URL stands for Universal Resource Locator. A URL is the equivalent of a Web address; it tells you "where" a Web page is located, just as a street address in the real world tells you where a house or business is located. Every page on the Web has a unique URL, so the URL is all you need to find any page. Type the URL into your Web browser's Location or Address blank (depending on which browser you use), hit the Return or Enter key on your keyboard, and your browser will find that page for you. (You can also get to a page without knowing its URL by clicking to it from a link on another page.) With a little experience, you can learn to read URLs just as easily as you read street addresses.
Most URLs look something like this:
The first part, http:// (which stands for HyperText Transfer Protocol) indicates that this address points to a standard Web page. Some publications omit this section of Web addresses.
The second part, www.wonderwave.net. is the Web page's hostname, the name of the computer that houses this page. It consists of a prefix, a domain name, and a suffix. Most host addresses begin with www, which stands for World Wide Web, but you will also see any number of other words. The final part,/Support/trouble.html, tells your browser where the Web page is stored on its host computer. The final part of the URL is the actual name of the Web page file. In this case, the page is named trouble.html and it is stored inside a folder named Support.
A domain name is the core of any Web address. wonderwave.net is a domain name, so are hotbot.com and miningco.com. Businesses and organizations generally try to get a domain name that matches their name. This makes their URL easy to remember and their site easy to find. Domain names in the U.S. are controlled by a company called Network Solutions, which keeps track of what names are registered to what organizations or individuals. If a domain name is not taken, you can register it for your own use. You must pay $70 for two years, and renew it for $35 per year after that. WonderWave.net can help you register your domain and will host your domain Web site.
Why do most Web site addresses end in .com but others end in .net, .org, or .edu?
The final part of the hostname tells you what kind of host the page is on and where the server is located. In the case of Wonderwave's homepage, .net stands for "network." This indicates that www.wonderwave.net is owned by an Internet service provider, or network. Other common suffixes include:
- .com: commercial businesses (www.pepsi.com)
- .edu: educational institutions, like colleges and schools (www.ucla.edu)
- .gov: governmental agencies and bureaus (www.treas.gov)
- .mil: military agencies (www.defenselink.mil)
- .org: nonprofit organizations and personal pages (www.autism.org)
Country Suffixes
A domain's suffix can also tell you what country a host is in. Sites in the
United States do not have any additional suffixes, but other countries
have unique designations. Some of the most commonly seen are:
- .au: Australia
- .ca: Canada
- .ch: Switzerland
- .de: Germany
- .il: Israel
- .it: Italy
- .jp: Japan
- .uk: Great Britain
Why do some URLs end in slashes and others end in .html or .htm?
Most Web page names end in .html or .htm because the pages are written in HTML (HyperText Markup Language). If the URL does not end in .htm or .html, it likely points to a folder, or directory.
Why do I see some URLs written starting with "http://" and others with "www?"
Most Web addresses begin with http://. This stands for HyperText Transport Protocol, the standard method of sending information on the Web. Anytime you see http://, you can be sure the address points to a Web page. (You may occasionally see addresses that begin with ftp://. These are FTP or File Transfer Protocol sites.) Since almost every URL begins with http://, they are often listed without the http://. If you enter a URL without the http:// into the Address/Location blank, your browser will "assume" that you have typed a URL and add the http:// automatically.
Does it matter if URLs are written in capital or lowercase letters?
The main part of the URL, the hostname, can be written in either lowercase or capital letters. So, you could write either www.wonderwave.net or WWW.WONDERWAVE.NET. But individual directory or file names (essentially anything that comes after the .com or .net) ARE case-sensitive. If you do see file names written in some combination of uppercase and lowercase letters, be sure you've typed them into your browser exactly as they appear.
How can I get a different URL for my Web site?
As an Wonderwave member, the URL for your free 6MB homepage is determined by your username (email ID). So, if your email address is username@wonderwave.net, your homepage URL will be home.wonderwave.net/~username. If you change your username, your email address and homepage URL will need to change.
If you would like a more personal URL, one that wasn't in the form of home.wonderwave.net/~, then you'll need to register for a domain name, something like www.myname.com or www.company.com. WonderWave.net can help you search for and register your domain, and will host your domain Web site.
How do I find if a domain name is available to use for my Web site?
Use NetworkSolutions to see what names are available for you to use. You will find that many of the simplest, most common names are taken, especially those ending in .com Try your selection in .net if the .com is taken, and try alternate versions of the name you want. For instance, www.golfclubs.com might already be taken, but www.golfclubs.net or www.best-golf-clubs.com might be available.
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