What is the most likely cause of users being unable to access a company time card website via URL but able to do so via IP address?

The most likely cause of users being unable to access a company time card website via URL while still being able to access it through its IP address is related to DNS (Domain Name System) issues. DNS translates URL names into IP addresses, allowing users to access websites using human-readable names rather than numerical IP addresses.

When users can access the website via its IP address but not through the URL, it typically indicates that there may be a problem with DNS resolution. This could be due to several factors, such as DNS server misconfigurations, outdated or corrupt DNS records, or issues with user devices that prevent them from querying the DNS service properly.

In contrast, DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol) is responsible for assigning IP addresses to devices on a network, and it does not directly relate to how a URL is resolved to an IP address. HTTPS (Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure) is concerned with secure communication over a computer network, and it would not affect the resolution of a URL. SFTP (Secure File Transfer Protocol) is used for transferring files securely and is also unrelated to web access issues pertaining to URL resolution. Thus, the correct identification of DNS as the issue guides the troubleshooting process effectively.