TheMadScientist - 3:38 am on Nov 5, 2009 (gmt 0)

thanks. but as i see it, the problem is that $_SERVER['HTTP_HOST'] (or at least $ENV{'HTTP_HOST'} in perl and on my apache 2) has the same result in both cases:

The php example I posted was tested prior to posting, so either there's a difference in Perl or your Apache Version. To know where the difference is, try the code I posted on your server... When tested the first 'echo' displays the . (dot) on the end of the HOST, and the second doesn't.