Common HTTP Server Errors and How to Fix Them
Hosting
Antony Atkins
April 9, 2024
Encountering server errors is not only frustrating but can also disrupt your website or marketplace, potentially leading to lost revenue and dissatisfied customers. HTTP status codes are indicators of how a server responds to a client’s request. When errors occur, they signal that something has gone wrong. If you’re dealing with these issues regularly and your hosting provider isn’t helping, it may be time to consider a more reliable solution.
Here’s a breakdown of common server errors, their meanings, and steps you can take to resolve them:
Encountering server errors is not only frustrating but can also disrupt your website or marketplace, potentially leading to lost revenue and dissatisfied customers. HTTP status codes are indicators of how a server responds to a client’s request. When errors occur, they signal that something has gone wrong. If you’re dealing with these issues regularly and your hosting provider isn’t helping, it may be time to consider a more reliable solution.
Here’s a breakdown of common server errors, their meanings, and steps you can take to resolve them:
What it means: This is a generic error that occurs when the server encounters an unexpected condition that prevents it from fulfilling the request. Common causes include server misconfigurations, corrupted files, or overloaded resources.
How to fix:
- Restart the server to refresh its state.
- Review server logs to identify the issue.
- Check for misconfigurations in your settings files.
- If the issue persists, contact your hosting provider.
What it means: This error is triggered when the server is temporarily unable to handle the request, often due to maintenance or resource overload.
How to fix:
- Optimize server performance to reduce the load.
- Upgrade your hosting plan if this is a recurring issue.
- Consider choosing a higher-tier plan with more resources. Learn more about Scalesta’s plans.
What it means: Error 400 occurs when the request sent by the client is malformed or cannot be understood by the server.
How to fix:
- Double-check the URL for errors.
- Ensure the query parameters are correct.
- For developers, validate the request data to ensure it conforms to expected formats.
What it means: The server understands the request but refuses to authorize it, typically due to permission issues.
How to fix:
- Review file and directory permissions on the server.
- Check the .htaccess file for misconfigurations.
- Contact your hosting provider if you're unsure about access rights.
What it means: This error happens when the server acting as a gateway or proxy receives an invalid response from an upstream server.
How to fix:
- Restart your server.
- Ensure the proxy server is not overloaded.
- Reach out to your hosting provider for network diagnostics.
What it means: The requested page or file cannot be found on the server. This is one of the most common errors.
How to fix:
Lean more about Error 404
- Verify that the URL is correct.
- Ensure the file or page exists on the server.
- If the page has been moved or deleted, set up a redirect to the correct location.
Lean more about Error 404
What it means: This error appears when too many requests are sent to the server in a short amount of time, causing rate limiting.
How to fix:
- Optimize any automated processes, like bots or scripts.
- If needed, upgrade your server capacity to handle higher request volumes.
What it means: Error 401 occurs when a request requires user authentication, but the provided credentials are either missing or invalid.
How to fix:
- Ensure you’ve entered the correct username and password.
- Renew any expired access tokens.
- Verify that the server's authentication settings are properly configured.
What it means: This error indicates that a server acting as a gateway did not receive a timely response from an upstream server.
How to fix:
- Restart your server to refresh connections.
- Check the network connections between the servers.
- Contact your hosting provider for further assistance.
What it means: This error occurs when the server does not allow the HTTP method used in the request (such as GET or POST).
How to fix:
- Ensure the correct HTTP method is being used for the request.
- Check your .htaccess file for method restrictions.
- Review the application code to confirm the proper HTTP methods are implemented.
What it means: The server is rejecting the request because the headers are too large.
How to fix:
- Reduce the size of the request headers.
- Ensure the headers contain valid information.
- If necessary, configure the server to accept larger headers.
What it means: The server cannot return the requested data in a format acceptable to the client.
How to fix:
- Ensure the client supports the requested data format.
- Modify the request to request a different format.
- Adjust server configuration to return an alternative format if needed.
What it means: The request body is too large for the server to handle.
How to fix:
- Reduce the size of the data being sent.
- If necessary, adjust the server’s configuration to handle larger payloads.
What it means: The server understands the request, but it cannot process the data due to semantic errors.
How to fix:
- Verify that the data being submitted is valid and properly formatted.
- Adjust the code or form submission to resolve the issue.
What it means: A conflict arises because the request cannot be completed due to the current state of the server.
How to fix:
- Resolve any conflicts in the data or application logic.
- Ensure the server is in a state that allows the request to be processed.
What it means: The server timed out waiting for the client to send a complete request.
How to fix:
- Resend the request.
- Optimize the data being sent to speed up the process.
- Contact your hosting provider if timeouts occur frequently.
Dealing with server errors is not only frustrating but can also cause downtime, lost revenue, and poor customer experience. If you’re experiencing these errors frequently and are unhappy with your current hosting provider, it’s time for a change. Scalesta offers hosting solutions designed for high-traffic websites, ensuring your site remains up and running smoothly even during peak periods. We provide proactive monitoring to prevent server issues and errors before they impact your business.
Additionally, Scalesta offers free migration to make the switch easy, and our clients’ satisfaction speaks for itself — numerous reviews and metrics like our 15-month Customer Lifetime show just how much our clients appreciate our hosting solutions.
Don’t wait for the next error to occur — switch to Scalesta today for faster, more reliable hosting. Let us handle your server issues so you can focus on growing your business!
Additionally, Scalesta offers free migration to make the switch easy, and our clients’ satisfaction speaks for itself — numerous reviews and metrics like our 15-month Customer Lifetime show just how much our clients appreciate our hosting solutions.
Don’t wait for the next error to occur — switch to Scalesta today for faster, more reliable hosting. Let us handle your server issues so you can focus on growing your business!
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