Story: Ria’s family just moved to a new flat in Thane. Her father calls an engineer to set up the Internet. The engineer brings a small box and says, ‘This little box is called a modem. Without it, your computer cannot talk to the Internet at all.’ Ria wonders what a modem really does, and how her family’s Internet connection reaches their home.

The Internet is a global network of millions of computers. It allows us to access and share information across the world. It is popularly known as a network of networks. The Internet contains billions of websites that provide information, and these websites are a collection of related web pages. It also allows us to find information on any subject.

To connect a computer to the Internet, we need a few things. The first is a Telephone Line. We can connect to the Internet through a telephone line, and this service is provided by an Internet Service Provider (ISP).

The second thing we need is a Modem. Modem stands for Modulator-Demodulator. It transmits data over telephone lines. A modem can be classified into two types. An Internal modem is already installed inside the CPU of a computer, in the form of a card. An External modem is installed outside the CPU of a computer, in the form of a box, and connects to the computer through a USB port.

The third thing we need is an Internet Service Provider (ISP). It is a company that provides Internet access on payment of a monthly fee. Some Internet Service Providers in India are Airtel, Jio, BSNL (Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited) and Vodafone Idea.

Clickipedia: The first Internet service in India was launched by VSNL on 15 August 1995.

To connect your computer to the Internet, you need an Internet connection. There are numerous ways to connect your computer to the Internet. Some of the most widely used ways are Dial-up, Broadband, Wi-Fi, Mobile Internet and Hotspot.

Dial-up requires users to link a standard telephone line to a computer in order to access the Internet. It doesn’t allow users to make or receive phone calls through phone service while using the Internet. To use dial-up, you need a computer with a modem, a telephone line, and software provided by your ISP.

Broadband connection is provided through either cable or telephone companies. It is a high-speed Internet connection. You can share a large amount of data. It is significantly faster than a dial-up connection, and you can make or receive phone calls while using the Internet. A broadband connection provides Internet access only through cable. Another benefit of using a broadband connection is that more than one user can use it at the same time.

Wi-Fi is a wireless networking technology that uses radio waves to connect to the Internet. Wireless connections are possible through the modem, which picks up Internet signals and sends them to computers. Wi-Fi doesn’t require a cable to provide Internet access. The main advantage of wireless Internet is the ‘always on’ connection, which can be accessed from any location under network coverage.

Clickipedia: John O’Sullivan is known as the father of Wi-Fi.

Mobile Internet allows users to access the Internet over a smartphone, provided their offer includes a voice plan with Internet access. This connection provides a good speed for the Internet. The main advantage of Mobile Internet is that it lets us access the Internet anywhere within the range of a mobile network signal.

Hotspots are physical locations that offer Internet access. A hotspot utilises Wi-Fi technology, which allows computers to connect to the Internet. It is mainly used on smartphones.

The Internet provides various services. Some of them are described below: E-mail, Online Shopping, Online Chatting, Video Conferencing and Social Networking.

E-mail stands for Electronic Mail. It allows us to send or receive electronic messages, which can be text, pictures, or sound, over the Internet. With e-mail, we can communicate quickly and easily with millions of people across the world. It is an essential tool for business, and it is also excellent for keeping in touch with family and friends. We can create an e-mail account free of cost on some popular websites, such as www.gmail.com, www.yahoo.com and www.rediffmail.com.

Online Shopping allows us to buy various products, such as grocery items, clothes, electronic gadgets and books, over the Internet. We need not leave our home for shopping. We can buy from our home through online shopping websites. Online shopping is also called e-commerce. Some popular e-commerce websites are www.amazon.com, www.flipkart.com, www.snapdeal.com and www.myntra.com. To shop online, you can browse an online website, select products, and add them to a virtual shopping cart. You can then make payments using a credit card, an online bank account, or other methods. The products will be delivered to your home.

Online Chatting allows us to communicate over the Internet with other people. It can be used to meet new people and make friends. It is also used to spread awareness and exchange ideas on any specific topic between people. Some popular online chatting apps are Telegram, WhatsApp, Facebook and Snapchat.

Video Conferencing is a live, online meeting between two or more people at different locations. It involves exchanging audio and video at the same time. People can view each other on their computer screen, as well as hear each other’s voice over the speakers of the computer or headphones. Popular video conferencing apps are Zoom, Skype, Google Meet and Microsoft Teams.

Social Networking allows people with common interests or activities to connect with each other through websites or apps. They are an immense store of knowledge and information, as experiences of people from across the world are shared. It allows users to share information, express opinions, and form relationships. Social networks can also be used to search for jobs, promote businesses, and explore mutual interests. However, these services are generally considered a source of distraction from education for students. Popular social networking platforms include Facebook, Instagram, X and YouTube.

Etiquettes are the rules that are expected to be followed while meeting others or communicating with others. In online communication, you may not be face to face with the person. There may be a situation when the person may misunderstand your remark. In order to avoid misunderstanding, a set of rules has been designed, which is expected to be followed during online conversation. This set of rules is known as Netiquettes. It basically stands for Network Etiquettes.

Netiquette, or ‘internet etiquette’, is a set of guidelines for polite and considerate behaviour when using online technology.

Follow some common Netiquettes while you are using e-mail or social networking sites. The subject of the e-mail must be related to the matter of the e-mail. Signatures in an e-mail should be small and simple. Avoid sending repeated e-mails just for publicity of a product or service. Avoid typing in capital letters, as typing in capitals is taken as shouting at the person.

