During the fourth week of this subject, we will delve into the basics of computer networking, as well as its historical and operational perspectives of the Internet. We’ll also touch upon Internet privacy, security, and limitations, not forgetting sharing in the thoughtful speculation of what may lie ahead of the Internet. At the end of this module, you’ll gain an understanding of how the Internet works and the deep implications-really, for better or worse-it has on society.
Learning Objectives:
- Be Sensitive to Positive and Negative Aspects of the Internet, including one concerning the privacy and security issues.
- Foundation of Computer Networking.
- How data travels over the Internet.
PRACTICE QUIZ: WHAT IS AN OPERATING SYSTEM?
1. True or false: The Internet is the World Wide Web.
- TRUE
- FALSE (CORRECT)
Correct! Some people interchange the Internet with the World Wide Web as they erroneously equate the two. As a whole, the term Internet is concerned with the actual physical network-the thousands of wires in the whole world instead of the globally scattered computers.
2. What is the fundamental protocol that the Internet uses today?
- DHCP
- HTTP
- TCP/IP (CORRECT)
- FTP
Nice work! The TCP and IP allow computers to share data between different networks and made the possible establishment of a modern Internet. It standardized the communications of the networks in a way that would, in the end, allow connections across the renowned globe.
3. True or false: You should only worry about computer security if you work in a computer security role.
- TRUE
- FALSE (CORRECT)
Well done, you! Computer security affects igniting people, personally and personally. Personal safety habits regarding security are essential to protect oneself and everyone else around him or her. Strong security practices help reduce the risk of cyberattacks while protecting sensitive information from unauthorized access or misuse.
4. There are 4 bytes in an IPv4 address. What is the highest decimal value you can have for one byte?
- 128
- 255 (CORRECT)
- 256
- 512
Great job! A byte is made up of 8 bits, and since each of those bits can be either 0 or 1, this creates in total 2^8 (256) combinations. The range of these combinations is from 0 all the way up to 255 in decimal, indicating that a byte can have 256 different values possible.
5. Which of the following protocols is the primary infrastructure that creates the Internet?
- DNS
- NAT
- HTML
- TCP/IP (CORRECT)
Nice work! TCP/IP was the main protocol behind ‘networking computers’ to exchange information across networks. It built a common language on behalf of all the networks, connecting them all, laying the groundwork for the development of modern Internet, and eventually for bringing people around the planet into one AV.
6. A(n) ______ is an interconnection of computers.
- service
- packet
- ethernet cable
- network (CORRECT)
You got it! Yes, you can connect several computers so as to create a network. In fact, a network allows computers to communicate and share resources such as files or printers or even internet access. The definition of a network can vary from small local networks, also known as LANs, to a large network covering the whole planet, like the Internet.
7. In an IT field, managing, building, and designing networks is known as ______.
- coding
- networking (CORRECT)
- engineering
- management
Great job! Networking is the management as well as construction of networks. It is mainly about the designing, implementing, and maintaining of operational and secure networks. This includes hardware (like routers and switches) setup, programming, traffic management, and troubleshooting ensuring reliable internal operation and communication among devices.
8. True or false: The Internet of Things is a concept that’s allowing more devices to be connected to the Internet.
- True (CORRECT)
- False
Right on! Yes, indeed household usages are now being connected to the internet of things, which is that they will quite possibly include such manual devices as thermostat-mind kitchen appliances and more. When these items are used with an underlying IoT, they can collect data and send it across for correspondence and make them ‘intelligent’ for control purposes by remote connection. An example is smart thermostats that would automatically adjust and manage the house temperature after the preferences indicated if you had set up a smart appliance-the monitoring and control to be done by an app running through your smart device, thus making daily living more comfortable and efficient and automated as far as possible.
GRADED ASSESSMENT: NETWORKING
1. Which of the following devices are used in networking? Check all that apply.
- Routers (CORRECT)
- Hubs (CORRECT)
- Switches (CORRECT)
- TCP
Wohoo! These are all physical devices used in networking
2. Which one of these are a valid IPv4 address? Check all that apply.
- 345.0.24.6
- 255.255.255.0 (CORRECT)
- 1.1.1.1 (CORRECT)
- 54.45.43.54 (CORRECT)
Great job! An IPv4 address comprises of four octets, with each octet having a range determined by the lowest number 0 and the highest number 255.
3. Devices on a network are identified by which of the following?
- Ethernet cable
- MAC address and IP address (CORRECT)
- Username and IP addresses
- ISPs and IP addresses
Nice work! The MAC address and IP address are special identifiers used to recognize devices on a network.
4. Which statement is true about the Internet and the World Wide Web?
- The Internet is the World Wide Web.
- The Internet is a way to access the World Wide Web.
- The World Wide Web is the only way to access the Internet.
- The World Wide Web is a way to access the Internet. (CORRECT)
Great job! We are capable of accessing the web using the Universal Web (WWW).
5. You’re having trouble connecting to the Internet, so you call your Internet Service Provider for help. They need to know the permanent unique identifier of your networking device, to help them troubleshoot. What are they asking for?
- MAC address (CORRECT)
- IP address
- URL address
- ISP address
Great work! Every device has a unique address called a MAC (Media Access Control) address that is used to connect to the network. The MAC address will typically be permanent and hardwired into the device.
