Once you get out and really start to enjoy the Net, you will inevitably run across what is referred to as an "error message". These bits of wisdom are a bit obscure in their meaning, especially if you are new to all this surfing business. Below is a list of the more common messages, clues to what they actually mean, and some tips on how to overcome these obstacles.

400 - Bad request

Most likely you have made a typo in the URL you are requesting. Or, the server doesn't recognize which file you want, or maybe you don't have the proper authorization to see it.

Be especially careful when you type in the URL. Even an extra space can throw the whole thing out of whack. Slashes, colons, uppercase and lowercase letters all make a big difference.

401 - Unauthorized

This usually means you are trying to access a site which is protected, or only open to certain domains (.gov, .mil, .edu for example).

If you are pretty sure you are supposed to be able to get there, type in your password again - more carefully - remember, the Caps Lock key will mess up your password, as well as extra spaces or other typing errors.

403 - Forbidden or "Connection refused by host"

Most likely, you don't have the proper password to get to this file. It may be blocked to your domain, or to certain users.

If you think you are allowed access to this document and have the password, try again. (Be sure to spell correctly!) If you think you are eligible for a password but don't already have one, send an email to the Webmaster in charge of the site and ask for one.

404 - Not found

This is by far the most common message found while surfing. It means the server can't find the document you are asking for, either because (AGAIN) of a mistyped URL, or perhaps the file has been moved, the address changed, or doesn't even exist any longer. Sometimes Webmasters reorganize servers for easier navigation, and the link you followed to get to this site may be outdated.

You can try "stripping back" the address (removing the address from right to left to the nearest slash) to see if the site is still on that server. If it is, you will be connected to a page on the site, or a directory of what is on the server. From there you should be able to determine where the file is by continuing to strip the address.

503 - Service Unavailable

This one is a bit tricky. It could mean your access provider's server is on the fritz, or the gateway for your company (if you access the Net from your place of business) is not functioning, or maybe some of your own equipment is foobar.

The time honored method of fixing this problem is "Wait a minute, try again". If you still have trouble, try to figure out which entity is actually at fault by trial and error. Or, do what I do - call a friend to see if he/she is experiencing the same problem, and find a solution together!

"Too many connections--try again later" or
"Network connection was refused by the server"

Your basic busy signal - too many other folks are already trying to look at the same file. This is a very common thing.

So, get up and fix a cup of coffee and try it again in a few minutes, or later in the evening when it is less likely to be as congested out there.

"Cannot add form submission result to bookmark list"

This means that you are trying to save the result of a search as a bookmark, and many times this URL isn't a legitimate address. Therefore, you can't add "nothing" to your list. I really hate when that happens.

To overcome this, I usually "Save As Source" to my desktop file, rename the file something like "cool.htmll" or something which describes the contents of the page, and then add that to a special folder I have designated for files I want to look at later. Then, when I want to go visit the sites from "cool.htmll", I use the "Open File" command in Netscape to bring up the page, and --Voila! --all the hyperlinked addresses I wanted to save on the page are only a click away.

"File contains no data" or "Host unavailable"

Surprise! You have the right site, (and no typos this time!) but there are no Web pages on the site. You probably accessed this site at just exactly the same time the site was being updated or the server is having maintenance work done on it.

With that kind of luck, you really should buy a lottery ticket. And after you do that, try the site again in about an hour. It should be updated by then.

"You can't log on as an anonymous user"

Well, for some reason, you can't log on to this particular ftp site. It could mean that you aren't a member, or there are too many other visitors, or maybe your browser doesn't support anonymous ftp access (the America Online browser is notorious for this).

Give it another try after the rush hour is over, or use regular ftp software to access the site, with "anonymous" as your ID and your email address as your password.