
will appear on the page.
Some sites support a drag-and-drop interface. For example, when logged in to Dropbox you can
drag the files from a folder on your computer and drop them into the browser window.
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Many other upload utilities have similar features. A more detailed example of uploading a file
is available in our Google Drive tutorial.
After you run a search, you'll see a list of relevant websites that match your search terms.
These are commonly known as search results. If you see a site that looks interesting, you can click a
link to open it. If the site doesn't have what you need, you can simply return to the results page to
look for more options.
Most browsers also allow you to perform a web search directly from your address bar, although
some have a separate search bar next to the address bar. Simply type your search terms and
press Enter to run the search.
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Search suggestions
If you don't find what you're looking for on the first try, don't worry! Search engines are good
at finding things online, but they're not perfect. You'll often need to try different search terms to
find what you're looking for.
If you're having trouble thinking of new search terms, you can use search
suggestions instead. These will usually appear as you're typing, and they're a great way to find new
keywords you might not have tried otherwise. To use a search suggestion, you can click it with your
mouse, or select it with the arrow keys on your keyboard.
You can also search for exact words or phrases to narrow down your results even more. All
you need to do is place quotation marks (" ") around the desired search terms. For example, if you
search for recipes "sugar cookies", your search results will only include recipes for sugar cookies,
instead of any cookies that happen to use sugar as an ingredient.
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These techniques may come in handy in certain cases, but you probably won't need to use them
with most searches. Search engines can usually figure out what you're looking for without these extra
characters. We recommend trying a few different search suggestions before using this method.
Content-specific searches
There may be times when you're looking for something more specific, like a news
article, picture, or video. Most search engines have links at the top of the page that allow you to
perform these unique searches.
In the example below, we've used the same search terms to look for images instead of
websites. If you see an image you like, you can click to visit the website it originally came from.
You can use the extra search tools to narrow down your results even more. These tools will
change based on the type of content you're looking for, but in this example we can filter our images
by size, color, image type, and more. So if you wanted to find cookies with pink frosting, you could
search for images that are mostly pink.
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Advertisements
One final thing to note: Most search engines include advertisements with search results. For
example, you can see advertisements at the top of the search results below.
These ads are based on your search terms, and they often look similar to other search results.
While they may be useful in some cases, it's usually more helpful to focus on the actual search
results.
For even more search tips, check out our Search Better tutorial.
Understanding URLs
Every time you click a link on a website or type a web address into your browser, it’s a URL.
URL stands for Uniform Resource Locator. Think of it like a street address, with each portion of the
URL as different parts of the address, and each giving you different information. Let’s examine each
component of a URL and what we can learn from it.
Scheme
Every URL begins with the scheme. This tells your browser what type of address it is so the
browser connects to it correctly. There are many types of schemes, but for typical web browsing you
will mostly see http and https. Your browser usually won’t show the scheme in the address bar, and
usually you don’t need to type the scheme when typing a web address; instead, you can just begin
with the domain name. The scheme is still always part of the URL; it just isn’t being displayed.
Domain name
The domain name is the most prominent part of a web address. Typically, different pages on
the same site will continue to use the same domain name. For example, all pages on this site share
the GCFLearnFree.org domain name.
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You can often learn something about the site from the domains. One of the domains usually
identifies the organization, while the top-level domain may give you more general information on
what kind of site it is. For example, in the domain name ferry.ncdot.gov, the .gov domain means it
is a government website in the United States, the ncdot domain identifies it as the website of the
North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT), and the ferry domain means this particular
page is about ferries operated by the NCDOT.
URLs that end with the domain name without a file path usually will load a homepage or an
index page that's designed to help you navigate to specific pages on the site. Often, if you can’t
remember the file path for a specific page, you can go to the homepage and search for it.
Parameters
Some URLs include a string of characters after the path—beginning with a question mark—
called the parameter string. You have probably noticed this part of a URL appear in your address
bar after performing a search on Google or YouTube. The parameter string can be clear or confusing
to a human user, but it is critical information for the server.
Anchor
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Also appearing after the path, the anchor tells your browser to scroll to or load a specific part
of the page. Usually the anchor begins with a hashtag and is used to direct your browser to a specific
part of a very long page, much like a bookmark. Different anchors don’t load different pages; they
simply tell the browser to display different parts of the page.
A whole URL
When combined, these elements make up a URL, although not all URLs will have all five parts.
