Tomcat Server Port Number: Why do I have to enter the port number?

Question

My ultimate goal is to setup a website that displays data from a database. I will use Java, Apache, Oracle, and whatever else I need to create a website the uses servlets, JavaServer Pages, and JDBC.
I�ve got four Pentium III computers:
1. Windows 2000 Server to be the web server (MyWebServer, IP = 10.10.1.1).
2. Windows 2000 Professional to be the database server (MyDatabaseServer, IP = 10.10.1.2).
3. Windows 2000 Professional that I use to develop and test (MyDeveloperPC, IP = 10.10.1.3).
4. Windows 2000 Professional that I use as a client to connect to the website (MyClientPC, IP = 10.10.1.4).
I installed Java Web Services Developer Pack on MyWebServer. It requires Java 2 Standard Edition (J2SE), so I installed that first. The files I downloaded and installed are as follows:
J2SE: j2sdk-1_4_0-rc-win.exe
JWSDP: jwsdp-1_0-ea1-win.exe
After installing these products, I set the environment variables as follows:
JAVA_HOME = c:\j2se
JWSDP_HOME = c:\jwsdp
Path = c:\j2se\bin;c:\jwsdp\bin; [and other previous statements]
On MyWebServer I start Tomcat (from the JWSDP menu option). It starts properly (as far as I can tell).
Then, from MyClientPC I open Internet Explorer and in the address box I type:
http://10.10.1.1
�The page cannot be displayed�.
I then try again and add the port number:
http://10.10.1.1:8080
This displays the page c:\jwsdp\webapps\root\index.html.
Here�s my question: Why do I have to enter the port number to get a page displayed? Do I have to have Apache HTTP Server running on MyWebServer to display pages without entering the port number?
Thanks for your help.

Answer 1

Oh simmy1, so silly....
You have to enter the port number because Tomcat is running on that port (probably 8080). You actually don't NEED apache at all. Most people use it an HTTP listener because historically, servlet engines and application servers had shitty listeners. (WebLogic 5.1 was really bad.) Not sure how they stack up today.
Port 80 is the default port that browsers will look at. (Try it, hit these forums with http://forum.java.sun.com and then hit it with http://forum.java.sun.com:80. See? Same thing.) If you don't want to have to enter a port number, just make sure whatever is running at the front of your network is serving on port 80. It doesn't matter if its apache, tomcat, weblogic, iis or whatever. There is nothing wrong with running Tomcat on port 80, although using a webserver proxy like apache is generally recommended.
And don't listen to simmy1, this is his second bonehead post I've seen today: http://forum.java.sun.com/thread.jsp?forum=45&thread=231154