Windows seems to be automatically adding TLD to names. This is most noticeable in Internet Explorer. For example, if I type "http://hulu/" Internet Explorer shows me the page located at "http://hulu.net" (however the address bar still shows "http://hulu/". This behavior is also present if I use the command prompt to "ping hulu". Using Wireshark, I see that my computer is sending out a DNS query for "hulu.mshome" to which the DNS replies with "no such name". My computer then sends a query for "hulu.net" which resolves to an IP address. Why is my computer automatically tacking on the .net TLD? -Ryan Adams Free Computer Tips and more:http://RyanTAdams.com Paid Tech Support: Black Diamond

From a command prompt on both XP and Vista: C:\>ping hulu Ping request could not find host hulu. Please check the name and try again. The ping failed but nslookup resolved. Non-authoritative answer: Name: hulu Addresses: 63.251.179.13, 8.15.7.117 ______________________________________ From a command prompt on FreeBSD the first ping resolved. queyosepa# ping hulu PING hulu (8.15.7.117): 56 data bytes 64 bytes from 8.15.7.117: icmp_seq=0 ttl=52 time=14.910 ms 64 bytes from 8.15.7.117: icmp_seq=1 ttl=52 time=22.769 ms The second ping didn't: queyosepa# ping hulu PING hulu (63.251.179.13): 56 data bytes ^C --- hulu ping statistics --- 3 packets transmitted, 0 packets received, 100.0% packet loss It queried a different IP address. IMCP may have been disabled on that one. whois on FreeBSD which is similar to nslookup on Windows listed all domains with hulu. queyosepa# whois hulu HULU.LIMOSIN-SERVER.COM HULU.LIMOSIN-CREATIVE.COM HULU.JUBILEE-SCHOOL.NET HULU.NET HULU.COM ___________________________ IE can't find hulu from the address box on either machine (404) and Firefox finds the site. The Konqueror web browser in KDE, FreeBSD returns a 404 but from my ISPs page. I don't know what conclusions to draw from all that but I believe IE only searches what it had in the URL box previously.

I've figured out why it's tacking on a .net suffix. For some reason, "mshome" and "net" are being added to my computer's dns suffix search list. More details here: http://www.computing.net/answers/ne... -Ryan Adams Free Computer Tips and more:http://RyanTAdams.com Paid Tech Support: Black Diamond

How does that answer the question? It's a link to your other post.

It's tackign on the ".net" since "net" is for some reason in my computer's DNS Suffix Search List. That means when I enter a non-qualified domain name (such as "hulu") it automatically adds ".net" to the end before querying the DNS server. My other post explains that, but unfortunately I know need to figure out why "net" is set as a DNS Suffix Search. -Ryan Adams Free Computer Tips and more:http://RyanTAdams.com Paid Tech Support: Black Diamond

You said you figured out why in your post on Feb 16, 20:39:02. In any event, I deleted all history, cache, temp files, etc...from IE and it didn't add .net when I put hulu in the URL box (Vista). It searched for the web page, couldn't find it and gave the error messeage. I did the same thing in Firefox and it found the correct URL hulu.com Both browsers are using the same DNS, so it has to be the browser coding that determines that action, not the PC.