Thread: Unsure where to start with networking

Hi everyone, I'm trying to create two apps, one would go onto a client, another on a server. I want to be able to send information from the server to the client over the internet. Tell me if I'm wrong, but I'm operating under the assumption that my computer can act as a server just by being on, and having the server program running.

I've been reading up on this subject, and so far 2 subjects stick out: URL's and sockets. Sockets seem to be used only over a network (LAN), and URL's are for getting resources (its in the name!), i.e.: files off the server. I don't want to send files, I only want to send small amounts of data from the server to the client periodically (like, send an 'int' value from one machine to another, no files or anything). Problem is, every tutorial I read seems to only talk about getting this to work over a network, or just talks about accessing files on the host machine, some involve cgi scripts, which make me think that I'm on the wrong track.

I've had some success, I just wanted to share it with any lurkers out there.
This tutorial: Building an Internet chat system - JavaWorld

It involves ServerSockets, I compiled/ran the client on one comp, and the server on the other one, and I'm able to connect, by providing the name of the host computer on the network (they're connected to the same router). To see if I could theoretically do this remotely, I set up the router to use a "virtual server", so that anything entering on a certain port would be re-routed to the host computer (whose server app uses that port). I had the client use the ip address of the router (google: "my ip") and the same port.
I've yet to test this on an actually remote system. Not the most user-friendly solution, either, but its a start! (I think)