Introduction

Internet, in general terms, is called a network of networks. The Internet has become an essential part of our day to day life. From sending mails, browsing the web to downloading files, everything takes just a blink of an eye. This is possible due to its peer-to-peer mesh network. In this article we will explore “What is Internet?”

What is Internet

The internet is a network which uses TCP/IP (protocols) to transmit data via various media such as wireless, fibre optic, etc. An internet connects various computers and servers using a communication medium.

History of Internet

The internet of now was developed as a pilot project under the United States Department of Defence and was called ARPANET. Around 1995, it was brought to the public and operated by the commercial internet service providers.

The whole history of Internet can be easily understood from given History flow diagram:

Architecture of Internet

In generic, Internet uses three layered architecture as shown below:

The flow of Internet data/packets between two computers and Internet server is shown below:

We will discuss Architecture of Internet in detail in upcoming article.

Advantages of Internet

Internet comes with billions of benefits. Following are few familiar advantages:

1. It helps us to connect with each other seamlessly
2. It helps us to transfer any form data (text, file, mp3, video, etc.) & Information across globe
3. It helps us to access various services (like banking, payment, booking services) online
4. It helps to do shopping of all items online
5. It helps us get information regarding anything with location and GPS

Disadvantages and Demerits of Internet

With great powers come great responsibility. This quote is applicable for Internet. Following are few demerits or disadvantages of Internet:

1. Bullying, Trolls, Stalkers and Crime is one genre of demerits of Internet
2. Pornographic, Image and Video morphing is affecting a large number of youths
3. Addiction of various applications online reduces productivity of youth and wastes a lot of time
4. Identity theft, Phishing, Malware attack, Spam, Hacking and Virus attack
5. Health Issues like obesity and eye problems