It's hard to believe that the Internet has been around for more than 30 years. Read a brief history of this indispensable resource.

Web surfing. We all do it at home, school or work. The Internet is a quick and easy way to get answers to just about any question imaginable. You can even shop or order dinner. How it actually works is nothing short of amazing, and it's all just a computer mouse-click away.

If you've never Web surfed, what do you need to get started? A computer, a modem and a phone line. There are several Internet providers to choose from, but they all basically do the same thing - put a world's worth of knowledge at your fingertips. The budding idea that would lead to what is now the Internet was formed in 1958, when President Dwight Eisenhower created two agencies to advance space technology, weapons and communications systems.

These agencies were the Advanced Research Projects Agency (ARPA) and National Aeronautics and Space Administration known as NASA. ARPA developed the Semi-Automatic Ground Environment (SAGE), which could receive information directly through telephone lines. SAGE could also receive data from radar and tracking devices. Joseph Carl Robert Licklider was ARPA's first director. He helped develop computer graphics and improve computer language. By 1967, computers could connect over telephone lines. The first ARPANET connectors were set up in California and Utah. The Internet has grown from four host computers to tens of millions.

Just how does all that information get around so quickly? Computers use a modem - a device that helps transfer information through the phone line - to dial up an Internet Service Provider or ISP. When you log on to an ISP like AOL, Netscape or MSN, your computer becomes part of that ISP's network. The ISP connects you to an even larger network.

The Internet offers a whole world of knowledge and fun.
- Photo: Jonathan Barth

All networks depend on routers to help them talk to each other. Because of routers, a message can travel around the world in seconds. Routers direct information and keep all the messages in order. They make sure the message gets to the right place and does not clog up the system by going where it wasn't requested.

Once you log onto the Internet, you are given a temporary IP address, which is yours only for as long as you are online. The Domain Name System, or DNS automatically matches domain names like www.nypost.com to an IP address.

When you go on the Web or send an e-mail you use a domain name. First-level domain-name extensions are .com, .org, .net, .edu and .gov.

When you type in www.nypost.com, your ISP talks to the server and gives you an IP address. Next, the Domain Name System links the domain name to the IP address and asks the domain-name server to find it. Once the Domain Name Server finds the address you want, you get a Web page. All of this happens in seconds.

There are millions of websites with all kinds of information at our disposal.

This powerful tool has become an indispensable part of our home, school and work lives. It's hard to imagine life now without the Internet.

While the Internet is truly a wonder in today's world, be sure your parents or another adult know when you are online and know what sites you visit. Not all Web Sites are good places. Happy and safe Web surfing!

Today's lesson fulfills the following New York standards: English Language Arts: English Language Arts: E1c, E2d, E3b, E3c, E3d, E4a, E4b, E5a; Art Standard 2.

Go to www.nypost.com and review today's lesson online. How is it different from reading it in the paper? Make a list of the pros and cons of reading online versus on paper.

Create a list of questions based on today's lesson. Trade your list with a classmate and go online to get the answers.

Pick a favorite subject and create a plan for your own Web page. What would it be about? Make sure it contains plenty of information and artwork.