Unwanted redirect from Domain Name

[dangog]

I maintain a small website for our cooperative apartment. We update it very rarely, but on Friday when I typed in the domain name - vannessnorth.org the home page displayed but in the address box the URL displays as http://user857418.wx7.registeredsite.com/

Tech support stated this is the name used on its servers to identify my web site and that I had changed the script to cause the redirect. I know nothing about scripts and I changed nothing. I merely update the site now and then using CuteFTP Pro after making the new web page on my computer.

I called back a second time. Because the first tech person documented the conversation as a scripting problem, I was informed the host company provides no help in this area, would give me no help even trying to understand its online tutorials, and that I must hire a person to correct the problem. I am totally unclear as to really what the problem is and how to begin; whether it is something easy to fix or that we really must hire someone to fix it. I did learn that the host is migrating to larger servers and this might cause the problem, but we have not been migrated yet.

Could someone just give me some guidance as to what I should do. Thank you. Dan

[magicyte]

Is the "index" page @ vannessnorth.org a .php page? If so, you may have used the "header" function with "Location:(server site here)". Get rid of that code and you should be alright. If you know nothing about coding, it is harder to help. If you can give us the "index.php" or "index.html" source of vannessnorth.org, we will be able to help you out.

[dangog]

Chris - thanks for replying. I will be pleased to give you the index, but I am not sure how to do this. The first tech person who helped did download the index.htm (it is not .html) and looked at it. She said there was no redirection in it. (or similar words). I have not touched the index page for a long time except to add a link now and then and that is not done by me in code.

So, tell me how to let you have access to what you need. I did look for what you suggested and do not spot it. Thanks, Dan

[magicyte]

Do you have the index.htm on your computer? If so, open it and right click on the webpage. Then click "view source". Post the code. If this woman you're talking about said that there wasn't any redirection in there, the tech support was wrong. If the tech support was right, they lady you're talking about either knows little about coding in HTML and/or JavaScript or can't seem to find the problem... If the index.htm isn't on your computer, find it, open it, and then view its source. Again, post whatever code you can. If you have NO IDEA how to post the code, take the file, if you find it, put it into a zip folder, then attach it to your next post so that we may view it. If that lady is correct, there HAS to be a problem with the host's server. Thanks!

[thetestingsite]

More than likely, it is either a config file on the host server or even an htaccess file that is causing the redirect. When your ftp program is open, do you see any files that are named .htaccess? If so, please download and open that file in notepad, then post the code that is in that file here (or simply attach the file to a new post). If you do not have a htaccess file, contact your host and ask them to make sure that the server config is correct. Remember, the tech support is trained that the customer is always wrong so that it is never the host's fault (I know this from working in that field). When you talk to tech support, if you they do not try to help you by looking at the server config, ask to speak with the server administrator or Tier 2 or 3 Tech Support (depending on how their company is set up). Let us know how it goes.

-Dustin

[dangog]

First, I do have the index.htm page in my computer. I also can view what I assume you want to see by opening the home page to www.vannessnorth.org in Firefox and clicking view/page source. This, I am guessing, is the code you would like to see. In any case, I have zipped the index page and it is attached. I rarely do this sort of thing, so I hope it works.

It showed that it uploaded, so I assume you will have access to it. I am so appreciative of the time and help you are giving to my question. Thank you again, Dan

[magicyte]

I do not see any client-side scripting in there that would redirect the user to this other site. This is a .html document, thus no server-side scripting is involved.

READ THIS!!

--------------------------------------------------

Just to make it easier for people who do not have Microsoft Word, here is the code:

