Solution: When the HTTP (Hypertext Transfer Protocol) "language" was under development, its architects came up with a system for labeling error messages that is still being used today. Most Internet surfers are all too familiar with the ubiquitous "HTTP 404—File Not Found" error, which is displayed when a requested Web page no longer exists at the URL(uniform resource locator) entered in the browser's address bar. There are many other messages, as well, and most have everything to do with the server trying to fulfill your request or a bad link you followed online and nothing to do with your computer, browser, or Internet connection.
HTTP errors are separated by type, with numbers between 100 and 599. Messages with numbers between 100 and 399 are not error messages at all but information status codes Webmasters use to perform site diagnostics. For example, the HTTP 200 code indicates that a request has succeeded, meaning the page or resource in question has no errors. Numbers 400 through 499 are reserved for client errors that presumably are the fault of the end user trying to access the Web server's pages or resources. "HTTP 401—Unauthorized," "HTTP 403—Forbidden," and "HTTP 408—Request Timeout" are all common 4xx client error messages and are the fault of either the end user or outdated Web links.
Server Errors
The error message the reader referred to falls into the 500 through 599 range, which is reserved for server errors. Those are always the fault of the Web server you've attempted to access and have nothing to do with you. The "HTTP 500—Internal Server Error" message usually indicates that the Web server received your request for information, but failed to deliver it because of a hardware or software problem within the server. The Webmaster or IT (information technology) folks running the Web site usually solve these sorts of problems quickly, so when you see an error message like this, be patient and try accessing the site at a later time.
Another common 5xx error is "HTTP 503—Service Unavailable." This appears when a Web server is overwhelmed by requests for information and simply doesn't have the resources to handle additional requests. This often happens when popular movie trailers or other files are released or big news events occur. If you wait long enough or repeatedly attempt to connect, you'll eventually get in. Many servers don't even display the error message when they get swamped, and they just let the additional requests time out instead. If you click a link and the browser sits and spins for several minutes before producing the error message, "This page cannot be displayed," it's a sure sign the server you are trying to access is inundated with traffic and won't be accessible until the crowd thins.
|