What are error codes?
All HTTP requests (the type of requests generated by your browser when you attempt to load a page) generate a status code. However, your browser will generally only display a status code associated with an error after an attempted action fails.
There are 5 kinds of status codes and the term error codes refers specifically to the two kinds of status codes that indicate these errors. This article will cover the following codes:
- What is a customer error code?
- 400 Incorrect Request
- 401 Authorization Required
- 403 Forbidden
- 404 Not Found
- 405: Method not allowed
- 406: Not acceptable (encryption)
- 407: Proxy authentication required
- 408: Request timed out
- 409: Conflicting request
- 410: Gone
- 411: Content length required
- 412: Precondition failed
- 413: Request entity too long
- 414: Request URI too long
- 415: Paper type not supported
- 421: Too many connections
- What is a server error code?
- Internal server error 500
- 501: Not implemented
- 502 Invalid gateway
- 503 Service Unavailable
- 504: Gateway timeout
- 505: HTTP version not supported
- Custom error pages
What is a client error code?
Client error codes start with the number 4, such as 404 or 403 (two of the most common client-side errors). A client error code indicates a problem with the request and that the request itself must be changed to get a different result.
For example, if you get a 404 error code, it means that the resource you requested does not exist. It is possible that the request is incorrect or the resource has been deleted, but the server is functioning correctly and the error is that the user is requesting something that is not there.
Read on for an index of possible 4XX client error codes. ⤵
400 Incorrect Request
When the HTTP request does not fully conform to the HTTP protocol, the web server may identify it as malformed and display this error page. This indicates that the request was not in a format that the server understood and could not be served.
This almost universally indicates an error with the programming, either on the client or on the server.
401: unauthorized
Access to the URL resource requires user authentication, which has not yet been provided or has been provided but failed. This is commonly known as password protection. Unless you have a good reason to do so, it is not recommended to redirect a 401 error.
403: Forbidden
The request was a legal request, but the server refuses to respond. Unlike an unauthorized 401 response, authentication will make no difference. This is usually due to a file or script permissions issue.
404 Not Found
This response code is an error page indicating that the visitor was able to communicate with the server, but the server could not find what was requested or was configured to not fulfill the request and not reveal why. The 404 error should not be confused with "server not found" or similar errors where a connection cannot be established with the destination server.
405: Method not allowed
This error is rarely seen, as it specifically indicates that the email client being used is attempting to access the server via a forbidden method. It would indicate a problem with the client software
406: Not Acceptable
When requesting information from the server, the browser or client also includes a specification with its request for the format in which it wishes the information to be returned.
If the server cannot satisfy this request, it will return a 406 Not Acceptable error page. This error occurs very infrequently in web browsers because most browsers will accept any data returned from the web server.
If you experience this error, you should consult the technical support of the client sending the request.
407: Proxy Authentication Required
This error page is an authentication problem, similar to a 401 error page. The difference lies largely in how the server requires authentication to be provided. While a server generating a 401 error requires direct authentication, a server configured to require authentication through a proxy would generate a 407 error.
408: Request timed out
This error page occurs when servers cut the connection to your client because too much time has passed between initial connection establishment and data transmission.
Many potential issues can cause this problem, including load on the client match, problems with your local area network, problems with your ISP, problems with the path to the server, and finally, it could be due to a high load on the server. .
If you receive this error page, it is recommended that you first check your traceroute for problems or delays:
- Traceroute, Whois, Ping and Dig.
409: Conflicting request
When the request you have made conflicts with an established rule, the server may generate a 409 error page to indicate two requests that conflict with each other. This problem is rarely caused by standard web server authority or security, as those processes will generate different errors.
A 409 error generally requires an application-specific problem that is not defined by the HTTP protocol.
410: gone
Sometimes, a server may provide a 410 error page instead of a 404 error. These error pages are basically the same, indicating that a resource that has been requested is unavailable. However, the code on the 410 error page provides the additional information that the resource previously existed but is no longer present.
If the server does not have a method to identify whether a resource existed previously, the most common 404 error page will be served.
