How the Web Works - Guided Notes

CSCI 3403 - Web Programming | Class 2

Name: _________________________________ Date: _____________

📚 Today's Goal: Understand the fundamentals of how the web works, from networks to websites

🌐 Networks and the Internet

What is a Network?

A network is _________________ or more computers connected together to share _________________

What is the Internet?

The Internet is a _________________ of _________________

It's the _________________ that carries data (like a highway system)

💡 Remember: The Internet is NOT the same as the World Wide Web!

Key Infrastructure Players

Component What It Does Example
ISP _________________________________ Cox, AT&T
Router _________________________________ Home router
Modem _________________________________ Cable modem

📦 How Data Travels: Packets

What are Packets?

Packets are _________________________________________

Each Packet Contains:

  1. _________________ address (where from)
  2. _________________ address (where to)
  3. Piece of the _________________
  4. _________________ number (for reassembly)
Practice: Why do we use packets instead of sending data all at once?
_________________________________________
_________________________________________

🔢 IP Addresses and DNS

IP Addresses

An IP address is like a _________________ number for computers on the internet

Version Format Example
IPv4 _____ numbers (0-255) 192.168.1.1
IPv6 Much longer, _________________ format 2001:0db8:85a3:0000

DNS (Domain Name System)

DNS is the internet's _________________ book

It translates _________________ names (like google.com) into _________________ addresses

DNS Process:
1. You type: _________________
2. DNS Server looks up the _________________
3. Returns: _________________
4. Your browser connects to that _________________

💻 Client-Server Model

Client Server
_________________ information
• Your web _________________
• Like a customer at a restaurant
_________________ information
• Hosts _________________
• Like the waiter/kitchen at a restaurant

Example Interaction:

Client says: "_________________________________________"

Server responds: "_________________________________________"

🔍 Web Components - Don't Mix These Up!

Define Each:

  1. Web Browser:
    _________________________________________
    Examples: _________, _________, _________
  2. Search Engine:
    _________________________________________
    Examples: _________, _________, _________
  3. Web Page:
    _________________________________________
  4. Web Server:
    _________________________________________

🔎 Journey of a Google Search

Fill in the Steps:

  1. You type "google.com" → Browser checks its _________________
  2. If not found, browser asks _________________ for IP address
  3. DNS returns: _________________
  4. Browser establishes _________________ with Google's server
  5. Google sends back _________________, CSS, and JavaScript
  6. You type search query and hit Enter
  7. Query is _________________ (HTTPS) and sent to Google
  8. Google searches its _________________ pages
  9. Results returned in about _________________ seconds!

🌍 Internet vs. World Wide Web

Internet World Wide Web
• The _________________
• Physical _________________
• Existed since _________________
• Includes email, FTP, gaming, etc.
• One _________________ on the internet
• Web pages with _________________
• Created _________________ by Tim Berners-Lee
• Uses _________________ protocol
💡 Analogy: The Web runs ON the Internet, like _________________________________________

🔒 Security: HTTP vs HTTPS

Compare:

HTTP HTTPS
_________________ (not secure) _________________ (secure)
Like sending _________________ Like sending _________________
Anyone can _________________ Only recipient can _________________

When should you look for HTTPS?
_________________________________________

✅ Quick Review Questions

  1. What's the difference between a client and a server?
    _________________________________________
    _________________________________________
  2. Why do we need DNS?
    _________________________________________
    _________________________________________
  3. What are packets and why do we use them?
    _________________________________________
    _________________________________________
  4. Browser vs. Search Engine - explain the difference:
    _________________________________________
    _________________________________________

🛠️ Practice Activity

Check Your Browser:

Visit: whatismybrowser.com

My browser: _________________

Version: _________________

Find Your IP:

Visit: whatismyipaddress.com

My IP address: _________________

My ISP: _________________

📝 Additional Notes

Use this space for any additional notes, questions, or insights from the lecture:










📚 Key Vocabulary to Remember

Term Definition
Protocol _________________________________________
TCP/IP _________________________________________
Port _________________________________________
Bandwidth _________________________________________
Latency _________________________________________