Helpful Tips For Troubleshooting Common HTTP Error Codes

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Nearly 80 percent of modern consumers will research a business online before investing in their products or services. The best way to highlight the benefits of what your business does is by investing in a quality website. While having a new website constructed will be a bit expensive, it is definitely a great investment.

Instead of having the mentality of setting and forgetting a new website, your focus should be on maintaining this important online marketing tool. Ignoring the need for repairs or updates can result in a lot of sales opportunities being missed. One of the most common signs you will be presented with when website issues exist is HTTP error codes.

The following are some of the things you need to consider when trying to troubleshoot these problems quickly and correctly.

The 400 Bad Request

Among the most common HTTP error codes consumers are presented with is a 400 bad request. Typically, this error message indicates that a request sent to a particular server has errors or syntax problems. In some cases, this error will be presented to a user if the cookies they have for the site in question have been corrupted.

If you get a call for a consumer getting this error message, you need to instruct them to clear their browsing history. If this does not fix their problem, then ask them to verify the URL they have typed in is free of errors. Often times, one of these two issues will lead to the bad request HTTP error code being presented. If you keep getting reports of multiple users experiencing this problem, reaching out to a professional for help is crucial.

The Dreaded 403 Forbidden Error Code

When presented with a 403 Forbidden error code, it can signify a number of different possible errors have occurred. This means that the server has received the request, but is refusing to complete it due to a lack of permission.

Generally, this error will be presented to a user that is attempting to run a web server process they are not authorized for. This code can also come up if the page a user is requesting has either been deleted or removed. The last thing you need to do is let this type of error go unnoticed.

As soon as you get reports of users getting a 403 error code, call your hosting provider. In some instances, this error can be caused by down servers. Your hosting provider should be able to provide you with information regarding outages and when they hope to have them fixed.

Using the free syslog server – syslog viewer & analyzer software from Papertrail can give you a glimpse into the errors being produced by your site. With this information, you can narrow down the problems and get them fixed quickly.

The 404 Not Found Error

Some people mistakenly think that a 404 error message means that their browser is unable to communicate with a particular website. In reality, this error message really means that the server has received the user’s request but is unable to locate the resource needed to complete this request.

When receiving this error, users need to check a few things. The first thing they should verify is that the URL is error-free. This is one of the most common causes of this error message. However, websites that have not been configured to follow symbolic links can also be riddled with reports of these messages. Properly configuring your website is only possible with the help of web development professionals.

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The 503 Service Unavailable Error

When a server is overloaded or under maintenance, a user may be presented with a 503 Service Unavailable error. In most cases, this error is only temporary and will go away when the maintenance is completed.

However, if the server is not under maintenance, this error can indicate a lack of memory resources. Contacting your hosting provider will help you figure out whether it is time to expand the memory and bandwidth on your existing website.

Getting Professional Help is a Good Idea

If you are unable to figure out why your website is riddled with HTTP error messages, consulting with professionals is important. With their assistance, you can get these issues addressed in a hurry.