Browser Problems
The browser, also known as the user agent or client,
is the program through which you view web pages. You are looking at this page through a
web browser.
Before making changes or addressing a problem, make sure you have the most
recent browser version:
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Some Common Problems:
- Page cannot be found (or displayed,) and I've been there before.
- Cannot connect to server.
These types of errors obviously indicate a problem with connecting your computer
to the remote computer. Verify that you have a valid connnection. If your browser is
configured to log on to the Internet automatically, the modem handshake may not have
stabilized when you requested the page. On the lower-right hand corner of your
screen, you should see a tiny icon of a computer screen. Double-click this icon and
a connection box should come up specifying the connection speed, duration, and
bytes transferred. If this icon is not present, you are not connected to the
Internet. Try to manually connect, then try to refresh (or reload) the site:
- Open "My Computer"
- Open "Dial-Up Networking"
- Open your connection
Press the connect button and let the connection run, then try refreshing the page.
If you cannot connect, try some of the solutions on out
connections page.
- Pages load too slowly or not at all.
This can be cause by several things:
- Slow connection: The increasing speed of modems and Internet
connections prompt designers to lean very heavily on graphics-oriented sites. If
they do not optimize their images and test them for slower connections, those with
slower connections suffer when trying to view the site. You can try some of the
solutions listed on our
connections page to
alleviate some of these problems. If none of that works, the obvious solution is to
get a faster computer and modem and a solid fast Internet connection, but if this
is not a possibility and you absolutely must access the information on
as site:
- Turn off graphics display: In Internet Explorer, go to
Tools -> Internet Options and select the Advanced tab. Under Multimedia, uncheck the
box "Show Pictures." (You can also uncheck animations, sounds, and videos.)
In Netscape, Got to File -> Preferences -> and select the Advanced category
(not the plus sign, select the word "Advanced.") Uncheck
"Load Images Automatically" and exit the program. Re-Launch Netscape and
try to load the site again. If the site now loads, the graphics on the site
are overloading your browser.
- Programming/Browser errors: Anyone can create a web site. It is a plain
text file rich with HTML markup, Javascript or VB script code, or other technologies.
unfortunately this allows a lot of people to generate code that can give your browser
a digital heart attack. In addition, many browsers interpret the markup and coding
differently, and the designer does not consider "other browsers" or versions
when creating a site. Incorrectly coded pages are very often responsible for
browser freezes or spurious error messages. Use the above method to also disable Java,
Javascript, or ActiveX objects to see if the page will now load.
- Old or corrupted browser: Often a browser that worked yesterday will not work today,
or some sites are designed only for the latest browser versions. You can try to re-install your
current browser or get the latest version (recommended) at the links above.
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- Many pages look messed up (objects helter-skelter on the page, overlapping
objects)
This is most likely that you are viewing a site that has been designed using the latest
HTML technologies with an older browser that does not understand those elements.
Upgrade your browser as above.
The other possible problem is that the site is incorrectly coded, or coded to support
only one browser or another.
- When I open my browser or view a particular site, I get an Illegal Operation error.
If the error occurs when
you first boot the program, it is either related to a hardware/software problem in
your computer's system (in which case you will see the illegal error in other programs)
or a problem with the browser itself. If it is just when the browser loads, it will
be a problem just with the browser.
If this error occurs only when visiting a particular site, it may be the coding
on that site is causing the problem. If you are using the latest browser and you get
an illegal operation error when visiting a site, there is most likely an HTML, Javascript,
or ActiveX code error that is causing your browser to crash. If you have an older browser
version, it may be that does not understand the newer technologies incorporated into the
page you are visiting. In either case, download and install the latest version of your
browser and try again.
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