HTTP Error 300 - Multiple choices

Introduction

Your Web server thinks that the URL provided by the client (e.g. your Web browser or our CheckUpDown robot) is not specific enough, and a further selection needs to be made from a number of choices.

This is typically the case where the URL represents a high level grouping of which lower level selections need to be made e.g. a directory within which the user must select a particular file to access.

300 errors in the HTTP cycle

Any client (e.g. your Web browser or our CheckUpDown robot) goes through the following cycle when it communicates with the Web server:

• Obtain an IP address from the IP name of the site (the site URL without the leading 'http://'). This lookup (conversion of IP name to IP address) is provided by domain name servers (DNSs).
• Open an IP socket connection to that IP address.
• Write an HTTP data stream through that socket.
• Receive an HTTP data stream back from the Web server in response. This data stream contains status codes whose values are determined by the HTTP protocol. Parse this data stream for status codes and other useful information.

This error occurs in the final step above when the client receives an HTTP status code that it recognises as '300'.

Fixing 300 errors - general

The first thing you should do is check your URL in a Web browser. If you see some kind of Web page prompting you for further action/choices, then your URL as it stands is not detailed enough for the Web server to process.

Fixing 300 errors - CheckUpDown

You should never see this error on your CheckUpDown account if you gave us a top-level URL (such as www.isp.com) to check. If it does occur for a top-level URL, it is highly likely that the Web server software has been incorrectly programmed or configured. If you have given us a low-level URL (such as www.isp.com/products/index.html) to check, then it is likely that this URL is not accessible even via a Web browser.

The first thing you should do is check your URL in a Web browser. If you see a sensible Web page, then it may indicate a defect in our software. If however you see some kind of Web page prompting you for further action/choices, then your URL is not suitable for us to check, because our system can not possibly make this kind of choice.

Please contact us directly (email preferred) whenever you encounter 300 errors. Only we can resolve them for you. If there is a defect in our software we will fix it. If however your URL is fundamentally unsuitable for us to use, you need to change it on your CheckUpDown account (start by clicking the 'Manage' button).