not sure if this is the right category but here goes my question...

Do search engines view your site differently when it's typed in with the the www as apposed to without it? I think I heard about this somewhere.

They don't see it as different when "typed in"

BUT they do when indexing because they are two different URIs.

I would also like to know why some urls have the www. and some do not.

It doesn't matter whether you go with the www version or the non-www version, but Chris is right they will be seen as two different URLs by search engines. Technically www.domain.com is a subdomain of domain.com

What you want to do is pick one (www or non www) and 301 redirect the other to it. It doesn't matter which you want to use, but it's typical to have your site show with the www.

Just to be awkward...

I would point out i find (alot!) on BAD server configurations sometimes one version doesnt work.

It seems to be particular windows servers i find some sites you cant access at all without the www. (which bugs THE HELL out of me) and some if you go to the non-www. version it might show the host or "main" site on the server.

Personally i think the www. should be killed! arg whats the point in typing an extra 4 characters

Hmmmm this stuff is getting very interesting. When I posted this question I never knew that this much theory went behind something so seemingly simple. Small things definitely shouldn't have to be this complicated, after they are the both the same domain name!... but oh well. Thanks for the insight everyone!

after they are the both the same domain name!.

So are all these;
http://yahoo.com/
http://www.yahoo.com/
http://groups.yahoo.com/
http://mail.yahoo.com/
http://dir.yahoo.com/
http://video.yahoo.com/
http://movies.yahoo.com/

Originally Posted by Multimastery

Hmmmm this stuff is getting very interesting. When I posted this question I never knew that this much theory went behind something so seemingly simple. Small things definitely shouldn't have to be this complicated, after they are the both the same domain name!... but oh well. Thanks for the insight everyone!

Well, sure, but mail.google.com and google.com/microsoft are also the same domain. As are aJerk.wordpress.com and goodAdvice.wordpress.com. A web site is generally definted as a host, which includes all subdomains, and www is a subdomain. It's a "special" subdomain, though, in the sense that it "exists" by default without having to be specifically created, is taken to mean the same thing as the domain without it, and, most people assume the meaning regardless of what site it's being applied to.

In the end, the search engines don't care which one you use. They prefer not to see the same content on both, though, so use a 301 redirect to go from whichever you decide against to whichever you want to go with.

Originally Posted by Learning Newbie

In the end, the search engines don't care which one you use. They prefer not to see the same content on both, though, so use a 301 redirect to go from whichever you decide against to whichever you want to go with.

So how would I do this 301 redirect thing correctly?

Assuming you're on a *nix server and have the ability to create a .htaccess file this post should have the info you need.

WWW is a subdomain of domain.com

you need to edit bind zone file and specify a cname for your www record, only then www and no www will be the same

www IN CNAME domain.com.

How it is setup in DNS makes no difference to how user agents see the site. Both versions will respond with a HTTP 200 response and they will be duplicates.

yep easiet and nicest way is .htaccess

take a look at this i have explained how to use www. only and just plain domain.com

also means if someone goes to www.domain.com/apage.html it will redirect to domain.com/apage.html so means any old links still all good a SE picks up and uses the version u prefer

http://xdnet.co.uk/clients/knowledge...&catid=3&id=86

Hope this helps
Dan

TP apprieciated