Read information about the most common error messages you might see while using the internet. Error messages can be due to a number of things, but once you know what they mean you can often solve the problem highlighted.
| Error message | Description |
|---|---|
| 400 Bad file request | The server didn't understand the request. This is usually because the syntax in the URL is wrong - check the punctuation and whether some letters have been incorrectly entered as upper or lower case. |
| 401 Unauthorised | The page you're trying to access needs an encryption key - probably a username and password. Check that you've entered them correctly. |
| 403 Forbidden / Access denied | This error is similar to 401 in that it's likely to be a username or password issue. Alternatively, the site's administrator may have restricted access to this page. |
| 404 File not found | The server can't find the page you requested. The page has either been moved to a different location or deleted, or you may have mistyped the URL (or followed an incorrect or out-of-date link). |
| 408 Request timeout | This means the request for the webpage has been stopped before the web server has finished retrieving it. You may have clicked the stop button on your browser or clicked on a link before the page has fully downloaded. |
| 415 Unsupported media type | The web server will not accept the request because the media type is not supported. |
| 500 Internal server error | The web page could not be downloaded because of an error on the web server. To resolve this, contact the site's administrator. |
| 501 Not implemented | This is a fairly uncommon error - it's displayed when the web server does not support the feature you requested. It typically occurs when new features or forms are implemented. |
| 502 Bad gateway/Service temporarily overloaded | Too many people are trying to access the same website you are. Try clicking the 'Reload/Refresh' button - if that doesn't help, try accessing the site again later. |
| 503 Service unavailable | The server is temporarily busy or down. Refresh (or reload) the page and if that doesn't work, try again later. |
| 678 | Timeout connecting to server. Verify that your cabling and modem are in sync. |
| 691 | Access was denied because the user name and/or password was invalid on the domain. Verify that your username and password are typed correctly. Be sure not to confuse a lowercase L with a capital I or a zero with a capital O. |
| 718 | The connection timed out, waiting for a valid response from the remote computer. Verify that your cabling and modem are in sync. |
| 734 | The PPP link control protocol was terminated. A cable is unplugged while you are connected to the Internet. Reconnect the cable and restart your computer, if necessary. |
| 769 | The specified destination is not reachable - it may be that your network card is not set up correctly. Reinstall the drivers. |
| Retype | In many cases, the user name and password is mistyped. Retype your username and password. Be sure not to confuse a lowercase L with a capital I or a zero with a capital O. |
| Remake Dial-Up Networking (DUN) connections | In some cases, the dial-up networking connection becomes damaged and needs to be deleted and recreated with correct settings. Visit Creating Dial-Up Networking (DUN) Connections for more information and instructions. |
| Remake Connectoid | In some cases, the connectoid becomes damaged and needs to be deleted and remade with correct settings. Visit Creating Dial-Up Networking (DUN) Connections and follow the step-by-step instructions. |
| Failed DNS Lookup | Either the server you are trying to reach is down or too busy, or you have incorrectly typed the URL. Check the URL or try retyping the URL with a "www." in front of it, if you left that out. |
| NNTP server error | The USENET newsgroup's host server is down, or you may have incorrectly typed the URL. Try again. |
| Helper application not found | Viewer not found. You clicked or selected a file that requires a particular program, such as a video or sound file, but you do not have the necessary program to view or listen to it. |