While writing an e-mail, the person or persons whom you want to answer must be marked in the ‘To’ field. The persons marked in the ‘Cc’ field may or may not respond to the mail. Avoid using the ‘Reply to All’ option when it is not necessary, since this will send your reply to everyone marked in the e-mail. Try to overlook the minor typing mistakes made by the sender. Always post an appropriate message to social networking sites.

Image prompt: Flat illustration of a small black external modem box with blinking lights, a USB cable connecting it to a laptop, on a study table.

A modem (Modulator-Demodulator) transmits data over telephone lines so your computer can use the Internet.

Key idea: An external modem connects through a USB port; an internal modem is a card fitted inside the CPU.

Image prompt: Flat illustration of a friendly engineer in uniform holding a toolbox, standing beside a signboard showing logos of Airtel, Jio and BSNL.

An ISP is a company that gives Internet access to your home or phone for a monthly fee.

Key idea: Airtel, Jio, BSNL and Vodafone Idea are examples of ISPs in India.

Image prompt: Flat illustration of an Indian family room with a wireless router on a shelf sending curved Wi-Fi signal waves to a laptop, tablet and phone.

Wi-Fi uses radio waves to connect devices to the Internet without any cable.

Key idea: Its biggest advantage is an ‘always on’ connection anywhere under network coverage.

Image prompt: Flat illustration of a cable running from a wall socket into a modem-router box on a desk, with a desktop computer connected beside it.

Broadband is a high-speed Internet connection provided through cable or telephone companies.

Key idea: More than one person can use a broadband connection at the same time.

Image prompt: Flat illustration of an envelope icon flying out of a laptop screen towards a cloud, with small icons of a letter, a photo and a music note inside it.

E-mail (Electronic Mail) lets us send text, pictures or sound to people anywhere in the world.

Key idea: Free e-mail accounts can be made on Gmail, Yahoo Mail and Rediffmail.

Image prompt: Flat illustration of an Indian girl browsing a shopping website on a tablet, with a shopping cart icon and a delivery box arriving at her doorstep.

Online shopping, also called e-commerce, lets us buy products from home and have them delivered.

Key idea: Amazon, Flipkart, Snapdeal and Myntra are popular online shopping websites.

Image prompt: Flat illustration of a boy waving at a laptop screen that shows four small video windows of family members, including one grandparent, during a call.

Video conferencing is a live online meeting where people exchange audio and video at the same time.

Key idea: Zoom, Skype, Google Meet and Microsoft Teams are popular video conferencing apps.

Image prompt: Flat illustration of a smiling child typing a polite short e-mail on a computer, with a small thought bubble showing a crossed-out capital-letters shouting icon.

Netiquettes are the polite rules we follow while talking to others online, such as through e-mail.

Key idea: Typing in capital letters is considered shouting, so Netiquette tells us to avoid it.

Ravi’s family is setting up a new computer in their Nashik home. The shopkeeper asks whether they want Dial-up or Broadband. Ravi’s father explains that Dial-up would block their home telephone line while anyone uses the Internet, but Broadband would let them use the Internet and make phone calls at the same time, and even let two people use the Internet together. Ravi’s family happily chooses Broadband for their new connection.

Questions

1. Which two types of connection did the shopkeeper offer Ravi’s family?
2. Why did Dial-up not suit the family’s needs?
3. Name one advantage of Broadband that Dial-up does not have.
4. Through what are Broadband connections usually provided?
5. Which connection did Ravi’s family finally choose, and why?

Meera’s friend has just moved into a new flat and wants to connect her tablet to the Internet without using any cables at all. Meera remembers her computer chapter and tells her friend about a wireless technology that uses radio waves and can be picked up anywhere a modem’s signal reaches. Her friend is happy to learn she will not need to run any wires across her new home.

Questions

1. Which wireless technology does Meera suggest to her friend?
2. Does this technology need a cable to work?
3. Who is known as the father of this technology?
4. What is the main advantage of this kind of connection?
5. Name one other cable-free way Meera’s friend could also use to connect her tablet.

Aarav’s cousin lives in the USA, and Aarav misses seeing his face. On Sunday evening, Aarav’s mother opens an app on their laptop, and soon Aarav can see and hear his cousin talking and laughing, as if he were in the same room. They both wave at the screen and share updates about their school and games.

Questions

1. Which Internet service lets Aarav both see and hear his cousin at the same time?
2. Name one popular app that could be used for this kind of call.
3. Can more than two people join this kind of online meeting?
4. How do people usually hear each other during such a call?
5. Why is this service especially useful for families living in different countries?

Kavya suddenly realises she forgot to buy a book needed for her inter-school debate competition. Since she cannot go to the store before the competition, she opens a website on her father’s phone, searches for the book, adds it to her cart, and pays using her father’s online bank account. The book arrives at her doorstep the very next day, well in time for her competition.

Questions

1. Which Internet service did Kavya use to get her book?
2. What is this kind of buying over the Internet also called?
3. Name two popular websites where Kavya could have bought the book.
4. What did Kavya do before making the payment?
5. Name one other way, besides an online bank account, that people can pay for online shopping.

Rohan is excited about his school’s Annual Day and writes an e-mail to his whole class, but types the entire message in CAPITAL LETTERS to show his excitement. His teacher gently tells him that typing in capitals online is read as shouting, and explains a few simple rules for polite online messages. Rohan rewrites his e-mail, feeling glad he learnt this before sending more messages in future.

Questions

1. What mistake did Rohan make while writing his e-mail?
2. How is typing in capital letters understood by the reader?
3. What is the name for the set of polite rules Rohan’s teacher explained?
4. Name one other Netiquette rule, besides avoiding capital letters, that Rohan should follow.
5. Why is it important to follow Netiquettes while writing e-mails or posting online?