Internet Addresses (URLs)

Surfing the Web is made possible by the addresses assigned to the linked computers on the Web. The Web address (also called the Uniform Resource Locator, or URL) allows other computers to view the information on Web pages.

An Internet address identifies each site on the Internet in much the same way that the street address 123 Main Street identifies a building's location. You need an Internet address to find a Web site just as you need a street address to find a house or other building.

The Compaq Web site address is www.compaq.com. When you access this address, the Compaq Web site and all its associated Web pages display on your Home Internet Appliance.

What Is a URL?

If you know the URL of a particular site, you can type it into the text box in the center of the browser toolbar and go there. Most URLs look like this:

www.name-of-company.com.

The first part of the address stands for World Wide Web. The middle part is a descriptive word or the name of the company or individual that owns the site. The last part of the address indicates the type of company, business, organization, or country such as .org for organization, .gov for government, or

.com for commercial.

The list of such identifiers is constantly growing. Some of the more common ones in use include org, .gov, .edu, .com, .fr,

.de, .it, and .uk. But .com is the most widely used address format, especially in the United States.

HOME INTERNET APPLIANCE–GETTING STARTED

WELCOME TO THE INTERNET 4-3