Help with canonical URL problems

[OnlineMenusCornwall]

I've got to admit I really haven't got my head around what this exactly means but apparently my website "likely has canonical URL problems. For instance, you may have the same content on http://www.url.com, http://url.com, and http://www.url.com/index.html."

Could someone please explain to me how I can check and fix this?

Thanks in advance.

 

[OldWelshGuy]

you need to get a few lines of code added to your HTACCESS file. Put a job in tenders it is a couple of quid to do it, or some kind soul might offer to do it for free.

HTACCESS is not a place for someone who doesn't know what they are doing as it can kill your site in the blink of an eye

 

[BobbyBoy]

Hi

You will find the answer to your qestion at Google Webmaster Form
http://www.google.co.uk/support/forum/p/Webmasters/label?lid=41234c84d9491af8&hl=en

Best of luck

Bobby

 

[Faevilangel]

Create a file called .htaccess in your file panel and then add the following code

<IfModule mod_rewrite.c>
RewriteEngine On
RewriteBase /
RewriteCond %{HTTP_HOST} ^domain.co.uk [NC]
RewriteRule ^(.*)$ http://www.domain.co.uk/$1 [L,R=301]
</IfModule>

An extra code line which is handy is redirecting your index.html to the root which you add to the above code before the </ iIfModule >

RewriteRule index\.html http://www.domain.co.uk/ [NC,R]

 

[OnlineMenusCornwall]

Thanks for the advise and the code. Just one more quick question.

I already have a .htaccess file with this in for my custom 404 page. Can I still keep this code in the file and where would it go?

ErrorDocument 404 /errors/404NotFound.php

Thanks again.

 

[Faevilangel]

Thanks for the advise and the code. Just one more quick question.

I already have a .htaccess file with this in for my custom 404 page. Can I still keep this code in the file and where would it go?

Thanks again.

Anywhere before the </IfModule> on a separate line

 

[OnlineMenusCornwall]

Uploading that seems to have broken the homepage link

 

[OnlineMenusCornwall]

I've removed this line and it's ok again :|

RewriteRule index\.html http://www.domain.co.uk/ [NC,R]

 

[olstar]

Thanks for the advise and the code. Just one more quick question.

I already have a .htaccess file with this in for my custom 404 page. Can I still keep this code in the file and where would it go?



Thanks again.

That is so you can have a custom 404 page

 

[milian]

I've removed this line and it's ok again :|

try this way:

RewriteCond %{THE_REQUEST} /index.(php|html) HTTP
RewriteRule (.*)index.(php|html)$ /$1 [R=301,L]

 

[olstar]

htaccess is a pain in the arse...

one line in the wrong place and its all screwed!

 

[milian]

htaccess is a pain in the arse...

one line in the wrong place and its all screwed!

indeed, thats why OldWelshGusy advice is good to heed!

and keep a backup when editing!

 

[OnlineMenusCornwall]

I'm still struggling to get this sorted guys. Any help appreciated.

Do I need to tell Google in Webmaster Tools which domain I prefer?

This is my current htaccess file....

<IfModule mod_rewrite.c>
RewriteEngine On
RewriteBase /
RewriteCond %{HTTP_HOST} ^domain.co.uk [NC]
RewriteRule ^(.*)$ http://www.domain.co.uk/$1 [L,R=301]
ErrorDocument 404 /errors/404NotFound.php
</IfModule>

I'm not convinced this is right as Woorank gives me the following message...

Be careful! Your website without www doesn't redirect to www (or the opposite). It's duplicate content!

Any ideas?

 

[UKSBD]

You have done the obvious ?
changed domain.co.uk to yours

 

[OnlineMenusCornwall]

 

[OnlineMenusCornwall]

How embarrassing lol. I honestly thought my uploaded version of that file had the URL in it.

So, now I need to tell Google which domain I prefer?

And also re-verify my site?

 

[milian]

yes, if you haven't already you need to verify both www, and non www in GWT, then you select which is your favored domain.

You shouldn't need to re-verify them though if you already have.

 

[Bill1954]

When I complained about this to my hosting company they simply put a 301 redirect on the offending sites.

 

[milian]

When I complained about this to my hosting company they simply put a 301 redirect on the offending sites.

This is what the OP has just done.