This mistake message will certainly appear normally after a user has attempted to access a website they were unsanctioned to gain access to or after a failed login attempt. As an internet site owner, you can add password defense to your site through your cPanel account. This can be a wonderful extra security layer that limits access to your admin location, such as the wp-admin folder in a Word Press site.
Why is 401 unauthorized error showing up?
Browser cache and cookies
You may face 401 errors due to old and outdated cookies and cache on your browser. When you forget to clean up the old cache, it may cause 401 unauthorized errors. Due to old cookies and cache server gets the wrong credentials from the browser. And in a result, you will face this error.
Plugin Incompatibility
When you install a firewall or other security plugins, land later you change username password or migrate site, that security plugin can take it as malicious activity. Then that plugin will block your access, and you will get 401 unauthorized errors.
Wrong URL
Sometimes it happens with us that we copy-paste or type the wrong URL in the browser. Sometimes webmasters change the URL without proper redirection. These things can lead you towards getting a 401 error.
Step By Step guide to solving 401 HTTP error.
Recheck URL you are trying to visit. The first thing we can do to solve this error is to ensure that the right URL is being visited. Wrong URL leading towards dead-end can show up 401. This is the first step you need to take to solve the 401 error.
Try uninstalling plugin
Firewall and security plugin may block you out from accessing the site. You can remove those plugins from your site to solve the 401 error. Make sure you deactivate plugin one by one, so you will get the exact faulty plugin. Try to reconfigure it. If it is still misbehaving, remove it.
Delete your browser cache.
Cleaning up the browser is equally important to cleaning our stressful minds. Please make sure you delete all cache and cookies regularly. So the browser will maintain all valid credentials, and you will never face a 401 HTTP error.
Flush you DNS
You can try flushing out your DNS. To do this, type ipconfig/flushdns in the command prompt and click on ENTER.
Reset WordPress password.
IF someone is trying to login into your website, wordpress may block access to a wp-admin page. You can visit after few minutes or reset your password. IF you are not getting the reset option on the front end, you can do this from your Cpanel.
Reinstall wordPress and restore the backup.
We always recommend our visitors take backups of the website regularly. The backup of your website can save you from many disasters. When all ways are failed, you can reinstall your wordPress and install your website backup again. If you are not using wordpress, please contact your hosting provider.
Wrapping Up
401 HTTP is a common error. You don’t have to panic. These solutions will defiantly cure this error. You can also contact your web developer or hosting provider. At eWebGuru, we offer the best customer support and hassle-free hosting experience. You can check out our plans at www.ewebguru.com.
Ashok Arora is CEO and Founder of eWebGuru a leading web hosting company of India. He is a tech enthusiast with more than 25 years of experience in Internet and Technology.
Ashok is Master in Electronics from a leading Indian university.
Ashok loves to write on cloud, servers, datacenter, virtualisation technology.
