Internet Basics — Patwari Notes
The basics of the internet — the difference between the Internet and the WWW, the structure of a URL, common domain extensions, essential abbreviations and browsing-related terms — explained here at RSCIT level for the Patwari exam.
- RSCIT-level depth
- 8 min read
What is the Internet?
The Internet is a vast web connecting billions of computers and networks around the world (a network of networks), through which information, pictures, videos and messages are sent from one place to another. The World Wide Web (WWW) is a service that runs on the internet — a collection of websites and web pages — whereas the internet itself is the underlying physical/technical network on which many services run, including the WWW, email and file transfer. This difference is asked about repeatedly in exams — the WWW is a part of the internet, it is not equal to the internet.
A special piece of software called a Browser is needed to view a website — for example, Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Microsoft Edge. Typing a website's address (URL) into the browser, or searching for something in a search engine (such as Google), gets you the information you want.
Structure of a URL
A URL (Uniform Resource Locator) is the complete address of a web page, such as https://www.rajstudy.com. In it, 'https' is the protocol that indicates the data is being sent in a secure (encrypted) way — 'http' without the 's' is considered insecure, so 'https' should always be checked for on banking or government websites. 'www' is the subdomain, followed by the domain name (such as rajstudy) and the domain extension (such as .com), which indicates the website's identity and category.
Common Domain Extensions
| Extension | Used For |
|---|---|
| .com | Commercial (business) websites |
| .org | Non-profit organizations (NGOs, etc.) |
| .gov.in | Official websites of the Government of India |
| .nic.in | Websites linked to India's National Informatics Centre (NIC) |
| .edu | Educational institutions |
| .in | General websites associated with India |
The .gov.in and .nic.in extensions can be used to confirm that a website is official (government) — this is also useful from an online-safety point of view.
Common Internet-Related Abbreviations
| Abbreviation | Full Form |
|---|---|
| WWW | World Wide Web |
| HTTP | HyperText Transfer Protocol |
| HTTPS | HyperText Transfer Protocol Secure |
| URL | Uniform Resource Locator |
| ISP | Internet Service Provider |
| IP | Internet Protocol |
| LAN | Local Area Network |
| WAN | Wide Area Network |
| Wi-Fi | Wireless Fidelity |
Asking for the full forms of these abbreviations is very common in the Computer Knowledge section.
Essential Browsing Terms
Download means bringing a file from the internet onto your computer, while Upload means sending a file from your computer onto the internet — the two are opposites of each other. Saving a website's address so it can be easily reopened later is called Bookmarking it.
A browser temporarily stores small bits of information about a website (such as login status, preferences); these are called Cookies. The temporarily stored data used to reload web pages faster is called the Cache. The way of browsing without saving history, cookies or data is called Incognito/Private Browsing.
Memory Trick / Exam Tip
Trick to remember https vs http: the extra 's' = 'Secure' — banking, government and payment websites should always have 'https'. And WWW ≠ the Internet — the WWW is just one service that runs on the internet, not the whole internet.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between the Internet and the WWW?+
The Internet is the vast physical/technical network that connects computers, while the WWW (World Wide Web) is a service that runs on that network — a collection of websites and web pages.
What is the difference between http and https?+
The extra 's' in https means 'Secure' — the data is sent in an encrypted (secure) way, whereas plain http does not have this security.
What is an ISP?+
An ISP (Internet Service Provider) is a company that provides internet access to users, such as Jio, Airtel or BSNL.
What are cookies?+
Cookies are small bits of information that a website temporarily saves in the browser, so that a user's login status or preferences can be remembered.