📚 Internet vs World Wide Web: Differences and Connections | 互联网与万维网的区别与联系
In everyday conversation, the words “Internet” and “World Wide Web” are often used as if they mean the same thing. In computer science, however, they refer to two different concepts that work together. This article explains their definitions, differences, and relationships in a way that supports IGCSE Computer Science revision.
在日常对话中，”互联网”和”万维网”这两个词经常被混用，好像它们是同一件事。但在计算机科学中，它们指的是两个不同但协同工作的概念。本文以适合 IGCSE 计算机科学复习的方式，解释它们的定义、区别与联系。
1. Definitions | 定义
The Internet is a global infrastructure of physical hardware (cables, routers, switches, servers and satellite links) that connects millions of computers. It uses a common set of rules called protocols, especially TCP/IP, to transfer data.
互联网是由物理硬件（电缆、路由器、交换机、服务器和卫星链路）组成的全球基础设施，连接了数以百万计的计算机。它使用一组通用规则，即协议，特别是 TCP/IP，来传输数据。
The World Wide Web, often written as WWW, is an information system that operates on top of the Internet. It consists of web pages written in HTML, linked by hyperlinks and identified by URLs. Users access the Web with browsers such as Chrome, Firefox or Safari.
万维网（常写作 WWW）是在互联网之上运行的信息系统。它由用 HTML 编写的网页组成，通过超链接连接，并通过 URL 标识。用户使用 Chrome、Firefox 或 Safari 等浏览器访问网页。
Thus, the Internet is the network infrastructure, while the Web is a collection of documents and resources that can be viewed through that network.
因此，互联网是网络基础设施，而万维网是可以通过该网络查看的文档和资源集合。
2. Physical vs Logical Nature | 物理与逻辑本质
One key difference is that the Internet is a physical network, while the World Wide Web is a logical or virtual service.
一个关键区别是，互联网是物理网络，而万维网是逻辑（或虚拟）服务。
The Internet includes tangible elements like fibre-optic cables, network cards and routers. The Web has no physical form; it is made of digital documents and the links between them.
互联网包括光纤电缆、网卡和路由器等有形设备。万维网没有物理形态；它由数字文档及其之间的链接构成。
Imagine the Internet as the roads and highways of a country. The Web is the information stored in the buildings along those roads, such as libraries and offices.
可以把互联网想象成一个国家的公路和高速公路。万维网就是道路两旁建筑物（如图书馆和办公室）中存储的信息。
3. Core Protocols | 核心协议
Different protocols are used at different layers. The Internet relies on TCP/IP. TCP splits data into packets, checks for errors and reassembles them. IP addresses each packet with source and destination addresses.
不同层使用不同的协议。互联网依赖 TCP/IP。TCP 将数据分割成数据包，检查错误并重新组装。IP 为每个数据包标记源地址和目的地址。
The Web adds application-level protocols such as HTTP and HTTPS. A browser sends an HTTP request to a web server, and the server responds with the requested page. HTTPS is a secure version that encrypts the data.
万维网增加了应用层协议，如 HTTP 和 HTTPS。浏览器向 Web 服务器发送 HTTP 请求，服务器响应请求的页面。HTTPS 是加密数据的安全版本。
For example, when you type ‘https://www.aleveler.com’, the browser uses DNS to find the IP address, then sends an HTTP request over TCP/IP to the server hosting that site.
例如，当你在浏览器中输入 ‘https://www.aleveler.com’，浏览器使用 DNS 查找 IP 地址，然后通过 TCP/IP 向托管该网站的服务器发送 HTTP 请求。
4. Services: The Web Is One of Many | 服务：万维网只是其中之一
The Internet is a platform that supports many services, not just the Web. Common examples include email (SMTP/POP3), file transfer (FTP), remote login (Telnet/SSH), voice calls (VoIP) and online games.
互联网是一个支持多种服务的平台，而不仅仅是万维网。常见例子包括电子邮件（SMTP/POP3）、文件传输（FTP）、远程登录（Telnet/SSH）、语音通话（VoIP）和在线游戏。
The World Wide Web is only one of these services. It is focused on hyperlinked documents and multimedia. Therefore the Web is a subset of the Internet’s services.
万维网只是这些服务之一。它专注于超链接文档和多媒体。因此，万维网是互联网服务的一个子集。
This distinction is important in IGCSE exams: candidates may be asked to name two services that are not the World Wide Web.
这一区别在 IGCSE 考试中很重要：考生可能会被要求说出两个不是万维网的互联网服务。
5. Historical Context | 历史发展
The Internet began in the late 1960s as ARPANET, a US military research network. It was renamed and expanded over the decades using the TCP/IP protocol from 1983.
