WFetch

WFetch is a lightweight application developed by Microsoft in order to assist website administrators in troubleshooting web server connections. It actually is a diagnostics utility for the IIS, helping you test the server, identify and solve connectivity problems.

Intended for experts, WFetch can use multiple web functions (GET, HEAD, PUT, DELETE, TRACE, POST) to test a web server and comes with various configuration options. Provided you are familiar with the terminology and have advanced server configuration knowledge, it shouldn't pose a problem to you.

WFetch enables you to customize the HTTP request parameters, send it to your web server and analyze the respose in detail. In order to use it, the first steps require you to enter the website address in the 'Host' field, configure the port number, select the HTTP version (1.0 or 1.1) and enter the name of the file, directory or application the browser failed to access. There are various authentication methods that you can use, namely 'Anonymous', 'Basic', 'NTLM', 'Kerberos', 'Digest' and 'Negotiate'.

Aside from HTTP, the application provides support for various protocols, such as HTTPS, SSL 2.0 and 3.0, TLS 3.1 and PCT 1.0. Also, it can initiate a connection with your web server while hiding the identity of the local computer using a proxy server.

The major drawback of the application is related to security, since it stores the username and the password you provide in the system registry, in plain text. You are advised to remove all the registry entries that it creates after using it, in order to prevent data theft.

The web server's response to your requests is displayed within the log area, where you can view all the HTTP error codes. The generated report can help you understand what exactly is wrong and quickly find a solution.

WFetch is a great diagnosis tool, but you must be aware that it exposes your web server to data theft risks. Even so, experienced administrators should find a way to overcome this inconvenient and test their web server to detect connection issues.