Internet Connection Types & History

Internet Technology & WWW

• Topic 3 involves Internet Technology & WWW

Chapter Overview

• Chapter includes Internet Technology, World Wide Web, and Network Basics

Internet Overview

• The Internet links millions of businesses, government agencies, educational institutions, and individuals via a worldwide collection of networks.
• The Internet is a network of computer networks that runs globally using a common set of communications protocols.

Internet Evolution

• The Internet originated as ARPANET which had two main goals:
• To enable scientists at different physical locations to share information and work together
• Function if part of the network were disabled or destroyed by a disaster
• ARPA refers to the Advance Research Project Agency
• ARPA was created by the US Department of Defense
• The ARPANET network became functional in September 1969

Internet Connection & Access Types

• Dial-up Connection connects a PC to the Internet via a phone line and is a conventional but cheaper option
• Dial-up connections tie up phone lines and are relatively secure from hackers
• TMnet is an example of a dial-up connection
• Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN) also transfers data over standard telephone lines
• ISDN typically uses two phone lines to transfer data and requires a specific ISDN modem
• While faster and used by businesses/individuals, ISDN is more expensive and does not tie up the phone line

Dial-Up Connection Advantages

• Security
• Inexpensive hardware included
• Easy to set up and use
• Widespread availability

Dial-Up Connection Disadvantages

• Slow connection speed (max of 56Kbps)
• Inconvenience
• Telephone line tied up while accessing Internet

Broadband Internet Connection

• Broadband Internet connections allow many home and small business users to connect to the Internet at high speeds (200 Kbps)
• Computers are continually connected to the Internet with broadband
• Broadband vs Dial-Up:
  • Dial-up has slower connection speeds but is generally more affordable
  • Dial-up connections cause inconvenience by tying up the phone line but are relatively secure compared to broadband.

Types of Direct Connection

• DSL (Digital Subscriber Line);
• Cable Modem;
• Fixed Wireless
• Wi-Fi (Wireless Fidelity)
• Satellite Internet Services
• Cellular Radio Network
• Fiber to the Premises (BoF)

DSL (Digital Subscriber Line)

• DSL provides broadband Internet access delivered over telephone lines
• DSL transmits over telephone lines but does not tie up the line
• DSL stands for Digital Subscriber Line
• DSL offers fast, direct Internet access via standard telephone lines
• ADSL is one of the more popular types of DSL
• "streamyx" without WiFi is an example of DSL service option

Cable Internet

• Cable is the most widely used home broadband connection, providing high-speed Internet access over cable television networks
• Cable Internet is relatively new technology in Malaysia
• Cable provides high-speed Internet access through the cable television network using a cable modem.

Fixed Wireless

• Fixed wireless uses radio transmission towers rather than satellites
• Fixed wireless is not available in all areas and is expected to use WiMAX
• Fixed wireless provides a high-speed Internet connection with a dish-shaped antenna

Wi-Fi (Wireless Fidelity)

• Wi-Fi transmits data through radio waves via public wireless networks (both free and fee-based)
• WiMAX may soon be used for Wi-Fi for short ranges
• Wi-Fi provides high-speed Internet connections to compatible wireless computers/devices
• An example of a Wi-Fi service is Streamyx with Wi-Fi
• WiFi hotspots are places that provide users with free or paid Internet services
• Airports, cafés, hotels, hostels, and offices, are examples of WiFi hotspots

Satellite Internet Service

• Satellite Internet is a broadband option for rural areas that is slower and typically more expensive than cable or DSL
• Satellite provides high-speed Internet through satellite
• Satellite dishes communicate with a satellite modem

Fiber to the Premises (FTTP)

• Also known as Broadband over Fiber (BoF), delivers over fiber-optic cabling to a building
• FTTP is generally available in limited areas
• FTTP is fast, expensive, and uses fiber-optic cable
• FTTP provides high-speed Internet access for residential and business users

Cellular Radio Network

• Cellular Radio Network, also known as Mobile wireless, is accessed via mobile devices
• Cellular Radio Network technologies offer high-speed Internet connections with built-in compatible technology or wireless modems
• Celcom, Maxis, and DiGi are example Cellular Radio Network providers

Internet Service Provider Definitions

• Access providers allow individuals/organizations to access the Internet for free or a fee
• Internet Service Providers (ISP) offer Internet access and other related services

ISP Responsibilities

• Providing/maintaining a connection to the Internet
• Supporting hardware and software needed to service that connection
• Protecting their site/network from threats, including viruses and attacks
• Providing 24-hour customer service and technical support

ISP Types

• Regional ISPs offer Internet access to a specific geographic area
• National ISPs have Internet access in cities and towns nationwide
• Online service providers (OSP) are member-based and offer special features (e.g., AOL, MSN)
• Wireless Internet service providers (WISP) offer wireless Internet access for computers and mobile devices, sometimes requiring a wireless modem

Internet Services

• E-mail
• Mailing List
• Instant Messaging
• Chat
• Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP)
• Newsgroup
• Message Board
• File Transfer Protocol (FTP)

