403 errors with FormMail.pl on 1and1

Posted by Anthony Wieser on October 7, 2005, 3:17 pm

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Sorry about this, but I'm having some trouble with 403 errors on my formmail
pages and just wondered if anyone else here hosts with 1and1.

Here's the crux of the problem:

If your visitor is using the Opera browser and has referrer logging turned
off or has any other referrer blocking going on via their network or
antivirus software, it is impossible to submit a form on the web.

I've contacted 1and1, but they are being unhelpful, see the note below:

show/hide quoted text
Unfortunately it looks like it's a problem with the form being browser
specific. If it works with all the other browsers and with opera when
referrer logging is enabled then generally that means it's not a problem
with our servers. Even if it was a problem with our servers, you are on a
shared hosting plan and we won't change the settings for our servers for
shared hosting plans as it affects all users on your server. The only way
around that would be to get your own server and configure it yourself.
show/hide quoted text

I'm thinking about warning people about this, but I fear describing
the 403 error they might see will just confuse them.

Maybe if a lot of people who host with 1and1 actually press them to fix
this, they might do it.

I wish this whole referrer blocking thing
was never made so easy in the first place though.

Thanks for taking the time to read this.

Anthony Wieser
Wieser Software Ltd