UNIX for Dummies Questions & Answers

Ok, this question my be different. I can ping our unix box, but when we I to access the webpage I cant. To access the webpage I type http://ipaddress:some port. How do I check if a port is hanging and how would I un hang it. Sorry if question doesnt make sense.

Some program has to exist on the unix box which is listening to that port. From your profile, it looks like you use AIX which I don't use. But try, on the unix box,
netstat -an | grep LISTEN
which should tell you if anyone is listen to the port. If not, you need to restart whatever program was supposed to handle that port. You can try:
telnet localhost 80
on the unix host to check port 80 which is the normal http port. (I will use 80, you will use your port number.) Just press return a couple of times. If you connect and get an error, that is good...it proves the program is listening and responding. Now go to your client machine and the same thing. In windows, open cmd window. Use:
telent ip.address 80
If this doesn't work, I would suspect a firewall issue between the boxes and whoever runs the firewall will need to open the port for you. I hope this stuff works with AIX, I have no AIX box for testing.