How do I have an app interact with a server inside an intranet?

Question

I'm about to start development on app which is designed to communicate information to a server (hosting a web interface and storing the data) inside an intranet. I've had a large deal of programming experience but I'm wholly new to mobile app development, so the whole thing is a learning experience for me.

I guess I have more than one question:

• If the intranet offers wifi, will it be easy enough to see a server existing on the same intranet?
• Assuming the phone and the server are part of the same intranet network, what are the general mechanisms available to me to have them communicate?
• If the intranet is not available through wifi, what's my best option? (maybe just force wifi by setting up a router?)

P.S. I'm a final year undergrad developing an app+web-app for a real organisation, be gentle with me :)

Answer 1

1) If the intranet offers WiFi, you're good to go, any http request will be routed to the correct local boxes.

2) HTTP requests, treat it like you'd treat an external site.

3) If you don't have WiFi, consider setting up a VPN and then in your app guide the user through setting up the VPN. Or, set up a external server (outside the intranet) that acts as a proxy to the intranet server, requiring some sort of auth before it forwards requests for you. Essentially acting as a gate keeper.

Answer 2

I have an wifi named with abc.where in local intranet server will use the abc wifi to access db server and my mobile app will also use the same abc wifi to access intranet server.

Use apis(webservice) of your intranet server on mobile with ip address of intranet server.