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Web Host refusing to perform 301. Does this sound right?

by acv987
12 replies
A little background: I started working at this company a few months ago as the general IT guy. The website was and still is quite a mess so I have gotten thrown into fixing it. I do not know everything about being a webmaster, but I have built a few autoblogs a couple years ago. A problem I am having is there are 2 copies of every page and I feel like google may be penalizing us for duplicate content. I want all request to redirect to the www address and not the non-www address. From what I understand I need my host to perform a 301 redirect since he uses iis and I cannot do it on my end. I have asked him to do this and he keeps telling me he cant. heres his latest response : "
I've done this for subdomain and the like, but using this method is basically asking to redirect the entire site. Can't do what is noted on your link below.

In the image below you'll see the current setup, both identities point to the site. Can't the links just be corrected instead?"



In the image he shared with me it shows both addresses pointing to the same IP address. Is that sufficient to fix my problem? Also is it possible for me to redirect the links as he states and if so how do I do this? We are using Joomla if that helps.
#301 #host #perform #refusing #sound #web
  • Profile picture of the author gabibeowulf
    It should be enough for you to do it yourself. As I understand it, you now should have both domains hosted on the same server (since they are now both set up on the same IP). So, create the domain on the hosting (if it's not done already) and add an htaccess file that redirects every page to the corresponding one on the new domain.

    That is if I didn't misread anything from what you said above..

    Gabriel
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    • Profile picture of the author Istvan Horvath
      Originally Posted by gabibeowulf View Post

      That is if I didn't misread anything from what you said above..
      You misread everything
      It is a "windows" IIS server - where you can NOT use .htaccess (being an Apache thing).

      As for the host: there are ways to go around and have an application and/or IIS-specific scripts. Send them to the official IIS forum: Forums : The Official Microsoft IIS Site to learn!
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  • Profile picture of the author brentb
    Since you aren't a master elite programmer (you mentioned you have only done some autoblog sites etc) why the *&^*&%&* are you on a windows server? I sincerely doubt you have any reason to be on one... just saying. Your life will instantly become simpler if you move to a linux setup with the standard apache/mysql. Then this issue would be something you could easily solve on your own, along with 20 others that will pop up over time. Please give this some thought.
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    • Profile picture of the author screamingfingers
      Istvan Horvath is correct! Follow his advice. .htaccess is for appache
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    • Profile picture of the author acv987
      Originally Posted by brentb View Post

      Since you aren't a master elite programmer (you mentioned you have only done some autoblog sites etc) why the *&^*&%&* are you on a windows server? I sincerely doubt you have any reason to be on one... just saying. Your life will instantly become simpler if you move to a linux setup with the standard apache/mysql. Then this issue would be something you could easily solve on your own, along with 20 others that will pop up over time. Please give this some thought.
      The webhost is using a windows server. I wish it was apache, then I could just fix it myself.
      So am I correct in feeling like I am not asking the host for too much here? This is something any web host should be willing to take care of right?
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  • Profile picture of the author mmntv
    What version of IIS? This is really easy to accomplish in IIS if you know what you are doing. His response to you would indicate to me that he might not understand what you are asking him to do. Anyway, the steps are a little different depending if you're on IIS 6 or IIS 7/7.5.
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    • Profile picture of the author acv987
      He is using iis6
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      • Profile picture of the author mmntv
        Originally Posted by acv987 View Post

        He is using iis6
        In IIS6 HTTP 301 Redirect from non-www to www

        This is easy to do, there's no good reason I can think of that he would push back on it unless he just doesn't know enough about it and is just kinda one of these guys running a server in his basement or something.
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        • Profile picture of the author acv987
          Originally Posted by mmntv View Post

          This is easy to do, there's no good reason I can think of that he would push back on it unless he just doesn't know enough about it and is just kinda one of these guys running a server in his basement or something.
          Thanks for the responses. I think he may actually be one of the guys with a server in his basement. Ill get this straightened out thanks so much for your help
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  • Profile picture of the author brentb
    Yes but why not transfer to another host?
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    • Profile picture of the author acv987
      Originally Posted by brentb View Post

      Yes but why not transfer to another host?
      That may be what we have to do. The company I work for has been around for a long time, but the website side of the business is fairly new. The gentleman who originally designed it also hosts it. I guess what I was trying to find out, is if this host is being ridiculous by refusing to do this. Am I asking a lot?
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      • Profile picture of the author brentb
        Originally Posted by acv987 View Post

        That may be what we have to do. The company I work for has been around for a long time, but the website side of the business is fairly new. The gentleman who originally designed it also hosts it. I guess what I was trying to find out, is if this host is being ridiculous by refusing to do this. Am I asking a lot?
        I don't think you are asking a lot by requesting this however I do believe its something you should be able to do on your own. In my experience, trying to do general upgrades to a site just becomes more and more of a pain because many plugins, scripts etc (at least php based) will not work on windows servers. So I guarantee this won't be the last time you have an issue due to it being a windows server.

        That being said there are special times when you do need a windows server FOR EXAMPLE if you are to make use of the remote screen capture php command... If you aren't doing anything that would require it, move back to linux.
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