The Internet is a global network of computers and smaller computer networks. It is based on a heterarchial structure rather than a hierarchical one. The internet is a network that connects thousands of individual computer networls. Each computer on the internet has a unique address. Your email, your live chats, your web searches and FTP sessions are all packets of data.
Protocols are like rules that govern the exchange of information.
These protocols make it possible for one computer to translate its data into a form readable to all computers and send the data out on its way. The data arrives at its destination and the protocol steps in to translate the data from the general format of the internet into the format acceptable to this computer. At the destination the TCP prot ocol reassembles the packets into the message. If packets are lost or damaged along the way a request is sent back to the source for replacements. The emphasis is on exchanging packets of data rather than connecting computer systems together.