Simple Introduction to Computer Network and the Internet

0. Outline

This topic would like to show you from afar what a computer network looks like. We won’t show you deep inside because that’s where things tends to get difficult, for example subnets, network traffic, protocols, etc. Simply we want to Introduce what is the computer network, how today’s people rely on it now, and how is it even or how we are able to use it. From afar The Internet looks complicated as on Figure A, but to explain it simply it’s a connection of so many nodes consist of computer, servers, and other networking devices.

Figure A. Internet Illustrated https://www.andrew.cmu.edu/user/pcarboni/internet_history_site

Objective

If some stranger asked you of what is The Internet and you can answer simply, then you got the gist of this course. If you can find the puzzle pieces and form the picture of The Internet puzzle, then you have fulfilled the learning objective of this course. For now we would like to list the following learning objective. Simulate Local Area Network (LAN). Simulate Wide Area Network (WAN). Common services of The Internet. Design your simple cloud (Figure B for example).

Figure B. Sample Network Simulation

1. A tour around todays Network