<HTML>
  <HEAD>
    <META http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8">
    <META name="GENERATOR" content="BLOCKNOTE.NET">
    <META name="Keywords" content="Van Ness North, Directions,
Cooperative Apartment">
    <META name="Description" content="Van Ness North Cooperative in
upper Northwest Washington, DC, consists of 466 spacious apartments">
    <META name="Subject" content="Cooperative Apartment Building in
Washington, DC">
    <META name="source">
    <META name="source">
    <META name="source">
    <META name="source">
    <BASEFONT face="Times New Roman" size="3">
    <TITLE></TITLE><STYLE>BODY { FONT-FAMILY:Times New Roman; FONT-SIZE:12pt }
P { FONT-FAMILY:Times New Roman; FONT-SIZE:12pt }
DIV { FONT-FAMILY:Times New Roman; FONT-SIZE:12pt }
TD { FONT-FAMILY:Times New Roman; FONT-SIZE:12pt }
</STYLE>
  </HEAD>
<BODY topmargin="60" bgcolor=#66ffff>
<TABLE align="center" border="1" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="1" width="80%">
  <TR height="40">
    <TD width="20%" height="40" bgcolor=#00ccff valign="top" align="right"><IMG src="USflag.gif"></TD>
    <TD rowspan="6" height="40" bgcolor=#00ccff valign="middle" align="center">
<DIV><IMG src="Bldg8_07.jpg.JPG" width="500"></DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><STRONG><FONT color=#003399>WELCOME TO VAN NESS NORTH, A COOPERATIVE</FONT></STRONG></DIV>
<DIV><STRONG><FONT color=#003399>WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA</FONT></STRONG></DIV></TD>
    <TD width="20%" height="40" bgcolor=#00ccff valign="top"><A href="gethere/index.htm">Directions to Van Ness North Cooperative Bldg</A>.</TD>
  </TR>
  <TR height="40">
    <TD height="40" bgcolor=#00ccff valign="top" align="right">
<DIV><A href="overview.htm">VNNC, Inc.,</A></DIV>
<DIV><A href="overview.htm">Overview</A></DIV></TD>
    <TD height="40" bgcolor=#00ccff valign="top"><A href="coops.htm">About Cooperatives</A></TD>
  </TR>
  <TR height="40">
    <TD height="40" bgcolor=#00ccff valign="top" align="right">
<DIV><A href="history.htm">VNNC, Inc.,</A></DIV>
<DIV><A href="history.htm">History</A></DIV></TD>
    <TD height="40" bgcolor=#00ccff valign="top"><A href="finances.htm">Cooperative Financing</A></TD>
  </TR>
  <TR height="40">
    <TD height="40" bgcolor=#00ccff valign="top" align="right">
<DIV><A href="bldg.htm">The VNNC, Inc.,</A></DIV>
<DIV><A href="bldg.htm">Building</A></DIV></TD>
    <TD height="40" bgcolor=#00ccff valign="top"><A href="gallery/index.htm">Photo Gallery The: &nbsp;Cooperative</A></TD>
  </TR>
  <TR height="40">
    <TD height="40" bgcolor=#00ccff valign="top" align="right">
<DIV><A href="neighbor.htm">VNNC, Inc.,</A></DIV>
<DIV><A href="neighbor.htm">Neighbors</A></DIV></TD>
    <TD height="40" bgcolor=#00ccff valign="top"></TD>
  </TR>
  <TR height="40">
    <TD height="40" bgcolor=#00ccff valign="top" align="right"></TD>
    <TD height="40" bgcolor=#00ccff valign="top"><A href="HDTV/index.htm">Digital TV is Here - Learn More: &nbsp;general and specific information</A></TD>
  </TR>
</TABLE>
<P align="center">The Van Ness North (V.N.N.C., Inc.) is a 16 story high-rise residence in the <A href="neighbor.htm">Forest Hills</A> neighborhood of upper Northwest Washington D. C. [Updated: Thursday, August 07, 2008]</P>
<TABLE border="1" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="1" width="100%">
  <TR>
    <TD align="center"><FONT size="2">This web site displays best in Mozilla Firefox; it also displays satisfactorily in the latest versions of Netscape, Opera, and Internet Explorer</FONT></TD>
  </TR>
</TABLE><HR>
<DIV align="center">We make no guarantee as to the accuracy of the information contained on this website. We have a simple<A href="private.htm"> privacy policy</A></DIV>
</BODY>
</HTML>

[dangog]

Once again, thank you for your help. Now, since it is not a scripting issue with the .htm index page, could it possibly be a problem with the host? I'm asking so when I call back for more tech support I can get them to look beyond it being caused by me and possibly a problem of theirs. I mentioned at the outset of my posting here that the firm is migrating to new servers, although we have not moved yet. Could this be a possible cause as they get ready to move us?

You have been extremely helpful and I thank you again. My frustration is a bit less now, but I still need this resolved. Thanks, Dan

[dangog]

Dustin: I am sorry I did not respond to your posting, but I have just noticed it. It is Monday. I will check this out very soon and I more than appreciate your guidance on how to get to the "right" tech support person. I do know that I looked previously at the config for our web site and .htaccess file is not available to me. Dan

[dangog]

Report - I finally talked with the server administrator (or at least someone above the first tech support person I got). The firm stated that it was caused by them, after I pushed for that, and it probably happened during maintenance. In any case it is now repaired and the URL displays correctly.

I thank both of you - Chris and Duncan - for your guidance and help. Also, I learned a lot and was able to invoke some of the terminology both of you gave me. Thanks, Dan