You can browse the Web — or visit Web pages — in several ways. You can visit a Web page by typing its address, also called a URL (Uniform Resource Locator), in the Address box. You can also go to a Web page by clicking a link — special text or a picture that lets you jump to another Web page or another place on the same page. (When you move your pointer over a link, your pointer changes to .) To move between Web pages, click Back or Forward on the
Button Bar.
If you visit one Web page more than others, you can make it your home page. Your home page is the Web page that appears each time you start Microsoft Internet Explorer and when you click Home on the Button Bar.
Returning to a Web page you just visited
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When you type a Web page address in the Address box, you do not have to type http:// before the address. |
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If a page is taking too long to appear, click Stop. |
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If you receive a message that a Web page cannot be displayed, or if you want to make sure you’re viewing the latest version of the page, click Refresh. |
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Returning to a Web page you just visited
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To return to the previous Web page, click Back. |
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To open a linked Web page in a new window, point to the link, hold down the mouse button, and then click Open Link in New Window on the contextual menu. |
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Returning to a Web page you just visited
Return to a Web page you just visited
Adding a button to the Button Bar
Returning to a Web page you just visited
Send a Web page address in an e-mail message
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To send and receive e-mail messages, you need an e-mail account. |
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Adding a button to the Button Bar
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To open the destination of a link in a new window, point to the link, hold down the mouse button, and then click Open Link in New Window on the contextual menu. |
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To open the contents of a frame in a new window, click anywhere in the frame, hold down the mouse button, and then click Open Frame in New Window on the contextual menu. |
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Each file on the Internet has a unique address, also called a URL (Uniform Resource Locator). You go to a file on the Internet, such as a Web page, by entering or following a link to one of these unique addresses. In Microsoft Internet Explorer, you can see a file’s Internet address in the Address box. For example, if you’re viewing the Microsoft home page, the address http://www.microsoft.com/ appears in the Address box.
An Internet address typically includes four elements:
Because many Internet addresses include these parts, you can often tell a lot about a Web site from the site’s address. For example, the address http://www.microsoft.com/ provides the following information:
http:// | The address uses Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP). |
www. | The address points to a server on the World Wide Web. |
microsoft | The Web server is maintained by Microsoft Corporation. |
.com | The site is maintained by a commercial institution. |
In addition to http://, you might see other common protocols as you browse the Web. Some of these protocols are: https:// for Web pages on secure Web sites; ftp:// (File Transfer Protocol) for files on FTP servers; mailto: for e-mail addresses; news: for newsgroup addresses; and file: for files on local or shared hard disks.