Why is "ww." resolving correctly for select web addresses?

4 replies
After a double take I realized that a webpage I was viewing was missing a "w" in its full web address: in this instance I was looking at "Deluxe". I retyped that address with "Deluxe" and was redirected to the "ww." address. Strange. I tested this on a number of other sites such as "http://ww.apple. com", bing, etc. Google incidentally was the only site that resolved correctly, and that was only when using their Chrome browser.
Does anyone know why this is? Did Deluxe resolve to not go "wide', drop the "web", or perhaps just hate the "world" in our web? Please tell me which "w" is optional, and why would juggernauts like Apple fail to resolve when a "w" is dropped?
#addresses #correctly #resolving #select #web
  • Profile picture of the author TobinBell
    The short answer is: because select site owners configure it this way.

    Nothing requires website addresses to start with www - it's just a convention that almost everyone follows.

    Technically you can call your website pingpong.yoursite.com and it will work just fine. Most sites are configured so that you can type either www.yoursite.com or just yoursite.com. It's two different addresses, but they usually take you to the same site (they don't have to, again, it's just the way most people set it up). To be precise, one address usually takes you directly to the site, others just redirect to the first address.

    This is why when you type google.com in your browser you end up with www.google.com in the address bar - google.com redirects to www.google.com. Now, Google decided to make ww.google.com to also redirect to their main address, apparently to help people who mistyped 'www'. Google is being nice here, most other sites don't bother.

    Take Deluxe, for example - they decided to assign ww.theirdomainname.com as their main address and have both www.theirdomainname.com and theirdomainname.com redirect there.

    I don't know why.

    Perhaps they think it's more deluxe this way. Or maybe they enjoy free PR they are getting when somebody notices and asks about it

    But it does not make any of the 'w's optional for any other site.
    Signature

    Freelance Content Marketer and Editor
    Google Ads and SEO Novice

    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[10904712].message }}
    • Profile picture of the author surender159753
      Can we done the same on our normal website?.
      {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[10905862].message }}
      • Profile picture of the author David Beroff
        Originally Posted by surender159753 View Post

        Can we done the same on our normal website?.
        Sure! Just add an extra CNAME record to your DNS configuration.

        Not really sure of any benefit to doing this, but yes, it's that easy to do it.
        Signature
        Put MY voice on YOUR video: AwesomeAmericanAudio.com
        {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[10905896].message }}
        • Profile picture of the author TobinBell
          Yep. As David said!
          Signature

          Freelance Content Marketer and Editor
          Google Ads and SEO Novice

          {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[10905994].message }}

Trending Topics