How do I get connected to a server on my network via an IP address? When I try to open in a URL and login as a registered user with proper login it errors out saying there was a problem with connecting to the server?

Question

I am new to Mac...How do I get connected to a server on my network via a hyper link IP address path?  When I try to open in a URL and login as a registered user with proper login it errors out saying there was a problem with connecting to the server?

Answer 1

Some of the following is going to use some technical terms — this area is inherently somewhat technical. 
If you don't understand some part of the following reply, please ask.
Is this your own OS X Server system on your own network, or is this some other server within some larger organization? 
You're posting this in the OS X Server forum, which is a software package that allows OS X systems to provide web-based and many other services; to become servers.
If it's your OS X Server on your network, then the network and DNS configurations are suspect, or the server is somehow malfunctioning or misconfigured.   This is unfortunately fairly common, as some folks do try to avoid setting up DNS services.
If it's a larger organization and somebody else is managing the server and the network, then you'll probably need to contact the IT folks for assistance; to learn the network setup and DNS requirements, and if there's a problem with the server itself.
The basic web URL "hyper link IP address path" — without using DNS — usually looks something the following, where you'll need to replace 10.20.30.40 with the IP address of your server:
http://10.20.30.40
UptimeJeff has posted a URL that specifies the AFP file system; an OS X file share.  That's used if you're connecting to an Apple storage service somewhere on your network.  You might alternatively need to specify smb://10.20.30.40 or such, if it's a Windows file server.  (There can be additional requirements for connecting to Windows Server systems, too.)
If there's local IT staff available here, please contact them for assistance.  If these are your own local systems and your own local OS X Server system, then some information on the server will be needed.  (If you're on a NAT'd network, you'll also need to get DNS services configured and working on your local OS X Server system and your network — you'll not be able to skip this step and reference ISP DNS servers here — or things can and usually will get weird.)