You’ve probably run into a 404 error message while searching the internet at some point. You aren’t sure how to react to it, so you just simply hit the “Back” button on your browser and continue searching the internet for what you’re looking for. Error messages are undoubtedly annoying, but what causes them? Are they fixable on your end? These are the top 5 most common internet browser errors as well as their meanings.
One of the most infamous browser errors received by people like you is the “404: Not Found” error. What does it mean anyway? This message basically translates to the fact that the webpage you are trying to view simply does not exist anymore. Either it has moved locations and it’s not in the directory you’re searching or it has simply been deleted. Yes, it may have showed up in your search results, but that’s because the search engine thinks the page still exists. This can be a confusing error message for some, but it’s easily explained nevertheless. If you’re positive that the page exists, check the URL that you’ve typed to make sure that you haven’t made any mistakes. You can also search the main site for that particular page.
On a different note, you may be searching the internet for great references for your school paper. You think you’ve hit the jackpot, so you click on the search result and you are reprimanded with the error, “401: Unauthorized.” This typically means that you are trying to access something that you haven’t been granted access to. Some sites and information on the internet require a username and password to access, and without them, you aren’t looking at any of it. If you are in desperate need of accessing the information, be sure to contact the site administrator.
You may receive the error message “Too many connections” when trying to access your favorite site. This basically means that the site you’re trying to access is packed to the brim with visitors. A server can only handle so much traffic until it starts denying new incoming connections. Once the traffic has died down a bit, it will begin accepting these new connections shortly. The good news is that these messages typically don’t arise too often, and they don’t take too long to disappear either.
Another message you may have been prompted with while browsing the internet at one point is the “500: Internal Error.” It sounds a lot more horrific than it really is. This basically means that there is a problem on the server end, not yours. It can mean a lot of things, but the main cause is that something is not going right on the website’s end. Sit tight, and it should be sorted out before too long.
Lastly, you might come across a “503: Service Unavailable” message while surfing the ‘net. This can typically mean three things. The first cause is that the server that the site is hosted on is temporarily down. In addition to this, it can also mean that your ISP or your network is experiencing problem. Try connecting to several sites, and if you keep receiving the message, then the problem is probably on your end.
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