Error Message Using FTP or Gopher Services with Proxy Server

ID: Q185595

The information in this article applies to:

• Microsoft Internet Explorer versions 3.0, 3.01, 3.02, 4.0, 4.01 for Windows 95
• Microsoft Internet Explorer versions 3.0, 3.01, 3.02, 4.0, 4.01 for Windows NT 4.0

SYMPTOMS

When you attempt to use Internet Explorer to open a File Transfer Protocol (FTP) or Gopher Universal Resource Locator (URL), you may receive one of the following error messages:

• Access Denied.
• Could not open http://<site>.
• The Internet site <site> was not found. Please make sure the address is correct. Could not open http://<site>.

CAUSE

This behavior can occur if you use a proxy server to access the Internet and the proxy server requires authentication. The versions of Internet Explorer listed above do not support accessing FTP or Gopher sites using a proxy server that requires authentication.

RESOLUTION

To resolve this problem, upgrade to or install Internet Explorer 4.01 Service Pack 1. For information about the availability of Internet Explorer 4.01 Service Pack 1, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

   ARTICLE-ID: Q185957
   TITLE     : Microsoft Internet Explorer 4.01 Service Pack 1
               Available

MORE INFORMATION

Internet Explorer 4.01 Service Pack 1 supports FTP and Gopher services through a proxy server that authenticates users using any type of authentication (for example, Basic or Windows NT Challenge Response). If the proxy server requires authentication, you are prompted for your user name and password (even if the proxy server is using Windows NT Challenge Response).

A proxy server is a server on a local area network that lets you connect to the Internet without using a modem.

Additional query words:

Keywords          : kbenv msiew95 msient ie4sp1 
Version           : WINDOWS:3.0,3.01,3.02,4.0,4.01
Platform          : WINDOWS
Issue type        : kbprb

Last Reviewed: June 24, 1998