Video

Slides

Quiz

Cheat Sheet

Glossary of Terms

References and Resources

Video

Video

Slides

Quiz

Cheat Sheet

Glossary of Terms

References and Resources

Internet Concepts

  • /

    The Internet

    The Internet combines advances in information technology (which have greatly increased our capacity for storing and managing information) with advances in communications technology (which allow us to transfer greater amounts of information more easily).

  • /

    What the Internet is Used for

    The Internet connects people and information through services such as email, games, social media, online banking, entertainment and video chat.

  • /

    There are Risks on the Internet

    The risks on the Internet relate mainly to:
    • The difficulty of keeping information private on a technology designed for sharing;
    • Knowing whom or what to trust; and
    • Proving you are who you say you are.

  • /

    The Internet is Made up of Connected Computers

    The Internet is made up of millions of computers linked together to allow information to flow freely between them. The technology used is very trusting. Security is not built into the Internet and should never be assumed.

  • /

    An Internet Service Provider (ISP)

    An ISP provides a connection to the Internet. ISPs can provide service to a fixed point, like a home, or to a mobile point, like a cellular telephone. 3rd Generation (3G) and later mobile connections offer good service and a level of security.

  • /

    The Internet at Home

    Broadband Internet connections allow home networks to access the Internet. Home Internet-enabled devices can connect directly to the Internet router or by Wi-Fi. Ensure Wi-Fi networks are secured with WPA or WP2 and a very strong password.

  • /

    The Internet Outside the Home

    Networks outside the home can be less secure than a home network.
    Be careful what information you share when connecting to public networks, wherever possible avoid sensitive transactions.

  • /

    The Internet

    The Internet connects people and information. Security is not built into the Internet and should never be assumed.

  • Internet Concepts

    Let’s see how much you learned about Internet concepts.

    Test your knowledge and earn your badge to share

    START THE QUIZ

  • 1
    /
    2

    The Internet can be used for:

    Email, contacting friends, watching movies or TV shows, checking sports scores

    Taking courses, reading books, publishing opinions, sharing photos

    Video chat, banking, reading news, research, playing games

    All of the above

    next question

  • 1
    /
    2

    The Internet can be risky because:

    You can only trust websites from big companies

    Our usual ways of knowing who we are talking to and who to trust aren’t available

    There are more criminals online than there are in the real world

    You can waste a whole day watching videos of cute kittens

    next question

  • 1
    /
    2

    Information is transferred across the Internet …

    In secure channels that ensure privacy

    In a series of data packets that can be read by each computer they pass through

    In tamper evident packaging for your safety

    In a series of data packets that cannot be read by each computer they pass through

    next question

  • 1
    /
    2

    An Internet Service Provider (ISP):

    Fixes the Internet when it breaks

    Is the company that stores the entire Internet

    Connects you to the Internet

    Is always a telephone company

    next question

  • 1
    /
    2

    A Secure Wi-Fi connection:

    Has a little yellow shield next to it

    Requires a password the first time you connect to it

    Has a long name

    Stays indoors

    next question

  • 1
    /
    2

    A Public Wi-Fi connection:

    Is safe if many people use it

    Is safe if it requires a password

    Is not safe enough to use for sensitive purposes such as banking

    Is safe if you wash your hands after using it

    next question

  • Internet Concepts

    your results

    /
    100

    Congratulations, you earned your badge!

    Share on Facebook

    Show the answers

    Hide the answers

    You are on the right track. Some points need to be clarified. Please review the module and try again.

    Restart the quiz

1-

The Internet can be used for:

Email, contacting friends, watching movies or TV shows, checking sports scores

Taking courses, reading books, publishing opinions, sharing photos

Video chat, banking, reading news, research, playing games

All of the above

There are many uses of the Internet for communication and processing information.

2-

The Internet can be risky because:

You can only trust websites from big companies

Our usual ways of knowing who we are talking to and who to trust aren’t available

There are more criminals online than there are in the real world

You can waste a whole day watching videos of cute kittens

Anything on the Internet can be duplicated or counterfeited so it is very difficult to be sure of whom you are dealing with and how trustworthy they are. Likewise it is difficult for others to be sure that you are authentic as well.

3-

Information is transferred across the Internet …

In secure channels that ensure privacy

In a series of data packets that can be read by each computer they pass through

In tamper evident packaging for your safety

In a series of data packets that cannot be read by each computer they pass through

There is no security inherent in the function of the Internet. The system of routing information is very trusting in how it operates and consequently it is important to be aware of extra security features such as encryption.

4-

An Internet Service Provider (ISP):

Fixes the Internet when it breaks

Is the company that stores the entire Internet

Connects you to the Internet

Is always a telephone company

An Internet Service Provider connect users to the Internet either over the mobile telephone network or a broadband network to their home.

5-

A Secure Wi-Fi connection:

Has a little yellow shield next to it

Requires a password the first time you connect to it

Has a long name

Stays indoors

A Secure WiFi requires that you enter a password the first time that you connect to it. These may be set by the installing technician. An Apple computer will show a little lock next to the network where the network strength is indicated, and on windows computers the network strength indicator will not have a yellow shield next to it.

