In this tutorial, we will explain what the HTTP 414 error URI too long is and how to fix it. HTTP 414, also known as Request-URI Too Long, indicates that the URL in the request sent by the client is exceptionally long. This means that it exceeds the server’s capacity to process it successfully. In the following paragraphs, we will provide a detailed explanation of the 414 error. We’ll include its definition, causes, troubleshooting steps, and remedial actions. Additionally, we will explore how it impacts the SEO of websites.
The steps for fixing the ‘URI Too Long’ error are straightforward. To read and understand this tutorial, you will need approximately 10 minutes to complete. Let’s get started!
Table of Contents
What is HTTP 414 Error and What Does it Mean?
The HTTP 414 Error, or “Request-URI Too Long,” is a server-side fault. This means that the server is rejecting the URL because it cannot process it due to its excessive length. It belongs to the HTTP 400 errors, and it can be considered an error between the browser and the server. When it occurs, it indicates a misconfiguration, which is why the server cannot serve and process the long URL. This results in an exception in the browser. In other words, it appears when the URI request exceeds the server’s maximum limit for the URI length. Let’s proceed to the following paragraph about the causes for the HTTP 414 Error.
What are the causes for the HTTP 414 error to appear?
POST requests converted to GET are one of the issues that can lead to the error. Sometimes, a client can incorrectly convert a POST request to a GET request with long query information.
A redirect loop might be another cause of the HTTP 414 error. That means that if some misconfiguration causes a series of redirects, the URL may become longer after each redirect. At that point, the server can not handle it because the predefined URI length will be exceeded.
A potential attack on the server can also cause the HTTP 414 error to occur. The attackers might send a massive number of requests, for example, to submit forms with extensive data, which can lead the URLs to exceed the server limits.
Server Misconfiguration, such as very low and restrictive values for the URI length, can lead to such an error.
Browser Limitations are also a cause of the HTTP 414 error, as the browser itself can limit the URLs it can handle.
How do I fix it?
In this section, we will present several possible solutions for the HTTP 414 Request URI Too Long.
URL Shortening is a simple method for temporarily fixing the HTTP 414 request. URL shortening is a shortened version of the original URL, allowing us to access the website while investigating the cause. When we access the shortened URL, it will be redirected to the original URL. Multiple online tools for URL shortening can help us. You should consider that URL shortening can sometimes be obscure and cause security concerns. After some time, the shortened URLs will become invalid and lead to broken links, so we should use them as temporary links until the issue is fixed.
Checking the Redirect Loops is another step to fix the HTTP 414 error. The redirects can be checked in the .htaccess file if you are using the Apache web server. Otherwise, if you are using Nginx, the redirects can be checked in the virtual host configuration file. It is recommended to comment out all redirects to determine if the issue is related to them or not.
Server Configuration values, such as LimitRequestLine in Apache web server or large_client_header_buffers in Nginx, need to be checked and increased so that the URL length value is sufficient for the server to handle requests without triggering the HTTP 414 error.
Check the plugins if you have a CMS such as WordPress, Drupal, or Magento, as sometimes the plugins, along with their configuration, can cause the HTTP 414 error. You can temporarily disable the suspicious plugins or the most recent one you installed that caused the HTTP 414 error.
How does HTTP 414 affect SEO?
The HTTP 414 Request-URI Too Long cannot directly affect SEO, but it can impact the user experience. The HTTP 414 error disrupts the user’s browsing experience, leading the user to leave the website and causing frustration because it can not be accessed appropriately. Frequent 414 errors can negatively impact the website’s reputation and search engine ranking. The website will lose its indexing, and search engines like Google will drop pages with persistent 414 errors from their index. To summarize, the HTTP 414 Error is detrimental to a website’s SEO.
Conclusion
These were the basic steps to perform to fix the HTTP 414 Request-URI Too Long. If you are not familiar with Linux and you do not know how to fix the HTTP 414 error, you can always contact our technical support. To get started, sign up for our Linux VPS plans and submit a support ticket. We are available 24/7 via live and ticketing systems.
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