The Internet is a global collection of interconnected computer networks.

A network is simply a group of computers that are connected (via cables, phone lines, satellite or high speed data lines).

An example would be a LAN (local area network) which describes a group of computers all interconnected, sharing software and hardware such as applications and printers.

A large company may have a LAN for each dept which is cabled together to form a large LAN. A LAN would have at least one very fast (with a lot of disk space) computer called the file server which would hold programs and data. This data could be accessed by smaller desktop computers to share programs and files.

When LAN's are connected over a large area around the world via satellite or fibre optic cables it is known as a WAN (wide area network).

The Internet is an assortment of large scale WAN's run by private companies. This backbone connects numerous private, commercial, government and academic networks.