Experiencing Origin Errors can be a major roadblock for your website, disrupting the seamless user experience you aim to provide. This article is designed to help you understand what Origin Errors are, identify their key indicators, and provide effective solutions to resolve them. Whether you're facing an 'Origin' error, '500' error, '403 Forbidden' error, or other similar issues, we'll guide you through troubleshooting steps to ensure your Ezoic integration functions smoothly. Let's dive in to restore your site's optimal performance.

An Origin Error occurs whenever the origin server isn't providing the site to Ezoic's servers as expected. Common symptoms of an Origin Error can include various error messages: 

• '500' error
• 'Origin' error
• '520' error
• '403 Forbidden' error
• '401' error (which may read 'your IP has been used by spambots to register multiple times')
• '503' error (which may be due to requests being timed out when connecting to the host server)

**Please note, if you are seeing a '404' error code, or a '301 redirect' error, it's possible that there is an error at your host and you will need to contact them to check.

These errors may be consistently happening on the site, or they can also be intermittent.

There is no one single cause of an origin error - for example, it may simply be that the site is down at your host, in which case Ezoic won't be able to directly help. However, if you're in the early stages of Ezoic integration and experience an origin error, this may be because your host has miscategorized Ezoic traffic. When you integrate with Ezoic, the system will act as a proxy between your site and your users, so that we can provide an Ezoic version of your site. Consequently, when Ezoic is turned on, instead of seeing requests from your users' IP addresses directly, your origin server will see those requests as coming from Amazon Web Services. This can sometimes be incorrectly classified as 'bot traffic' by your host, which could prevent the page from loading or stop login pages from working, and in those cases this may create an 'origin error.'

To resolve Origin Errors, follow these step-by-step solutions:

1. Check DNS Records and SSL Settings:
   • Ensure the DNS records at your host match those entered at Ezoic.
   • Verify that your SSL settings are correct according to this article.
   • If you have recently moved hosts OR your existing host has moved your site to a new server, update the origin server IPs in your DNS records at Ezoic accordingly.
   • Whitelist Ezoic's IP Addresses:
     • If Ezoic's IP addresses are being blocked as 'bot traffic', request your host to add the following IP addresses to their whitelist. If you have any security plugins, we suggest whitelisting the IP addresses in the plugin as well:

     13.127.240.219
     13.237.131.67
     15.222.108.52
     15.222.77.144
     15.236.137.228
     15.236.165.82
     15.236.166.30
     18.139.6.69
     18.140.184.0
     18.157.105.182
     18.157.131.187
     18.228.107.195
     18.228.20.129
     3.106.176.6
     3.106.6.164
     3.126.25.160
     3.217.200.190
     3.225.202.138
     3.7.90.144
     34.218.21.81
     34.248.174.237
     34.255.61.232
     52.12.170.68
     52.16.85.139
     52.20.63.25
     54.212.71.227
     2600:1f10:4c55:e200::/56
     2600:1f13:393:600::/56
     2406:da1a:e10::/56
     2406:da18:9d0:1400::/56
     2406:da1c:58a:e100::/56
     2600:1f11:f39:6f00::/56
     2a05:d014:776:a600::/56
     2a05:d018:dd:7800::/56
     2a05:d012:4d8:6800::/56
     2600:1f1e:342:2f00::/56
             

   • After whitelisting, log in to your Ezoic account and go to 'Settings' > 'Connection' -> 'Troubleshooting' and select 'CONFIRM WHITELISTING.'
2. Set up an X-Forwarded-For Header:
   • The X-Forwarded-For Header is a head field that you can use to make sure the 'real' IP of your users is passed along by a proxy like Ezoic. This is especially helpful for specific features (like login forms) that need to see the original user's IP.
   • Add this header to your server or ask your host to do it, and instruct them to authorize requests based on this header.
   • You can find instructions for implementing X-Forwarded-For on your site here.
3. User Agent Authentication:
   • Ezoic sends the actual IP of the user under the request header 'x-middleton-ip'.
   • Inform your host to retrieve the request IP from this header rather than a 'requested-by' header.

If you are on a shared server and your host refuses to implement these fixes, consider upgrading your hosting package or using another hosting provider.

Here's a video with information about fixing origin errors:

To help prevent Origin Errors and maintain optimal performance when using Ezoic, consider implementing the following best practices:

1. Monitor Host Changes: Keep an eye on any changes made by your host, such as moving your site to a new server or the SSL certificate expiring. Update the corresponding information in your Ezoic account to prevent any disruptions.
2. Whitelist Ezoic IP Addresses: Prevent miscategorization of Ezoic traffic as bot traffic by whitelisting Ezoic's IP addresses at your host.
3. Communicate with Your Host: Open communication with your host can prevent many issues. Ensure they are aware of the whitelisted IPs and any necessary headers that need to be implemented.

If you experience an origin error, we suggest not clearing your cache so a cached version of your site which is available to visitors remains accessible. After making any changes or updates to fix the origin error, clear your site cache to ensure that the changes are reflected immediately and to avoid the error staying in outdated cached data.

By following these tips, you can minimize the risk of encountering Origin Errors and maintain the seamless performance of your site with Ezoic.

If you need further assistance with origin, please log in via https://support.ezoic.com/ to make use of our dedicated resources for support. We're here to help!