New course: How the Internet Works, for ages 11–14
· version v3
Kids hand out IP addresses, guide packets across a map of Europe, learn DNS and secure a home router in 10 game-like levels.
What actually happens when you open a website or play an online game? The new course How the Internet Works answers that with ten levels where kids build and fix networks themselves.
What kids do
- sort valid and invalid IP addresses and find out why the biggest number is 255
- connect a laptop, phone, tablet and printer to a home network without address conflicts
- guide a packet from router to router with blocks, then find a detour when a digger cuts a cable
- put the steps of opening a web page in order, from DNS to HTTPS
- rebuild a message from packets that arrived mixed up, damaged and twice, just like TCP does
- decide when a cable is better than Wi-Fi
- secure a router: admin password, WPA3, updates, a neutral network name and a guest network
- find the lowest-ping path from Birmingham to a game server in Frankfurt
- set up a school computer lab with static addresses and DHCP
For teachers
The course takes about two lessons and fits topics like computer networks and the internet in computing for ages 11–14. As always, the first three levels are free, and teachers can see every student's progress live. The Class Quiz includes over 30 questions on networks for a quick check at the end of the lesson.
Try HexoQuest
The first 3 levels are free. Teachers and parents get a 30-day free trial.