Network Basics
What is a computer network?
A group of two or more computers and devices that are linked together to share data and resources.
What is the Internet?
The largest network in the world, connecting many smaller networks together.
What does it mean to be "online"?
It means your device is connected to a network that can access the internet.
What is an IP address?
A unique number assigned to every device on a network that allows it to be found and identified.
What is a web browser?
A software program, like Chrome or Safari, that allows you to access and view web pages on the Internet.
What is a webpage?
A document on the internet that can be viewed with a web browser.
What is a router?
A device that connects different networks, allowing data to be sent between them (like connecting your home network to the internet).
What is a modem?
A device that connects your home network to your Internet Service Provider (ISP), allowing you to get online.
What is Wi-Fi?
Wi-Fi is the wireless technology that lets your devices, like phones and laptops, connect to the internet without a cable.
What is a switch?
A device used to connect multiple computers and devices together within the same network, like in an office or home.
What is the difference between a Local Area Network (LAN) and a Wide Area Network (WAN)?
A LAN is a network in a small area, like a home or office, while a WAN is a network that covers a large area, like a city or country.
What is a username and password?
A username is a name you pick to identify yourself, and a password is a secret code you use with it to prove you are who you say you are.
What is a wireless network?
A network that uses radio waves (like Wi-Fi) to connect devices without cables.
What is a download and an upload?
A download is receiving data from another computer over the network, and an upload is sending data to another computer.
What does "streaming" mean?
Streaming means watching or listening to content, like a movie or song, as it's being sent to your device, instead of downloading it first.