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411: Required content length
When using HTTP methods that involve placing data on a server, such as PUT or POST, the server may require that the length of the data be specified. If the length must be specified and the request fails to do so, this error page will be returned.
This problem will require restructuring the request to include the required information to resolve it.
412: Precondition failed
An HTTP client that uses an HTTP data stream to send data to the server may include specifications for the stream, known as preconditions. If a precondition is specified but not met, the server will generate this error page.
Since this problem can only be generated when a client-side application does not meet the specifications set by itself, this should be diagnosed as a problem with the client and the precondition that is not being met should be identified.
413: Request entity too long
When the HTTP data stream sent by the client to the server is too large, the server will generate this error page. What is or is not "too large" depends on the client request and the constraints imposed on the server.
This problem would require making sure that the correct method is being used to upload your data to the server and possibly using a different method, such as FTP instead of HTTP, to upload your data to the server.
414: Request URI too long
A 414 error page requires you to use a URL that is formed in a way that successfully reaches a server and is too long for the server to process based on your constraints. Because both must be true, this error is rarely generated.
If you experience this error page, it is recommended that you re-code the web site to require a shorter URL for browsing.
415: Unsupported paper type
When a client uses an HTTP data stream to transfer a URL resource to the server, you may need to specify the type of media being transferred. This error will be generated if any of the following criteria are met:
- If the specified media type does not match the actual media included in the request.
- If the actual media included in the request is incompatible with the current resource data.
- If the actual media included is incompatible with the method specified by the HTTP request.
- Most users should not encounter this error page. It is very indicative of programming problems with a specific feature and requires development to resolve.
To fix this problem, you will need to identify the type of media your client is trying to transfer over HTTP, and what type of media the request intends to send, and the type of media required by the software on the server.
421: too many connections
The maximum number of connections from one IP is 8. If you encounter a 421 error, this means that you have exceeded this limitation. You can no longer control your FTP connections through FTP Session Control in cPanel; this must now be completed through your FTP client.
What is a server error code?
Server error codes begin with the number 5, such as 500 or 503 (two of the most common server-side errors). These error pages indicate that a problem was experienced on the server that prevented it from being able to service the request.
Unlike client error codes, a server error code can sometimes be temporary or intermittent due to temporary resource issues or problems with the path the request took to get to or from the server.
Read on for an index of possible 5XX server error codes.
Internal Server Error 500
Your web server encountered an unexpected condition that prevented it from fulfilling the visitor's request. Basically, something went wrong, but the server cannot be more specific about the error condition in its response to the visitor.
501: Not Implemented
This status code indicates that the server does not understand or support the HTTP method of the client request. The methods currently defined by the HTTP protocol are as follows: OPTIONS, GET, HEAD, POST, PUT, DELETE, TRACE and CONNECT.
This problem is generally indicative of a problem with the client used to access the server.
502 Invalid Gateway
This HTTP status code indicates that a server received an invalid response from another server it was accessing while trying to load a website or complete another request. This error page can appear in several forms, for example, 502 Service Temporarily Overloaded, HTTP 502, 502 Proxy Error, and Temporary Error (502). This problem is usually a network error between servers on the Internet; however, some steps can be taken, such as refreshing the page, clearing your browser cache, using a different browser to load the site, or starting a new browsing session.
503 Service Unavailable
This error is likely due to a problem with your server that will require additional assistance. This can usually occur when your server is temporarily overloaded or undergoing maintenance.
504: Gateway timeout
When you attempt to access a web page, the server where your action is routed sets a timeout for that request. If a response is not provided after a certain period of time, a 504 error page may appear in your browser. 504 errors are usually the result of trying to contact a server that is not working properly or is undergoing maintenance.
505: HTTP version not supported
This error is caused by a client or browser attempting to use a version of the HTTP protocol that is not supported by the web server. This is a rare error and can probably be resolved by trying to use a client that uses the correct current standards.
Custom error pages
When an error code is generated, the server provides a default web page to the client. Using custom error pages allows you to mark your error pages or provide unique or very specific information when a visitor generates an error.
HOST support will be happy to help you resolve any errors on your web site. Contact us for Support!
