Learning Objectives
- Define the internet as the global network infrastructure that connects networks and devices.
- Define the World Wide Web as a collection of websites and web pages accessed through the internet.
- Distinguish clearly between internet services and the World Wide Web.
- Apply the distinction to unfamiliar examples and examination scenarios.
Key Terms
- Internet
- The worldwide infrastructure of interconnected networks that communicate using agreed protocols.
- World Wide Web
- A collection of linked websites and web pages that is accessed over the internet.
- Network
- Two or more devices connected so that they can communicate and share resources.
- Infrastructure
- The physical and logical systems that make communication possible, including cables, wireless links, routers and protocols.
- Website
- A collection of related web pages, usually held on a web server and identified by a domain name.
- Web page
- A single document on the World Wide Web, commonly written using HTML.
- Internet service
- A facility that uses the internet, such as the World Wide Web, email, file transfer or online communication.
The Internet As Infrastructure
The internet is best understood as the communication infrastructure that links many separate networks. A school network, a company network, a home network and a mobile network can all become part of the internet when they connect through internet service providers and exchange data using common communication rules. The internet is therefore not one single computer, one website or one organisation. It is a very large network of networks.
The infrastructure includes physical transmission media such as fibre-optic cables, copper cables and wireless links. It also includes networking devices such as routers, which forward packets towards their destinations. Communication depends on protocols so that devices built by different manufacturers can exchange data in a predictable way.
A user does not normally see most of this infrastructure. When a device connects to the internet, packets may pass through many networks and routers before reaching a remote server. The internet provides the route and communication mechanism used by many different services.
The World Wide Web As A Service
The World Wide Web is one service that uses the internet. It consists of websites and individual web pages stored on web servers. A web browser requests a page, receives the page data through the internet and renders the HTML so that the user can view and interact with it.
Web pages are linked by hyperlinks. A hyperlink can connect one page to another page on the same website or to a page on a different website. This linked structure is why the service is described as a web.
The web cannot operate without the internet infrastructure, but the internet can still carry other services that are not web pages. For example, an email message can travel through the internet without being part of the World Wide Web.
Why The Terms Are Often Confused
People often say they are “using the internet” when they are actually browsing the World Wide Web. This everyday wording is understandable because the web is one of the most visible internet services. In Computer Science, however, candidates must make the technical distinction accurately.
A useful test is to ask two questions. First, is the statement about the network infrastructure and the movement of data between networks? If so, it concerns the internet. Second, is it about websites, web pages, hyperlinks or HTML displayed by a browser? If so, it concerns the World Wide Web.
Applying The Distinction
Streaming a video through a website uses both concepts: the website and its pages are part of the World Wide Web, while the video data travels through the internet infrastructure. An online game also uses the internet, but its communication does not necessarily involve web pages.
A device can be connected to a local network without being connected to the internet. Likewise, a company can run an internal website on its private network. The page may use web technologies, but it is not necessarily available on the public internet. The key is to identify the infrastructure and the service separately.
Internet And Web Compared
| Feature | Internet | World Wide Web |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | Global infrastructure connecting networks | Collection of websites and web pages |
| Main role | Carries data between devices and networks | Provides linked information and services through web pages |
| Typical components | Cables, wireless links, routers, networks and protocols | Web servers, web pages, hyperlinks, URLs and HTML |
| Accessed with | Many different applications and services | Usually a web browser |
| Relationship | Supports the World Wide Web | Uses the internet to transfer page data |
Worked Examples
Classifying A Scenario
Question: A learner sends an email and then opens a revision website. Which activity uses the World Wide Web?
- Identify whether each activity uses web pages.
- Email is an internet service but is not itself the World Wide Web.
- The revision website consists of web pages displayed by a browser.
Answer: Opening the revision website uses the World Wide Web. Both activities use the internet infrastructure.
Correcting An Inaccurate Statement
Question: A student writes: “The internet is a collection of web pages.” Explain the error.
- Identify the definition given by the student.
- Recognise that the definition actually describes the World Wide Web.
- Replace it with the correct definition of the internet.
Answer: The World Wide Web is the collection of websites and web pages. The internet is the global infrastructure of interconnected networks used to transfer data.
Examination Guidance
- Use the word infrastructure when defining the internet and the words websites or web pages when defining the World Wide Web.
- When asked for a difference, write one matched contrast rather than two unrelated definitions.
- Do not state that the internet and the World Wide Web are the same thing.
- In scenarios, identify both layers when appropriate: the web page is the service, while the internet carries its data.
Common Mistakes
- Defining the internet as “Google” or as a website.
- Calling a web browser the internet.
- Claiming that all internet services are part of the World Wide Web.
- Giving examples without explaining the difference between the two concepts.
Knowledge Check
1. What is the internet?
2. What is the World Wide Web?
3. State one internet service other than the World Wide Web.
4. Why does the World Wide Web depend on the internet?
5. A multiplayer game communicates directly with a game server. Is this necessarily part of the World Wide Web?
