[Plugin: podPress] Podpress / iTunes error: server doesn't support byte-range requests

I’m getting this error when I submit the rss feed link in both of these formats:

https://sub.domain.com/feed/podcast/
https://sub.domain.com/?feed=podcast

I have only a vague idea on what this error message means and I have searched with Google and found this thread in the Apple forum: https://discussions.apple.com/thread/3931371?start=0&tstart=0 which leads to other threads. It is suggested that this error may connected to recent changes in the iTunes Store by Apple for mobile devices.
One solution was to change the hosting provider.
But I could also find this: https://faq.podbean.com/2012/05/07/does-podbean-support-byte-range-requests-for-itunes/
The important part in this FAQ entry is that the feed should at least contain one post with a podcast episode. (I guess your episode are in a common file type like .mp3 or .m4a. Right?)

Assumed that this no server problem there are two further possibilities you should check:
– If you are using the podcast statistic feature then try whether it makes a difference to deactivate it. In every case do not use the Stat Method Full+!
– Do you specify a correct duration value for your episodes? podpress inserts a value if you do not insert one. But this default value is only 0:01 and if the episode is longer than one second then the preview player on the iTunes page of your podcast – viewed inside the iTunes client software on desktop computers – can not play the episodes. Therefore it is important to fill in the correct value.

If these 3 things are not the problem then you might think about contacting your hosting provider again. Because I could also find this:
https://vimeo.com/forums/topic:65425 thread in a Vimeo forum and it seems to me that the files of the user in this thread are hosted on a Vimeo server and have nothing to do with WordPress nor podPress.

You have said that you are using a Multi Site installation of WP. Maybe your hosting provider has found this: https://core.trac.www.ads-software.com/ticket/15552

However, please try the 3 things which may be the problem on the podPress side.

I turned off the podcast stats feature, but that had no effect.

I checked to make sure that we did specify correct duration for each episode.

I then followed MikeTime’s advice in that first link and uploaded the mp3 files to AWS (Amazon Website Solutions) S3 instead of my webhost.. this worked!

I’d rather host the files in the same place as my website, but at least this workaround will allow me to get this podcast listed in the iTunes store for now.

I turned off the podcast stats feature, but that had no effect.

I checked to make sure that we did specify correct duration for each episode.

I guess this means that it is not a problem of a podPress feature like the statistics. If this feature is active then all requests for podPress episodes get redirected one time to the podPress counter function. I was not sure whether this makes trouble. But that is obviously not the case. I have also checked the iTunes Podcast Resources (https://www.apple.com/itunes/podcasts/specs.html#tracking) for updates and changes in regarding the tracking. But it still says that the iTunes server can still handle up to 5 of these redirects.

This means probably that WP or the server software does not fulfil the new requirements for iTunes Podcast repository.
Maybe it is worth to ask your blog hosting provider again.

I can confirm that this is an issue with the way WordPress is serving file. On my Powerpress-powered WP blog, the podcast fails the byte-range requests check if the podcast contains WP URLs — specifically, those generated by uploading to WordPress under “Add Media”. However, it passes when the URLs are non-WP, like if I upload the files to a subdirectory of my site via FTP. This is the same exact server: works with non-WP links, fails with WP links. The only explanation I can think of is that somehow WP is serving the files uses a backend PHP script which bypasses the server config and fails to allow byte-range requests. Perhaps this should be filed as a bug and/or feature request?

@robwilO: Thanks you for your help and for telling us your observations!!

I guess the ticket I mentioned above (https://core.trac.www.ads-software.com/ticket/15552) is the related bug report.

@cecilporter: Did you use the links from the WP media library? Do the URLs not consist of the names of the folders you have stored your media files?
(If you are unsure about what we are looking for then it could help your could me the name of your blog or the URL to the RSS feed.)

same issue here. i’m using several plugins to mess with how wp uploads files including faster insert, upload redirect and others.

@benny Powers: Can you identify the plugin which leads to this problem? (You could test by deactivate one plugin after another temporarily. If this issue is caused by a plugin then the preblom should disappear when the plugin is deactivated. When we know which plugin is responsible I or the plugin author could look into the code.)

Is there a way to test your podcast to see if you’ll be cool with iTunes? I think I am, because it’s been running on iTunes for 5 months with no problem, but I don’t want them to suddenly tell me that I am doing it wrong.

Is there a way you can just test “byte range requests” on your own to make sure you are good? I can’t even really figure out what these things are, beyond “something to do with streaming.”

Is there a way to test your podcast to see if you’ll be cool with iTunes?

Basically your feed needs to be valid. You can use a validator like https://validator.w3.org/feed/ to see whether it is valid or not.
You should fill out the meta information settings on the settings pages and make sure that you feed actually contains posts (with attached media files).

Is there a way you can just test “byte range requests” on your own to make sure you are good?

I believe that this thread https://discussions.apple.com/thread/4234524?start=0&tstart=0 in the Apple forum might be helpful.