Internet Basics Questions for IBPS PO

What is the Internet

The Internet is a global network of millions of computers and devices connected together using standardized communication protocols. It is a network of networks — meaning smaller networks (like a college LAN or a bank's private network) are all connected into one giant worldwide system. The Internet is not owned by any single person, government, or company.

• Internet = worldwide public network open to everyone
• Uses TCP/IP as the foundational communication protocol
• WWW (World Wide Web) is a service that runs ON the internet — it is not the internet itself
• Internet was developed from ARPANET, a US Defense project in the 1960s
• ISP (Internet Service Provider) is the company that gives you internet access — example: BSNL, Jio, Airtel

Internet vs Intranet vs Extranet

This is a very high-frequency concept in IBPS PO. Internet is public and open to all. Intranet is a private network used within an organization — like a bank's internal employee portal that outsiders cannot access. Extranet extends the intranet to selected outsiders like partners, vendors, or clients, with controlled access.

• Internet: public, global, open to everyone
• Intranet: private, within one organization, employees only
• Extranet: private network extended to trusted outside parties
• Intranet and Extranet both use the same TCP/IP technology as the Internet
• A bank's internal HR portal = Intranet. A bank giving limited portal access to an auditing firm = Extranet

Key Internet Protocols

Protocols are rules that define how data is sent and received. IBPS PO frequently asks you to match a protocol to its function. Think of protocols like postal rules — without agreed rules, no letter reaches its destination. Each protocol has a specific job.

• HTTP (HyperText Transfer Protocol): transfers web pages from server to browser
• HTTPS: secure version of HTTP — uses encryption (S = Secure)
• FTP (File Transfer Protocol): used to transfer files between computers
• SMTP (Simple Mail Transfer Protocol): used to SEND emails
• POP3 / IMAP: used to RECEIVE emails (POP3 downloads, IMAP syncs)
• TCP/IP: the backbone protocol suite of the entire internet

URL and Domain Name Structure

A URL (Uniform Resource Locator) is the full address you type in a browser to reach a website. It has specific parts that IBPS PO loves to test. The Domain Name System (DNS) acts like the internet's phonebook — it converts human-readable names like www.sbi.co.in into numeric IP addresses that computers understand.

• URL structure: Protocol + Domain Name + Path. Example: https://www.sbi.co.in/home
• DNS converts domain names to IP addresses — Domain Name System
• Domain extensions: .com (commercial), .org (organization), .edu (education), .gov (government), .in (India)
• IP Address: a unique numeric address for every device on the internet, like 192.168.1.1
• www stands for World Wide Web — it is a subdomain, not the internet itself

Types of Internet Connections and Speeds

Different methods exist for connecting to the internet. IBPS PO occasionally asks about connection types and which is faster or more modern. Broadband is the standard today. The key is knowing the hierarchy of speed and technology.

• Dial-up: oldest and slowest — uses telephone line, makes a connecting sound
• DSL (Digital Subscriber Line): uses telephone lines but much faster than dial-up
• Broadband: high-speed internet — includes DSL, Cable, Fiber Optic
• Fiber Optic: fastest — uses light signals through glass cables
• WiFi: wireless internet access using radio waves within a limited area
• 4G/5G: mobile internet via cellular networks

Web Browsers and Search Engines

A browser is software used to access websites on the internet. A search engine is a website that helps you find other websites. IBPS PO sometimes asks aspirants to differentiate between these two or identify which company makes which browser.

• Browsers: Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Microsoft Edge, Safari, Opera
• Search Engines: Google, Bing, Yahoo, DuckDuckGo
• Browser is the vehicle, Search Engine is the GPS — both are different things
• The default browser in Windows was Internet Explorer, now replaced by Microsoft Edge
• Homepage: the first page that opens when you launch a browser

• Confusing WWW with the Internet — WWW is just one service on the internet, not the internet itself. Email, FTP, and VoIP are also internet services separate from WWW.
• Mixing up SMTP and POP3 — remember SMTP is for Sending (S = Send), POP3 and IMAP are for receiving. Many aspirants reverse this.
• Thinking Intranet and Extranet are totally different technologies — both use the same TCP/IP protocols as the internet, only access is restricted.
• Confusing a Browser with a Search Engine — Chrome is a browser, Google is a search engine. Google Chrome is a browser that uses Google as its default search engine.
• Ignoring domain extensions — questions often ask what .edu or .gov stands for. These are easy marks that get skipped.

• SMTP = Send Mail To People. POP3 = Post Office Protocol = your postman delivering to your door (downloads to your device).
• Inter-Intra-Extra trick: INTERnet = INTERnational (open to all). INTRAnet = INTRAnal/internal (inside only). EXTRAnet = EXTRAnal parties allowed (trusted outsiders).
• Protocol jobs as jobs in a post office: HTTP delivers web pages, FTP carries files, SMTP posts letters (emails), POP3 is the delivery boy.
• DNS as a Phonebook: you know a person's name (domain), DNS finds their number (IP address) for you.

• IBPS PO typically asks 2-3 direct definition or match-the-protocol questions. Expect one question on SMTP vs POP3 or HTTP vs FTP — these appear almost every year.
• Internet vs Intranet vs Extranet is a near-guaranteed topic in IBPS PO prelims and mains computer sections. Know the one-line difference cold.
• URL structure and domain extension questions (.com, .org, .in, .gov) are low-difficulty, high-frequency — never skip these, they are free marks.
• Questions on browsers sometimes ask which company developed which browser. Know: Chrome = Google, Firefox = Mozilla Foundation, Safari = Apple, Edge = Microsoft.
• Speed of this section should be high — aim to finish all computer knowledge questions including internet basics in under 8 minutes total. Do not overthink protocol questions; go with your first instinct.