DNS confusion ?

[harithacats]

can we access a web site by typing the IP address directly without using a DNS?
once, i had a error which says DNS problem.So i typed the IP address of a web site into the browser.but it didn't work too.what is the problem?
thanks

[insomaniacal]

Generally, yes. When you type in www.google.com, your browser resolves the IP address bound to www.google.com, and then connects to it.

What error did you get when you tried typing in the IP directly?

[harithacats]

i got the page not found error(the error you usually gets when there is not internet connection at all),when i typed the address in words.and the trouble shooter said there is a DNS problem.my torrents were working(being dold).So i connected to another internet connection and got the IP address by PINGing.the connected back to the DNS error internet connection ,then typed that IP address(pasted).I got the same page not found error.That method supposed to work;right?

[insomaniacal]

Are you sure that site wasn't down? Try Down for Everyone? and see what happens.

If it's working now, it might have just been server maintenance or a temporary outage of some sort.

[deadcat]

Your torrents may have been using up all your bandwidth, resulting in a timeout. Try turning off everything else using you internet connection.

[harithacats]

Thanks insomanical.i will try a surely working site's IP next time.thanks
@deadcat I don't think that it could be the matter
thanks for replying

[fashizzlepop]

I always use Google as a test (for ping etc.). Chances of Google being down are very slim.

[tremor77]

Typing in an IP address directly for web browsing... will not work 9 out of 10 tens in my opinion, because a majority of websites are hosted on a shared hosting system. Dozens, hundreds, even thousands of websites... www.xxxxxxx.com's can all be hosted at one common IP address, and the Apache Hosts File or the IIS Web Manager takes the header request information and points the browser to the correct website. Quick example, my gaming sites arpwn.com and bamfchat.com - ping them and you'll get the same IP address because they are on the same host. Visit that IP in your browser and you get a site about boats.

[kujinR]

Your torrents may have been using up all your bandwidth, resulting in a timeout. Try turning off everything else using you internet connection.

I know I've had this problem before. That is, until I got my new connection last week. Yay for faster internet speeds!