Version 1.1 User's Guide
Troubleshooting	Previous | Next Contents

Adding a proxy to your network adds complexity. We have made every attempt to make WebDoubler easy to install and configure, and as robust and transparent as possible. Still, you may occasionally encounter problems that will need to be resolved. For answers to specific problems, be sure to check the Frequently Asked Questions list linked on the WebDoubler page on the Maxum Web site. This will be your best source for specific answers that cover particular network configurations, incompatabilities, etc. There are, however, some general troubleshooting tips and techniques that you will find useful.

Understanding Error Messages

It is extremely important to remember that error messages can be generated in at least three different places for any given request. The Web browser running on the client computer, WebDoubler, or the remote Web server may all sense and report errors.

Browser errors will generally be displayed in a dialog box, as opposed to the browser window. Typical errors you may see include "unable to open a connection to server" or "document contains no data". Usually these errors are due to an inability to communicate with WebDoubler or an unexpected response from WebDoubler. In these cases, a problem in the local network is likely, and the first thing you will want to verify is that the LAN and the LAN connection to the computer are functioning correctly.

1. Try connecting to URLs other than the one the problem occurred on. If other URLs are accessible, then the problem is most likely with the remote Web site.

2. If the client computer is a Macintosh, open the Chooser to see if other computers or printers are visible on the local network. On a Windows 95 or NT computer, open the Network Neighborhood and look for other computers or servers. If others are visible, this verifies that the physical connections of the LAN are functioning.

3. Check the client's TCP/IP configuration.

4. Try restarting the client computer.

5. If the client computer has direct Internet connectivity, try bypassing WebDoubler temporarily. In the browser, reconfigure the proxy setting to "Disabled" or "Don't Use Proxy", then attempt to access the remote site.

Error reports from remote servers will be passed through WebDoubler, and are displayed by browsers in different ways. Usually, these errors are displayed in the browser window and the error messages are fairly self-explanatory. In almost all of these cases, the error can be verified by attempting to connect to the URL without using WebDoubler. Either reconfigure the browser to not use the proxy, or retry the request from another computer that isn't configured to use WebDoubler. If the error message remains, the Web site is probably unavailable. You may contact the Webmaster of the site to notify him or her of the problem.

WebDoubler will also display internal error messages in the browser window. WebDoubler generated messages are very easy to recognize, as they will prominently report the fact that the error occurred in WebDoubler. (WebDoubler errors will also be displayed on the yellow background color.) We have made every effort to make WebDoubler error messages understandable, and any error page you receive from WebDoubler should include a description of where the problem occured, a specific error code, and an English language description of the error.

As with browser and Web server errors, a good way to determine whether or not the problem is being caused by WebDoubler is to attempt to make the connection to the remote server directly. Other troubleshooting techniques for WebDoubler generated problems include:

1. Try accessing the troublesome URL from another client, using the same WebDoubler proxy.

2. Restart WebDoubler.

3. Open the Activity Monitor and watch for specific error or warning reports. You may also want to set the message level to "Verbose" or "Debug" for a full description of what is happening.

4. Because the "Verbose" or "Debug" message modes may generate a very large number of messages, you may need to set the Error Log level to "Verbose" or "Debug", generate the error again, and then review the error log file off-line using a text editor.

5. Review the "Threads" Activity Graph. Look specifically for activity being displayed when WebDoubler should be idle (no active connections from clients). Note that some periodic activity is common even during times when no client connections are being served.

6. Try temporarily removing plug-ins that aren't required. If a problem is being generated in the cache manager, for example, removing the cache plug-in will resolve the problem. To remove plug-ins, quit WebDoubler, move the plug-ins that aren't needed to the "Disabled Plug-Ins" folder and restart. The only plug-in that is absolutely required to access the Web is the HTTP Client plug-in. If removing a plug-in resolves the problem, try putting it back into the normal "plug-ins" folder. If the problem reappears, contact Maxum technical support at "support@maxum.com".

If all of these methods fail to resolve the problem, please contact Maxum technical support for assistance at "support@maxum.com". In addition, if you uncover a problem in WebDoubler, please report it even if a work-around is found. Maxum is committed to continuing improvements in WebDoubler.

Copyright © 1999 Maxum Development Corporation http://www.maxum.com/	Previous | Next Contents

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