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What does HTTP Status Code 511-Network Authentication Required mean?
HTTP Status Code 511-Network Authentication Required is one of the classes of 5×× (Server Error)response code that indicates that the client must authenticate before gaining access to the network.
In other words, Status Code 511-Network Authentication Required is a status that may be used by captive portals, for example, to tell computers that after joining a WiFi network, they must sign in.
Actually, This status is created by intercepting proxies that govern network access, rather than by origin servers. A link to a resource where the user may input credentials SHOULD be included in the response representation (e.g., with an HTML form). We have to note that a challenge or the login interface itself SHOULD NOT be included in the 511 response since browsers will display the login interface as being linked with the original URL, which may create confusion.
When using Windchill Authentication with ThingWorx Platform, “HTTP Status 511 – Network Authentication Required” “connect time out” appears.
Applies To
- ThingWorx Navigate 1.8.0 to 1.9.0
- ThingWorx Platform 8.1 to 9.0
- Windchill PDMLink 11.0 to 12.0
Descriptions
- Using Windchill as an authentication technique, was unable to connect to ThingWorx Composer due to an issue. 511 (HTTP)
- While logging into ThingWorx Composer, your browser displays one of the following errors:
| HTTP Status 511 – Network Authentication Required Type: Status Report Message: connect timeout Description The client needs to authenticate to gain network access |
Understanding HTTP 511 Requests
Status code 511 is intended to alleviate issues created by “captive portals” to software (particularly non-browser agents) that expects a response from the server to which a request was sent, rather than the network infrastructure in between. It’s not meant to encourage the usage of captive portals; rather, it’s meant to minimize the damage they may wreak.
When a network operator wants to demand authentication, conditions acceptance, or other user engagement before allowing access, they generally identify clients who haven’t done so (“unknown clients”) using their Media Access Control (MAC) addresses.
All communication from unknown clients is therefore blocked, with the exception of TCP port 80, which is forwarded to an HTTP server (the “login server”) dedicated to “logging in” unknown clients, and traffic to the login server itself.
A user agent may connect to a network and send the following HTTP request to TCP port 80:
| GET /index.htm HTTP/1.1Host: www.bloggingbig.com |
The login server would respond with Status code 511 answer if it received such a request:
| HTTP/1.1 511 Network Authentication Required Content-Type: text/Html <HTML> <head> <title>Network Authentication Required</title> <meta http-equiv=”refresh” content=”0; url=https://login.example.net/”> </head> <body> <p>You need to <a href=”https://login.example.net/”> authenticate with the local network</a> in order to gain access.</p> </body> </html> |
The status code 511 ensures that non-browser clients do not understand the answer as coming from the origin server, while the META HTML element sends the user agent to the login server.
Status
| 511 Network Authentication Required |
Specification
| Specification | Title |
| RFC 6585, section 6: 511 Network Authentication Required | Additional HTTP Status Codes |
308 Code References
Symfony HTTP Status Constant
| Response::HTTP_NETWORK_AUTHENTICATION_REQUIRED |
Related Articles
| HTTP Status Code 207 Multi-Status |
| HTTP Status Code 300-Multiple Choices |
| HTTP Status Code 302 Found |
| HTTP Status Code 204 – No Content |
| HTTP Status Code 207 Multi-Status |
FAQs
What does HTTP Status Code 304 mean?
308-Permanent Redirect status code is one of the classes of 5×× (Server Error)response code that indicates that the client must authenticate before gaining access to the network.
In other words,511 Network Authentication Required is a status that may be used by captive portals, for example, to tell computers that after joining a WiFi network, they must sign in.
How can a user connect to the network during 511-Network Authentication Required?
A user agent may connect to a network and send the following HTTP request to TCP port 80:
GET /index.htm HTTP/1.1Host: www.bloggingbig.com
Conclusion
I hope this article was able to help you with your doubts and queries related to the HTTP status code 511(Network Authentication Required). Still, if there are any queries related to this topic, feel free to ask in the comment section, we would be happy to assist you. Thank you.
Saurabh Chalise