vBulletin 4.x URLs redirecting to forum homepage

[kgroneman]

Running vBSEO 3.5.2 (but also happened in previous version)

I'm having a problem where if anyone clicks on a link that points to somewhere inside our forums, the FIRST time they click on it, it takes them to the forum home page. The SECOND time they click on it, it takes them to the correct location. I'm not even sure it's a vBSEO issue, but we've about eliminated any other possibility. This is a problem because people generally don't think of clicking on the link twice...they go to Google, find the link, click on it and are disappointed because the forum home page doesn't have the information they are looking for so they move on. Kind of defeats the purpose of an SEO. Try it yourself:

http://forums.novell.com/novell-product-support-forums/data-synchronizer/ds-mobility-pack/422714-user-calendar-getting-duplicated.html

Any ideas? Thanks in advance. - Kim

[Brian Cummiskey]

What is your 404 setting? redirect to home page?

the linked thread loads correctly without a refresh of any kind for me, nor does it redirect to the homepage.

Try it as a guest... it may be a member-only feature (template conditional) that is 404'ing an performing a redirect on users.

[kgroneman]

Thanks for the response Brian.

I'm currently set to handle 404s by sending the 404 HTTP code.

the linked thread loads correctly without a refresh of any kind for me

That's part of the problem. It does it most of the time, but not all the time and it does it for logged in users as well as guests. I was hoping you would have a quick "Ah, we've seen that" kind of answer. It may tied to our L4 switch or something so I'll keep looking. If I run out of ideas before I find it, I may be back. Thanks again. - Kim

[Brian Cummiskey]

Sorry, no. I haven't seen this issue before.