What is the Difference Between Internet and Intranet

The main difference between internet and intranet is that the internet is a public, worldwide system that connects computer networks while the intranet is a private network that is accessible only by the organization’s staff.

Internet is a global system that interconnects devices around the globe for information sharing. It is a large network of networks. It contains private, public, business, government, academic, non-government networks. Overall, it is a worldwide communication system. On the other hand, intranet is a part of internet. It is a network that belongs to a specific organization. It helps to exchange information and resources among the employees of the organization.

Key Areas Covered

1. What is Internet
     – Definition, Usage
2. What is Intranet
    – Definition, Usage
3. Similarities Between Internet and Intranet
    – Outline of Common features
4. Difference Between Internet and Intranet
    – Comparison of Key Differences

Key Terms

Internet, Intranet

What is Internet

Internet is a public, global network that connects a huge number of devices around the world. The main objective of the internet is to exchange information within a short amount of time. This information can be text, audio, video, etc. The devices on the internet can be connected using a guided medium such as cables, wireless or using advanced technologies such as fibre optics. Internet uses TCP/IP protocol for data communication.

In the modern world, internet is one of the most common approaches for effective and efficient communication. In brief, the internet is a global system of interconnected computer networks. It is an excellent source of information for the user.

What is Intranet

Intranet is a part of the internet that belongs to a specific organization. Only the employees in the organization have access to the intranet. In other words, it is a private network and the employees within the organization only have permission to access the network.

Furthermore, intranet can have one more gateway to connect to the internet. Overall, it allows transferring data, exchanging documents, files, folders within the organization.

Similarities Between Internet and Intranet

• Both support information and resource sharing within a network.
• They use TCP/IP protocol for data transferring.
• They can be accessed using any web browser. However, the users of the internet have access to intranet hosted sites.

Difference Between Internet and Intranet

Definition

Internet is a global system of interconnected computer networks that use the internet protocol (TCP/IP) to link devices worldwide. In contrast, intranet is a private network that is contained within an enterprise.

Network Type

Internet is a public network whereas intranet is a private network.

Accessibility

Anyone has access to the internet. Therefore, anyone can access the information on the internet. On the other hand, only the users of the organization have access to the intranet. Only they can refer the information on the intranet.

Security

Intranet is more secure than the internet. As internet is a private network, it provides more security in communication.  

Number of Users

Internet is a global system and it has a large number of users. On the other hand, Intranet is a small network. Therefore, it has a limited number of users.

Traffic

Internet has more traffic because it is a worldwide network. In contrast, intranet has minimum traffic because it has a less number of users.

Conclusion

The difference between internet and intranet is that the internet is a public, worldwide system that connects computer networks while the intranet is a private network that is accessible only by the organization’s staff.

Reference:

1. “Computer Internet and Intranet.” Www.tutorialspoint.com, Tutorials Point, 8 Jan. 2018, Available here.
2. “What Is Intranet? – Definition from WhatIs.com.” SearchWinDevelopment, Available here.

Image Courtesy:

1. “Applications-internet” By The people from the Tango! project – The Tango! Desktop Project (Public Domain) via Commons Wikimedia
2. “Extranet-intranet” By Speculos – Own work (CC BY-SA 3.0) via Commons Wikimedia