tag:ask-leo.com,2010://3/tag:ask-leo.com,2004://3.2019- 2010-03-16T15:02:20Z Comments for <![CDATA[Why do some website addresses have "www", and some don't? And why do some work with or without the "www"?]]> Movable Type 4.32-en tag:ask-leo.com,2004://3.2019-comment:8340 Comment from Glenn P. on 2009-06-13 Glenn P. You wrote:

The original intent was that the "www" specified what you were trying to do, so you could be sent to the right computer to do that. Servers that were available for "World Wide Web" access used a "www" prefix. Servers that were available for "File Transfer Protocol" access used a "ftp" prefix. Even on the same base domain, www.example.com and ftp.example.com might well be completely different machines. The prefix was both a mnemonic device to help us remember what we're doing as well as a way to route us to the right server.

One thing you gloss over is the reason that the "www." has become so redundant -- namely, that its function has been almost entirely replaced by the protocol declarator. the "http://" at the start of the URL now does what the "www." once used to do; and of course, when "ftp://" begins a URL, the URL itself surely doesn't need to insist on the pattern of "ftp.whatever.com"!!! The "[protocol]://" prefix has pretty much obviated the need for that sort of idiocy. Yet it's still rampant!

Hooray for force of habit, huh? :( :( :(

]]>

A comment on:

Tech Questions? Get Answers! - Ask Leo! ... by Leo Notenboom
Leo's Answers Newsletter - Ask Leo! in your inbox every week.

All content Copyright © 2009.

 2009-06-13T12:02:17Z tag:ask-leo.com,2004://3.2019-comment:8339 Comment from Jared on 2009-04-23 Jared http://unspecified To Sarit: I'm assuming you have a windows machine. If so, go to Start, Run. Type cmd then hit Enter. This will bring up a command prompt window. Now type tracert www.rediffmail.com then hit Enter. This command tracert means "trace the route to the following domain or IP address". After you hit enter, you will see a message saying "Tracing route to www.rediffmail.com [202.137.235.12]". There is the IP address. The rest of the stuff tracert does is map every IP address between you and www.rediffmail.com (if the request doesn't time out). There is probably another way to do it, but that's the way I use.

]]>

A comment on:

Tech Questions? Get Answers! - Ask Leo! ... by Leo Notenboom
Leo's Answers Newsletter - Ask Leo! in your inbox every week.

All content Copyright © 2009.

 2009-04-23T13:52:43Z tag:ask-leo.com,2004://3.2019-comment:8338 Comment from sarit on 2009-02-17 sarit Article is fine but, I have a small question.
Just as when you type http://207.46.250.119, you go to: http://www.microsoft.com nad know that 207.46.250.119 = microsoft.com, can I know, when I visit (say) http://www.rediffmail.com, it is http://***.**.***.***?
Shall be grateful for your kind reply,
- Sarit.

]]>

A comment on:

Tech Questions? Get Answers! - Ask Leo! ... by Leo Notenboom
Leo's Answers Newsletter - Ask Leo! in your inbox every week.

All content Copyright © 2009.

 2009-02-17T12:02:23Z tag:ask-leo.com,2004://3.2019-comment:8337 Comment from Kayne on 2006-04-19 Kayne how do you get the IP address converted into a text name and can it be done without buying web space?

]]>

A comment on:

Tech Questions? Get Answers! - Ask Leo! ... by Leo Notenboom
Leo's Answers Newsletter - Ask Leo! in your inbox every week.

All content Copyright © 2006.

 2006-04-20T04:38:05Z tag:ask-leo.com,2004://3.2019-comment:8336 Comment from tibet360.com on 2006-04-14 tibet360.com http://unspecified man i am facing this same problem. i can't visit my website without using wwww infront of the url. i asked for help from my hosting service, but the guy said it is working fine. so it looks like it is just my computer. hah

]]>

A comment on:

Tech Questions? Get Answers! - Ask Leo! ... by Leo Notenboom
Leo's Answers Newsletter - Ask Leo! in your inbox every week.

All content Copyright © 2006.

 2006-04-15T01:28:14Z tag:ask-leo.com,2004://3.2019-comment:8335 Comment from Leo on 2006-03-25 Leo That's an IP address. All computers on the internet are REALLY identified by IP addresses. The text names you and I use, like "www.ask-leo.com" get converted to IP addresses in order to really locate the computer. Most of the time you don't need to know or care about this.

Try it: http://207.46.250.119 will take you to the same place http://www.microsoft.com does.

]]>

A comment on:

Tech Questions? Get Answers! - Ask Leo! ... by Leo Notenboom
Leo's Answers Newsletter - Ask Leo! in your inbox every week.

All content Copyright © 2006.

 2006-03-25T23:27:07Z tag:ask-leo.com,2004://3.2019-comment:8334 Comment from shaaryn on 2006-03-25 shaaryn i ws recently sent a web address to go to that was just a list of numbers: eg: 123.45.33.01 - but the page didn't open...what is this kind of address?

]]>

A comment on:

Tech Questions? Get Answers! - Ask Leo! ... by Leo Notenboom
Leo's Answers Newsletter - Ask Leo! in your inbox every week.

All content Copyright © 2006.

 2006-03-25T23:05:00Z tag:ask-leo.com,2004://3.2019-comment:8333 Comment from Rick on 2005-08-24 Rick LEO HELP! Yes, this is my problem. I'm on my 23rd hour with still no cure. My website www.skyviewpix.com. I can access the home page but not the addtional pages unless I add www. befoer each url. ONLY THIS DAMN COMPUTER, no other computer does this. I did use this computer for FTP files to this acct. HOw do I fix it? PLEASE!

]]>

A comment on:

Tech Questions? Get Answers! - Ask Leo! ... by Leo Notenboom
Leo's Answers Newsletter - Ask Leo! in your inbox every week.

All content Copyright © 2005.

 2005-08-24T08:12:50Z