The majority of firms utilize both an intranet and an extranet for communication as a result of the growing reliance on the Internet. These terminologies can be highly perplexing because they are frequently used when speaking with clients, coworkers, business associates, and others. However, the intranet and extranet are very different from one another. Even though improving teamwork and communication is their main goal, their roles and objectives are extremely different. Let’s examine how.

What is the Internet?

It refers to a private network that businesses use to guarantee safe employee collaboration and communication. When we wish to keep any important, helpful information, the intranet comes in quite handy.

The prefix “intra,” which means inside or within, is used here. To put it another way, the intranet is the centralized digital workplace of a corporation. It facilitates the streamlining of all workplace papers, people, projects, tools, etc. for an organization.

What is the Extranet?

The intranet and extranet are quite similar. It is a private network that is present within a company. However, the extranet differs in that it connects to all external users via the internet (albeit in a restricted way). As a result, the extranet facilitates communication between a business and its clients and vendors. Thus, it facilitates teamwork inside an organization.

To put it plainly, an extranet is an expanded version of a company’s intranet that enables it to authorize other users who are physically present outside of the organization. It is a restricted, private network that allows partners and outside parties to view particular data within the company without giving them full access to the network. An extranet permits private file sharing, information sharing, and communication, just like an intranet does. However, keep in mind that it only exists between an organization and its approved outside partners.

What separates an intranet from an extranet?

Let’s discuss the distinctions between intranets and extranets. To simplify this subject, we are contrasting the two terms in a table according to their unique attributes.