Why won't my link work?

If you are having trouble with broken links, there are several ways to find and fix the issue.

New links to outside web pages don't work

P:  Almost always a typo error.

S:  Check the link for errors. Fixing the error should fix the link. See below for common errors to look for.

P:  Can also be an error inherent with the link. This is especially true if you copied the link from another website.  

S:  Go to the site and copy the link from your browser's address bar. That should be the Correct URL.

Old Links don't work

P:  You get a page cannot be found error.

S:  Most likely, the web site you referenced is no longer at that location, or no longer exists.  Try running a search for the web site and getting an updated URL.   A

P:   You can't find the page when you search for it.

S:  The page, most likely, no longer exists.  In this case you should remove the link from your website, or search for a similar web page to link to.

P:  The search engine finds the webpage, but when i try to go there i still get a page cannot be found error.

A:  There are two possible explanations for this problem.  The first is that the server that hosts the web page in question is down.  If this is the case, the technical staff at that site are probably already fixing the problem and the page should be back in a day or two.  Alternatively, the page no longer exists, but the search engine still has the reference to the site its database.  In this case you either delete your link, or find another web page to link to.

Links to your pages won't work

P: You just created a link to one of your own pages, but the link doesn't work.

A:  When working within your own space, you need to make sure you have the right files in the right folders, and that the links match that location.  If you don't have a very large web site, it is often best to keep all of your files in the same folder and just use the file name in your hyperlinks.  Just know that moving those files later will that link.

P:  I moved some of my files into new folders and now my links don't work.

A:  You need to update all of your old links so that they reflect the new file locations.

Typo Errors

The most common reason for a broken link.  There are several common mistakes to watch out for.  

A) Incorrect page type  Make sure that your link has the correct file extension (eg. that you have site.htm and not site.html)  Several common endings are: .asp, .htm, .html, .php.

B) Incorrect site type.  Web sites have several different types and these types are reflected in the endings of the main link.  Major site endings are .com, .net, .edu, and .org.

C) Simple Spelling errors.

D) Missing punctuation.   Punctuation seen in web sites :  / , .  , ~ , _ , - , and some others.