6. Which statements are true about routers? Check all that apply.
- A router utilizes network protocols to help determine where to send data packets. (CORRECT)
- A router connects devices together and helps direct network traffic. (CORRECT)
- A router can only send data to another computer that’s on the same network.
- A router is a set of components that makes up computer networking.
You nailed it! A router is used to connect different devices and direct traffic to different networks. The router helps send data packets throughout the network using networking protocols to determine the approximated destination for the data.
7. What is http://www.google.com an example of?
- URL (CORRECT)
- ICANN
- ISP
- HTTP
Woohoo! URLs, or Uniform Resource Locators, are human-readable web addresses that are, for instance, http://www.google.com, used to gain access to resources on the internet.
8. What was the main limitation of computer networking that the invention of the World Wide Web solved in the 1990s?
- The TCP/IP protocol could only be used in universities, governments, and businesses.
- Networks couldn’t talk to each other.
- People could only receive the information in the form of text. (CORRECT)
- People around the world could not send data to one another.
You got it! Mostly, information was conveyed through texts before the World Wide Web onwards, including emails, bulletin board systems (BBS), and text-based protocols such as FTP and telnet.
9. You need to update your router settings, so you log into the administration panel, whose Internet Protocol (IP) address is 192.168.0.1. Which IP version is this?
- IPv1
- IPv6
- IPv2
- IPv4 (CORRECT)
You got it! IPv4 Address is a 32-bit address which has been classified into 4 groups. All the group can have values ranging between 0-255. Hence, addresses like 192.168.0.1 become valid IPv4 addresses.
10. Which statement is true about computer security?
- Computer security is everyone’s responsibility. (CORRECT)
- Computer security is only necessary for governments and big businesses.
- Computer security is the job of specialized security engineers.
- Computer security does not affect the gaming industry.
You nailed it! Computer security is not a task reserved for just special security engineers anymore. Today, it concerns everybody that it’s going to be coming into your personal life as well as your business life.
11. What protocol allows us to use a domain name like google.com instead of an IP address?
- NAT
- TCP/IP
- DNS (CORRECT)
- ICMP
You nailed it! Security for computers is not solely up to specialized security engineers anymore; everyone should understand the importance it plays concerning a person’s critical personal and professional matters.
12. What type of address do computers use to find something on a network?
- URL address
- IP address (CORRECT)
- MAC address
- ISP address
13. You’re browsing the Web, and type in http://www.Coursera.com in the address line. Instead of the website, an error screen appears. You type in 54.174.155.206, and the Coursera website comes up. What’s the most likely reason for this?
- Web addresses must be entered in lowercase
- Address line is for the IP address only, not the domain name
- There’s a problem in your network’s DNS configuration (CORRECT)
- There’s a problem with your internet connection
14. What was the biggest problem with the earliest version of the Internet in the late 1960s?
- Networks couldn’t talk to each other (CORRECT)
- There was no way to remotely access any computer
- The TCP/IP protocol could only be used in universities, governments, and business.
- Computers were too big and bulky for accessing the internet
15. What are the drawbacks of purchasing something online? Check all that apply.
- Product selection is not as big as what’s available in physical store locations
- Personal buying preferences can be tracked and used to bombard you with excessive marketing (CORRECT)
- Someone can use your photographs in their own business and not share the profits with you.
- Confidential information like your credit card number can be stolen and used by someone else. (CORRECT)
Correct: Thanks! Exposing one’s private and financial information to online retailers can carry unwanted advertisements or, worst, an experience of identity theft. One has to weigh the pros and cons and, then decide whether offering some of their information is justifiable against the benefit accrued from a product or service.
16. What do we call data that’s broken down into bits and sent through a network?
- Pages
- Binary
- Memory
- Packets (CORRECT)
17. What is known as networking in the IT field? Check all that apply.
- Building Networks (CORRECT)
- Joining professional networks
- Designing networks (CORRECT)
- Managing networks (CORRECT)
18. Which of the following cables are used in networking? Check all that apply.
- Ethernet (CORRECT)
- HDMI cable
- Auxiliary cable
- Fiber optic cable (CORRECT)
Correct: Right! The two most commonly used cables for networking are Ethernet and fiber optic cables. Ethernet cables connect different devices to a local area network (LAN). Fiber optic cables allow for communication over longer distances but at much higher speed, capacity, and less delay.
19. True or false: You can create a network with two computers.
- True (CORRECT)
- False
Correct: Yes! A network is a connection of two or more computers to each other, thus allowing the computers to share resources and communicate.
20. Which protocol is used to handle delivery of information from one network to another?
- Hyper Text Transfer Protocol
- Transmission Control Protocol (CORRECT)
- Internet Protocol
- File Transfer Protocol
Correct: The Reliable Transmission Control Protocol, as the name suggests, guarantees the accurate delivery of data between networks. It breaks the data up into packets and sends them across the network, only to check whether they have arrived and whether they have arrived in the right order.
21. Which Internet Protocol version is 100.0.0.256?
- IPv6
- IPv2
- Not a valid IP address (CORRECT)
- IPv4
Correct: Absolutely right! IPv4 is basically the first version of the IP protocol, whose addresses are separated into 4 bytes, each ranging from 0 to 255. On the contrary, IPv6 addresses emphatically exist in groups of four hexadecimal digits separated by colons, providing a dependable and larger address space to accommodate a growing number of devices on the entire Internet network.