Basics of networking
To fully understand and appreciate how the Internet works and why it works the way it
does, it would be better for you to have some basic understanding of what networking is all
about and how it works in general.
The previous part had highlighted some basic concept of what a network is. To recap, a
network occurs when more than one computer in linked with another. This linking can take
place within a premise or department and is often called local area networking or LAN
(usually within a kilometer radius). Today, many companies are using wireless LAN.
A link that occurs from one area to another far away (a few to thousands of kilometers
away) is known as wide area networking or WAN and is generally linked via cables and
satellite.
Introduction to Intranet
Most of us would have heard of the Internet. What then is the Intranet? An Intranet is a
private network within an organization incorporating the standard protocols commonly
found on the World Wide Web (“WWW”).
As the use of the Internet grew, more people accepted its technologies and what it could
offer. This led to computer network administrators to apply the same technologies to
information and computer systems within their companies.
An intranet in other words is a local private network within an organization that also has
access to the Internet. It shares many characteristics of the Internet but fundamentally
different.
One could also look at an Intranet as a mini version of the Internet confined within an
organization only.
Difference between an Intranet and the Internet
An Intranet is different from the Internet based on the following ways:
The Internet is global and spans all countries. The Intranet is confined to an
organization only and is within a building or sometimes within the reach of wide
area networking.
Click Here Internet Intranet Networking