互联网起源于 20 世纪 60 年代末，最初是美国军方研究网络 ARPANET。经过几十年的发展，自 1983 年起使用 TCP/IP 协议，并不断扩展。
The World Wide Web was invented later, in 1989, by Tim Berners-Lee at CERN. He created HTML, HTTP and the first browser. This shows that the Internet existed before the Web.
万维网后来才发明，于 1989 年由 CERN 的 Tim Berners-Lee 创造。他发明了 HTML、HTTP 和第一个浏览器。这说明互联网先于万维网存在。
Therefore, the Web is an application that was added to an already functioning global network.
因此，万维网是在已经运行的全球网络上添加的一种应用。
6. Relationship and Dependence | 关系与依赖
The Web depends completely on the Internet to send and receive data. When you open a web page, the HTML file travels as packets over the Internet using TCP/IP and HTTP.
万维网完全依赖互联网来发送和接收数据。当你打开一个网页时，HTML 文件作为数据包通过 TCP/IP 和 HTTP 在互联网上传输。
However, the Internet does not depend on the Web. Many systems, such as DNS, email and remote servers, work without web browsers. Thus the Web is a consumer of the Internet’s connectivity.
然而，互联网并不依赖万维网。许多系统如 DNS、电子邮件和远程服务器，不需要浏览器也能工作。因此，万维网是互联网连接性的使用者。
In summary, the Internet is the transport layer, and the Web is one of the vehicles that use it.
总之，互联网是传输层，万维网是使用它的车辆之一。
7. Access and Usage | 访问与使用
To use the Web, a user needs a device with a browser, an internet connection, and a URL. The browser translates the URL into an IP address using DNS and then requests the page over HTTP.
要使用万维网，用户需要带有浏览器的设备、互联网连接和 URL。浏览器通过 DNS 将 URL 转换为 IP 地址，然后通过 HTTP 请求页面。
To use the Internet directly, a user connects through an Internet Service Provider (ISP) and uses protocols to access different services. The Internet itself is the communication medium.
要直接使用互联网，用户通过互联网服务提供商（ISP）连接，并使用协议访问不同服务。互联网本身是通信媒介。
Anyone can build a website and publish it on the Web, but that website must be reachable through an IP address on the Internet.
任何人都可以创建网站并将其发布到万维网上，但该网站必须能够通过互联网上的 IP 地址访问。
8. Key Differences Summarised | 主要区别总结
The table below summarises the main differences between the Internet and the World Wide Web.
下表总结了互联网与万维网的主要区别。
| Aspect / 方面 | Internet / 互联网 | World Wide Web / 万维网 |
|---|---|---|
| Nature / 本质 | Physical network / 物理网络 | Virtual information service / 虚拟信息服务 |
| Main components / 主要组成 | Cables, routers, servers, IP addresses / 电缆、路由器、服务器、IP 地址 | Web pages, hyperlinks, URLs, browsers / 网页、超链接、URL、浏览器 |
| Core protocols / 核心协议 | TCP/IP | HTTP/HTTPS (over TCP/IP) |
| Primary function / 主要功能 | Data transport / 数据传输 | Information retrieval and display / 信息检索与展示 |
| Dependency / 依赖关系 | Can work without the Web / 没有万维网也能工作 | Cannot work without the Internet / 没有互联网就无法工作 |
Remember that the Internet is a medium, and the Web is a service that uses that medium.
请记住，互联网是一种媒介，而万维网是一种使用该媒介的服务。
9. How They Work Together | 它们如何协同工作
When a user types a web address, a series of steps happens to deliver the page. This shows how the Web relies on the Internet.
当用户输入网址时，会经历一系列步骤来传递网页。这展示了万维网如何依赖互联网。
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The browser asks a DNS server to translate the domain name into an IP address.
浏览器向 DNS 服务器请求将域名转换为 IP 地址。
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Using TCP/IP, the browser establishes a connection with the web server at that IP address.
浏览器通过 TCP/IP 与具有该 IP 地址的 Web 服务器建立连接。
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The browser sends an HTTP or HTTPS request for the desired page.
浏览器发送 HTTP 或 HTTPS 请求，获取所需页面。
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The server breaks the page data into packets and sends them back over the Internet.
服务器将页面数据分割成数据包，并通过互联网发送回来。
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The browser receives the packets, reassembles them, and renders the page for the user.
浏览器接收数据包，重新组装它们，并将页面呈现给用户。
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