What is the difference between these two internet address: "www.abcdefg.com" and "http://abcdefg.com" and why is that only I type in the latter, I can gain access to the website?

MrsAce

2 completely different sites. However, some companies will own both domains to be sure their customers, clients, etc., can reach their correct site. Mar 05 05, 8:23 PM

McGruff

There is no difference. I don't have to use www or http:// in front of an URL. Typing it in any of the three ways takes me to the same place, http://www.abcdefg.com/popups/ss_free_hoss.jhtml Mar 05 05, 9:46 PM

MrsAce

McGruff, It isn't the http:// I was referring to. With some websites, if you type in www.abcdefg.com or abcdefg.com in the address bar you will either get the same address for both if the company you type in owns both domains, 2 different companies totally unrelated, or the closest match if that's what you've selected which most people don't even know in your search engine. Mar 05 05, 10:35 PM

MrsAce

I should clarify, the question asks if you write http://abcdefg.com, in some cases the owner of the domain doesn't own www.abcdefg.com. Mar 05 05, 10:46 PM

McGruff

I'm talking about the specific example given and they take me to the same site. No matter which way I type it in, my browser changes the URL to http://www.abcdefg.com/popups/ss_free_hoss.jhtml which appears to be a popup ad off the Hooked on Phonics webpage. Mar 06 05, 5:53 AM

Baloo55th

The bit after the dot (com, mil, ac, but also watch out for co.uk, gov.au, etc) is the basic bit that tells your browser/ISP where to look up the site. The next bit to the left (abcdefg) is the primary domain name. This might be a company, an individual, an organisation - or a provider. the next bit to the left (most commonly www) is a page name. The default page for most sites is the www page, so if there is one, then typing abcdefg.com will take you to www.abcdefg.com. A page called aardvark.abcdefg.com will belong to the same people as www.abcdefg.com, unless abcdefg is a provider of webpage domains to different users. An example of this is penmaenmawr.da.ru. da.ru is a domain provider, and for some reason Penmaenmawr's local webpage is hosted there - in Russia!. www.da.ru will take you to the da.ru home page, but abcdefg.da.ru would direct you to abcdefg's page. Sometimes you can be diverted, as well. In the UK, type in www.google.com and you'll be taken to www.google.co.uk (from which you can get to .com - lycos takes you to .co.uk and no chance of getting to .com). abcdefg.com should only belong to one operator unless, as I say, they are providing domain names to someone else, in which case there should be a dot something in front of the abcdefg. It's the bit after the dot that companies own different ones of. If they can get .com, .net and .co.uk, for instance, there's less chance of someone diverting business from them by registering a similar name. (Same works with trade names - Marks and Spencer also owns Marks and Sparks Ltd just in case). Mar 06 05, 7:03 AM