The Internet is a Wide Area Network - actually it is a huge collection of networks connected together by what are called gateways - these make the system act as if it was one huge network.

Many networks in industry, business, higher education and government institutions are all connected to the Internet although anybody can now get connected to the system with the appropriate hardware and software and access to an ISP (Internet Service Provider ).

A user can get information on just about everything. There are search tools which allow you to search the World Wide Web for any topic, and each page has links to another and so on....

- it is also possible to download software and files (eg printer drivers)

- bulletin boards (forums) or newsgroups are also set up where you can leave messages, or communicate directly with other users.

Businesses set up websites on the Internet because...

• ..they can advertise. It enables people to find out what they do and what they sell.
• ..people can email them with enquiries; orders; requests;
• ..they can reach an international audience.

A diagram showing some of the uses of the Internet.

• some people do not have computers or access to the Internet
• connection can be slow or unreliable - this may put people off using the Internet
• people may be suspicious about security etc

Intranets

An intranet is set up entirely within a LAN. Web pages can be stored and accessed from anywhere on the network and email can be sent internally within the LAN.

A company can set up an intranet and allow its workers to send messages to each other and use a browser to access company information saved as web pages. It can also be used for staff training.

Intranet may include pages on...

• company news
• forthcoming events (Office party etc)
• internal job adverts
• staff holiday dates
• internal telephone directory

Extranets

If a company allows some access from outside to its intranet, then it becomes an extranet. Access would normally be through a firewall (software which only allows permitted users to access the data).