6-

A Public Wi-Fi connection:

Is safe if many people use it

Is safe if it requires a password

Is not safe enough to use for sensitive purposes such as banking

Is safe if you wash your hands after using it

A public Wi-Fi connection is risker than a home connection or a 3G connection to an ISP because there are many people connected to the network. This increases the chance that someone on the network is eavesdropping and increasing the value to criminals of doing so.

Cheat Sheet

What the Internet is used for

The Internet connects people and information through: Email, Games, Social Media, Banking, Entertainment and Video Chat.

 

DO use the Internet to enrich your life by providing better access to information and an additional way to communicate.

There are risks on the Internet

There are risks on the Internet mainly related to the difficulty with keeping things private on a technology designed for sharing, knowing who or what to trust and being able to prove whom you are.

 

DO be aware of dangers online and learn to minimize risk.

.

The Internet is made of connected computers

The Internet is millions of computers linked together in a way that allows information to flow freely between them. The technology used is very trusting and there is no security built in to the Internet, it is always something extra.

 

DO make sure that security has been applied where you are giving or receiving valuable information.

What is an ISP (Internet Service Provider)

An ISP is a service that provides a connection to the Internet. They can provide service to a fixed point, like a home or to a mobile point, like a cellular telephone.

 

DO look for a 3G, 4G or LTE symbol on your smartphone before using the Internet to ensure a safer connection.

The Internet at home

Broadband Internet connections allow home networks to access the Internet. Wireless home networks (Wi-Fi) should be used with the security features turned on.

 

DO secure your home Wi-Fi network with a password, using WPA or WP2 as the secure type.

.

The Internet outside the home

Networks outside the home can be less secure than a home network because more people use them. It is important to take extra care when sharing if you are connected to these networks.      

 

DO be careful what information you share when connecting to public networks, wherever possible avoid sensitive transactions. DO use your 3G or 4G connection if you have to send or receive private information outside the home.

Glossary of Terms

3G

The 3rd Generation Mobile telephone standard, capable of supporting telephony, internet access video calls and TV.

4G

The 4rd Generation Mobile telephone standard, capable of supporting web access, gaming, HD TV, video conferencing and other services

 

ADSL

Asynchronous Digital Subscriber Line is a set of technologies that allow high-speed computer communications over a telephone wire at the same time as a telephone service.

Co-axial Cable

Co-axial cable is a shielded communications cable that allows the transfer of electric signals over a copper conductor.

Crowd-sourced

A system of making use of a large group of people to make decisions or perform work through solicited contributions rather than by using traditional employees or suppliers.

Digitization

The conversion of information to a digital form.

DSL

Digital Subscriber Line is a set of technologies that allow for high-speed computer communications over telephone wire.

Email

Electronic mail.

Fibre Optic

Flexible, transparent glass or plastic cable that can transfer light from one end of the cable to the other.

Fixed Wireless

High-speed wireless.

Internet Protocol

The protocol that regulates the transmission of data packets across the Internet.

Internet Service Provider

A company that provides access to the Internet as a service to subscribers.

LTE

Long Term Evolution is a protocol that allows for the provision of 4th generation mobile telephone services with greater efficiency.

Protocol

A set of rules and conventions for the transfer of information between devices.

Router

A device that manages the routing of information between computers and networks.

Social Media

A service designed to provide tools for socialising with others across the Internet.

Transmission Control Protocol

The protocol that regulates the formation and assembly of data packets for transfer across the Internet.

Video Chat

An Internet service that allows persons to chat while seeing each other with simultaneous bidirectional, real-time video feed.

Wi-Fi

A set of wireless computer networking technologies that allow for small networks.

Wi-Fi base station

A device that provides for a Wi-Fi network and often allows connection to a wired network.

Wireless

Sending and receiving electronic signals by using radio waves.

WPA, WPA2

Wi-Fi Protected Access and Wi-Fi Protected Access 2 are two security protocols designed to protect Wi-Fi networks. These protocols were developed to resolve issues in the earlier “Wired Equivalent Privacy” (WEP) security protocol.

References and Additional Resources

Additional resources

External Links

 

Canadian Internet Statistics

https://cira.ca/factbook/2014/the-canadian-internet.html

 

The History of the Internet

http://www.internetsociety.org/internet/what-internet/history-internet/brief-history-internet-related-networks

 

The OSI Model

http://cisco.8bits.ca/osi/

 

Books

 

How the Internet Works by Preston Galla

2006, Que Publishing

ISBN: 978-0789736260

 

The Future of the Internet and How to Stop it by Jonathan Zittrain

2000, Yale University Press

ISBN: 978-0300151244

 

Tubes: A journey to the Center of the Internet by Andrew Blum

2012, Harper Collins Publishers

ISBN: 978-0061994951

 

Using the Internet for the Over 50s by Greg Holden

2010, Pearson Education Limited

ISBN: 978-0-273-73493-2