Web Services

Error Codes

Sometimes when you go to a web page, an error code pops up.

Ever wonder what that code really meant? Here is a list of the most popular error codes and what they really mean.

The first thing you should do anytime you get an error is to make sure that you have typed in the URL or page address correctly.

Many times you have placed a comma where a period belongs, or a / when you needed a \.

401 - Authorization Required

The creators of a Web page may want only certain people have access to that page. There are several ways to limit access to a Web page, including password protection. You may get the "401 - Authorization Required" error message when you try to view a Web page with limited access. (A Web site may have a customized version of this error message, such as a screen saying "Access Denied" or "Unavailable.")

403 - Forbidden

This standard error message is generated by Web servers when you try to access a file that has not been correctly configured by whomever maintains it. (The file needs to be set with "read permissions" for all users.) All that probably means is that you can't view the page because whomever maintains the site set it up incorrectly.

404 - Page not found

A 404 - Not Found error means that there was no Web page with the name you specified at the Web site. This could happen for a variety of reasons:

Make sure that the Web address (URL) that you typed in exactly matches the address you were given. Check that the capitalization matches, that all words are spelled properly, and that all the punctuation, like dots (.) and slashes (/), are correctly placed. Be sure you are using the forward slash (/) and not the backward slash (\). (Remember, there are no spaces allowed in Web addresses, and a proper Web address will look like http://www.aol.com).

The page may have been renamed, moved, or deleted. Another possibility is that the person maintaining the Web page may no longer have an account at that location.

500 - Page not available

If the server has been incorrectly set up or is experiencing mechanical problems, it will return this error. Again the first thing to do is make sure that you have typed in the address correctly.

501 - Not Implemented

This error is a direct result of problems in the Web page's HTML (HyperText Markup Language). It usually occurs with Web pages that contain forms in which you type information and send it to a third party.

For any questions you can email the Web Administrator at Webadmin@winona.edu