Using what we learned in this tutorial, we can tell from the domain name of this URL that it’s
on Wikipedia, from the parameters that the page is probably about burritos, and from the anchor that
we’ll be looking at the section on burritos for breakfast.
Keep in mind that these are the most common components of a URL. There are many other
parts, but these are the five you will see most often and that can usually give you the most
information.
How to set up a Wi-Fi network
The Internet is a really powerful tool. It gives us access to all kinds of information at a
moment's notice—think email, Google search, and Wikipedia. So there's something a little
counterintuitive about only being able to use the Internet when you sit down at a desktop computer.
What if you could use the Internet from anywhere in your home or office?
If you already have high-speed (broadband) Internet service at your house, it's pretty easy to
create your own home wireless network. Commonly known as Wi-Fi, a wireless network allows
you to connect laptops, smartphones, and other mobile devices to your home Internet service without
an Ethernet cable.
To create your own Wi-Fi network, you'll need a wireless router. This is the device that will
broadcast the Wi-Fi signal from your Internet modem throughout your house. Your Internet service
provider (ISP) may offer you a wireless router for a small monthly fee. If you've never set up a Wi-Fi
network before, this may be the easiest option.
If you want to buy your own router, we'd recommend spending a little more time researching
different options. CNET offers a comprehensive guide on How to Buy a Router.
Some Internet modems may already have a built-in wireless router, which means you won't
need to purchase a separate one.
1. Once you've acquired a wireless router, you'll need to connect it to your existing Internet
modem.
2. Connect an Ethernet cable from your modem to the wireless router (there is usually a short
Ethernet cable included with your wireless router for this purpose).
3. Plug in the power cable for the wireless router.
4. Wait at least 30 to 60 seconds, and make sure the lights on your router are working correctly.
Connect!
That's it! Now you're ready to connect to your Wi-Fi network and make sure it's working. The
process for connecting to a Wi-Fi network will vary slightly depending on what type of computer or
device you're using, but any system will require these basic steps.
1. Locate your computer's network settings, and search for nearby Wi-Fi networks.
2. Select your network, and enter your password.
3. If the connection is successful, open your web browser and try navigating to a webpage
like www.google.com. If the page loads, it means your Wi-Fi connection is working
correctly.
Congratulations!
You've just set up your own home wireless network. Way to go!
Internet Explorer still comes pre-installed on any PC you buy. But starting in the mid-2000s,
other software companies introduced new browsers, including Mozilla Firefox and Google Chrome.
At the time, these browsers allowed for more experimental features. Because of this, web developers
began creating websites with browsers like Chrome and Firefox in mind, which meant they didn't
always work as well in Internet Explorer.
It's always a good idea to keep at least two web browsers on your computer or mobile
device. This way, if a website isn't working correctly you can try opening the page in a different web
browser. More often than not, this trick can solve a lot of problems you might encounter online.
ASSESSMENTS
QUIZ NO. 6
1. Internet banking is an example of which of the following
a) Social networking
b) An online service
c) File sharing
d) An internet browser
2. What are the two highlighted components of this URL?
a) Protocol
b) Program
c) Location
d) Pathname
e) Domain
3. What is meant by the word netiquette?
a) Online Etiquette
b) Being nice online
c) rules for behaving properly online
d) guidelines for behaving properly online
4. Identify three online services that are provided by an ISP (Internet Service Provider)
a) Online Banking
b) Wireless Network Adaptor
c) Web Space
d) Webcam
e) Email
5. Files can be transferred over the internet from a __________to a client
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a) Printer
b) Router
c) Protocol
d) Server
6. When files have been transferred over the internet from a server to a client these files are said to
have been what?
a) Deleted
b) Uploaded
c) Expanded
d) Downloaded
7. What is the World Wide Web?
a) a computer game
b) a software program
c) the part of the Internet that enables information-sharing via interconnected pages
d) another name for the Internet
8. Which is the best search tool for finding Web sites that have been handpicked and recommended
by someone else?
a. subject directories
b. search engines
c. meta-search engines
d. discussion groups
ASSIGNMENTS:
Define killer application and identify the killer app of the Internet
Define Internet and know when the word came into common usage
Explain what Internet Protocol is used for
Define HyperText Transfer Protocol and explain what it is used for.
RESOURCEs
- Wikipedia
- IBM
- www.slideshare.com
- Margaret Rouse
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- GCF LEarningFreee.Org
- TutorialPoints
-
Prepared by: