Internet and Intranet

The virtual world is large and complex. It is often difficult to understand many terms that are technical jargon. Still, it’s important to learn and know as much as possible in this technologically advanced world. People who are not from the field of computers don’t feel the need to have ample knowledge about these things. Still, as the world grows, the dependence on technology is rising. At present, even a school going kid needs to have some knowledge and they all know the use of the internet. The internet is the fastest growing and the largest network which connects the world virtually.

Most people are acquitted of the internet, but not everyone knows what an intranet is. Both the words are quasi-homophones which sound similar to many other words such as accept and except. This often creates a lot of confusion among people and they think of both as one or similar, which they are not. To understand the differences between the two homophones, it is important to understand the meaning of the internet and intranet given below. 

Meaning of Internet

The internet is the network that connects all the computer networks around the world. It came into existence because of the need to connect the USA and Europe networks. Both the countries were growing rapidly in virtual communications and there was a dire need for aggregate connectivity. Therefore, the internet is known as the network of networks. Although it was available for a long time, it took many more years after its invention to become feasible for the common world. Today, more than half of the global population has access to the internet, which varies in every country. The more developed a country is, the more access to the internet its population is seen to have and vice-versa. It has become the index for development because the whole world is turning into a virtual life where everyone has basic needs connected to the internet. At present, there are many kinds of computer networks used around the world without any restriction, such as LAN( Local Area Network ), WAN( Wide Area Network ), MAN( Metropolitan Area Network) and PAN ( Personal Area Network ). In this article, the focus will be on an intranet, a local area network, so much so that both terms are almost identical.

Meaning of Intranet

Intranet is a local area network that is exclusively accessible to a certain group of people only. It is a quasi homophone to the internet, which creates a lot of confusion. Still, one should know that the intranet is one of the networks on the internet. The internet is a much wider concept than the intranet. The internet is the network of networks and the intranet is a kind of internet network. It is often used in a firm among the people who are a part of it. Mostly it includes all the communications and exchange of data and information between these restricted groups of people. This can be understood through the given article.

Internet vs Intranet

The meaning of both the terms has been explained earlier in the article. However, since the reader knows the basic concept of the internet and intranet, the following differences will be easier to grasp.  

• Area of operations- Both internet and intranet are user-friendly networks that are easy to operate. Still, the difference lies in the area of operations. The internet operates everywhere and for everyone without any restriction. Whereas, intranet works for a firm, a network of people having exclusive access to it

• Features- The Internet is a globally accessible network of independent computers with various ways of accessibility. On the other hand, an intranet is a local area network that is accessible to a certain number of users, making it useful and full of relevant information without filtering it. It is safe and well protected by the firewall and it cannot be accessed by anyone who is not authorised to use it

• Usage- The Internet is used for any aspect of the virtual world, such as finding information, sharing data, communicating with people or publishing whatever a person needs to. Intranet is also used for the same purpose but in a smaller group of people who use it for the same purpose. To sum up, the internet is heterogeneous in usage and the intranet is homogenous

• Accessibility- The Internet is accessible to everyone around the globe. Anyone can use it at any point in time for any purpose. Still, an intranet is a private network that connects people in a firm or a certain group for the same purpose

• Public vs Private- The Internet is a public network working worldwide. An intranet is a private network that works for a certain number of people authorised to use it

• The number of users- At present, more than half of the world’s population is using the internet for various purposes. It is way more popular to use than the intranet. On the other hand, an intranet is used by a restricted number of people

Conclusion

Overall, it can be concluded that both the internet and intranet are virtual networks of the world but differ in many ways. The internet is a wider and larger network used by the whole world and taking the globe towards the virtual era. On the other hand, an intranet is a small part of this network revolution which is used by a restricted number of people. Therefore, the use of both networks depends on the person’s preference and need.