Electronic Mail

• E-mail is a way to distribute messages and files through a network
• An e-mail contains user’s simple text messages or even attachments.
• An email address is a combination of a username and domain name

Email User Name

• A username is unique combination of characters, such as letters of the alphabet and/or numbers, that identifies a specific user and which is used to log on to computer systems

Mailing Lists

• A mailing list refers to a group of e-mail names/addresses given one name
• Sometimes called an e-mail or distribution list, sending a message to a mailing list ensures everyone receives it
• To add an email name/address to a mailing list, subscribe to it and to unsubscribe or remove, unsubscribe

Instant Messaging

• Instant Messaging (IM) - real-time Internet communications service, providing notifications when contacts are online and enabling to share files or messages

Chat vs Chat Room

• Chat is a real-time, text-based conversation executed on a computer.
• A chat room is a location within an Internet server that allows users to chat with each other.

Voice over IP (VoIP)

• Voice over IP (VoIP) is a technology which allows users to speak to others over the internet

Newsgroup

• A newsgroup is an online forum in which users hold written discussions about a particular subject.

Messsage Board

• Message boards are a popular Web-based discussion group that does not necessitate a newsreader.

(FTP) File Transfer Protocol

• File Transfer Protocol (FTP) is an Internet standard allowing file uploading and downloading between computers on the Internet
• FTP server - computer allowing users to upload and download files using FTP
• FTP is one way users can transfer web page files from their local machines to the server
• Example FTP programs: FileZilla, SmarterFTP, WS_FTP

World Wide Web

• The World Wide Web is a service of the Internet, developed in the late 1960s and emerged in the early 1990s.
• The WWW, known as the Web, has a worldwide collection of electronic documents called Web pages
• A website is a collection of related Web pages and items
• Web servers send requested web pages to computers

Web Pages

• A web page is an electronic document on the web that can contain text, graphics, audio, video, animation and have other built-in connections to other pages or websites.
• The first page of a website is the homepage.

Types of Web Pages: Static

• Static webpages are written in HTML only.

Types of Web Pages: Dynamic

• Dynamic pages are written using more complex code

Web Browser

• Web browsers are an application that allows users to view and access web pages

Web 2.0

• Web 2.0- a means for sharing info (i.e. via social media sites)
• Web 2.0 allows users to modify web content (i.e. via blog)
• Software is built into Web 2.0 sites for users to implement

Web Address

• A web address, AKA URL (Uniform Resource Locator), is a unique term for a web page

URLs

• A URL, Uniform Resource Locator, consists of the protocol, domain name, path, and web page name
• A URL, for example could be http://www.nps.gov/grsm/planyourvisit/wildlifeviewing.htm.
• http:// is the Hypertext Transfer Protocol, a set of rules that defines how pages transfer on the Internet.
• Protocol is https, the Hypertext Transfer Protocal Secure; provides communication security and can be used for payment transactions

Network Basics

• Network basics involve LANs, MANs, and WANs

Classification of Networks

• Local Area Networks (LAN)
• Metropolitan Area Networks (MAN)
• Wide Area Networks (WAN)

Differentiation Between Networks

• The main differentiation among these classifications is their area of coverage:
  • LAN (Local Area Networks) have the lowest distance and complexity
  • MAN (Metropolitan Area Networks) have medium distance and complexity
  • WAN (Wide Area Network) has the longest distance and complexity

Local Area Networks (LAN)

• Local area networks (LAN) connect computers/devices in a geographically limited area
• LAN includes: homes, school computer laboratories, single offices/buildings, several buildings/campuses
• The simplest form of LAN is to connect two computers together
• A network which consists of less than 500 devices, is still recognized as a LAN

LAN Advantages

• Easy to share devices (printers, scanners, external drives)
• Easy to share data (homework, pictures)
• Low setup costs

LAN Disadvantages

• Limited area coverage (few kms)
• Low speed with many computers running simultaneously

Metropolitan Area Network (MAN)

• A metropolitan area network (MAN) is high-speed network; connects local networks in a metro area to accommodate bulk communication

MAN Advantages

• Efficient data access
• Equal abilities to residents to be online

MAN Disadvantages

• Costly
• High network traffic can be become quite slow

Wide Area Network (WAN)

• Wide area network (WAN) covers a high geographic area using a communication channel that combines many types of media
• The internet is an example of a wide area network (WAN)

WAN Advantages

• Increased efficiency
• Ease of communication

WAN Disadvantages

• High security problems
• Requires maintenance personnel to maintain the WAN

Network Comparison

CRITERIA | LAN | MAN | WAN

• -------------------------------------|----------------|----------------|---------------- SETTING UP COST | Low | High | Higher NETWORK SIZE | Small | Larger | Largest SPEED | Fastest | Slower | Slowest NUMBER OF COMPUTERS | Smallest| Large| Largest

Explore different internet connection types like dial-up and ISDN, their advantages, and disadvantages. Understand the historical context of ARPANET and the role of the US Department of Defence in shaping the modern internet.