---
title: "How the Internet and Web work together"
subject: "Web Technology"
chapter: 1
key: "semester_7/web_technology:internet-and-web-together"
source: https://www.bctengineer.com/q/semester_7/web_technology/internet-and-web-together
site: BCT Engineering
---

# How the Internet and Web work together

Web Technology · Chapter 1: Introduction

- Asked in: 2068 Chaitra (old course), 5 marks
- Video: [How The Web Works - The Big Picture](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hJHvdBlSxug) — Academind
- Answer checked by Claude Opus 5.5 (high effort) on 2026-10-14
- Page: https://www.bctengineer.com/q/semester_7/web_technology/internet-and-web-together
- Whole chapter: https://www.bctengineer.com/md/semester_7/web_technology/chapter-1

## Question

Explain how the Internet and the Web work together.

## Short answer

The Internet provides the transport using TCP/IP; a browser uses DNS to resolve a URL, then sends an HTTP request over a TCP connection to the web server. The server responds with HTML, which the browser renders, making the Web accessible via the Internet.

## Answer

The **Internet** is the global network infrastructure (cables, routers, ISPs) that moves data between computers using TCP/IP. The **Web** is a service that runs on top of this infrastructure and lets users read and link documents using HTTP, HTML and URLs. The Internet provides the transport; the Web provides the content and the way to access it.

#### How they work together
1. The user types a URL such as `http://www.example.com/index.html` in a browser (web client).
2. The browser asks a **DNS** server (an Internet service) to convert the domain name into an IP address.
3. Using **TCP/IP**, the browser opens a connection to the web server at that IP address, port 80 (443 for HTTPS).
4. The browser sends an **HTTP request** (for example `GET /index.html`).
5. The web server finds the file (or runs a script that creates the page) and sends an **HTTP response** with the HTML.
6. The browser reads the HTML, requests images, CSS and scripts it refers to, and displays the page.
7. Clicking a hyperlink starts the same cycle again.

```text
Browser --URL--> DNS --IP--> Browser
Browser ==TCP/IP (Internet)==> Web server
Browser <==HTTP response (HTML)== Web server
```

Routers and ISPs of the Internet carry the packets; the Web standards (URL, HTTP, HTML) define what is requested and how it is shown. Other services such as email (SMTP) and FTP also use the same Internet but are not part of the Web.

## Check yourself

The answer's key points as multiple-choice questions, with the correct option and why.

1. What does the browser ask the DNS server to do after the URL is typed?
   A. Convert the domain name into an IP address
   B. Download the HTML file
   C. Encrypt the HTTP request
   D. Open the TCP port
   Answer: A. DNS resolves the domain name so the browser can connect to the server's IP. (Key point: DNS step)

2. Which default ports are used to connect to a web server for HTTP and HTTPS?
   A. 21 and 20
   B. 80 and 443
   C. 25 and 110
   D. 443 and 80 respectively reversed (HTTP 443, HTTPS 80)
   Answer: B. HTTP uses port 80 and HTTPS uses 443. (Key point: Ports)

3. What does the Internet provide and what does the Web provide?
   A. Internet provides content; Web provides cables and routers
   B. Both provide only transport
   C. Internet provides transport; Web provides content and the way to access it
   D. Web provides TCP/IP; Internet provides HTML
   Answer: C. Routers and ISPs carry packets; URL, HTTP and HTML define what is requested and shown. (Key point: Division of roles)

4. After receiving the HTML response, how does the browser get images, CSS and scripts?
   A. They arrive inside the first TCP packet always
   B. The DNS server sends them
   C. It cannot load them
   D. It requests each referred resource with further requests
   Answer: D. The browser reads the HTML and requests the other referenced files before displaying the page. (Key point: Page loading)

## Related in Web Technology

- [Internet evolution and importance of web technology](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_7%2Fweb_technology%3Ainternet-evolution-web-importance) — Web Technology, chapter 1
- [How the internet evolved](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_7%2Fweb_technology%3Ainternet-evolution) — Web Technology, chapter 1
- [Internet vs WWW; client-server paradigm](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_7%2Fweb_technology%3Ainternet-vs-www-client-server) — Web Technology, chapter 1

## Related in other subjects

- [Encapsulation and abstraction working together](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_6%2Fobject_oriented_analysis_and_design%3Aencapsulation-abstraction-together) — Object Oriented Analysis and Design, chapter 1
- [XML and JavaScript for client-side web apps](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_8%2Finternet_and_intranet%3Axml-javascript-client-side) — Internet and Intranet, chapter 6
- [First monthly progress report: internet connectivity (memo)](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_5%2Fcommunication_english%3Afirst-monthly-progress-report-internet-connectivity) — Communication English, chapter 7, asked 2×
- [First quarterly progress report: urban internet project (memo)](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_5%2Fcommunication_english%3Afirst-quarterly-progress-report-urban-internet-memo) — Communication English, chapter 7, asked 2×