0 votes
789 views
by (1.5k points)

Acces to my website suddenly stopped with following error message. Hope anyone solve it.

Forbidden

You don't have permission to access / on this server.
Server unable to read htaccess file, denying access to be safe

Additionally, a 403 Forbidden error was encountered while trying to use an ErrorDocument to handle the request.

1 Answer

0 votes
by (10.3k points)

In most cases, this problem linked to DNS. Pointing to wrong name servers, wrong A records or NS record can cause this error. First, sure you have written right name servers. If written right, then verify A records and NS records, which might be pointing to a different name server. So, this clash of name servers may pull your website into 403 error trap.

You have to verify DNS records on both. First domain DNS and other on Hosting DNS. Due to some restriction, the user might not able to access to DNS fully. In this case, the user needs to contact their hosting provider to request them to reset the DNS.

I am illustrating the hosting side DNS solution vis WHM panel.

Edit DNS Zone in WHM Panel

First, verify the DNS setting

  1.  Login to WHM panel (or simply request to hosting provider follow these steps)
  2. Go to DNS Functions > Edit DNS Zone
  3. Select appropriate website
  4. Review the DNS. Especially A and NS records.

If found anything doubtful in A and NS records, correct them. If you are doubtful and unaware to fetch IP address or name servers, then simply follow the below steps. It will reset the DNS to its default (Most time it works perfectly)

  1. Login to WHM
  2. DNS Functions > Reset A DNS Zone
  3. Select affected website
  4. Confirm the reset warning message
  5. If succeed, it will display a new zone information.

Mostly these changes do not reflect instantly due to DNS cache either on the local computer or ISP's server. So, your system still keeps showing the same old error message.

HOW TO CLEAR LOCAL DNS CACHE

There are lots of ways to clear DNS cache. Following are some easy and useful methods.

ipconfig /flushdns (a run command)

  1.  Start Run window by pressing Windows Key + R
  2. Type ipconfig /flushdns
  3. Press OK (or hit enter key)

You might see, one window flash and disappears in a moment. In fact, it is a command window, which opens to fire a run command and disappears once obeyed the run command.

Remember, it clears local DNS cache only and not ISP's DNS cache. So, you strongly need to change IP address for effective result. For this, restart the modem/router. In case mobile/wireless internet, disconnect and we reconnect the data.

We aware that, merely following above steps will not assure the positive result. Because of DNS cache. You might need to wait to clear DNS cache. Because every DNS has a specific expiry and refreshes value. So, it takes some time. In most cases, not more than half hour (depends on DNS settings, which may vary domain to domain).

But thanks to proxy sites or VPN, which allows us to ping website with a different identity (IP). So, you can sure that the website is accessible to other users. For this, follow steps,

  1. Open kproxy.com (or any proxy website/VPN)
  2. Enter your website name (URL)
  3. Verify

Alternatively, you can use Betternet free VPN services to verify operation of your website.

...