The Internet

The Internet is a global network, connecting many smaller individual networks. For example, the computer in your dorm room is connected to another computer on campus. All the departments on campus are then connected to a larger network in the state. The Illinois network is connected to regional, national and international networks.

The Internet is also a set of "protocols" that allow you to communicate with people, move files between computers, and find and share information. The protocols you are likely to use are:

e-mail
 for communicating with people across the Internet
h t t p
 (hypertext transfer protocol) for making Web pages accessible
f t p
 (file transfer protocol) for transferring files from one computer to another across the Internet
telnet
 for logging into other computers such as databases and host computers [older technology]