Understanding RSS Feeds

RSS (Really Simple Syndication) is a technology that allows users to receive updates from their favorite websites in a standardized, computer-readable format. This technology works by fetching data from a specific URL - the RSS feed URL - provided by the website.

However, this process isn't flawless. Sometimes, you may receive a notification that the RSS feed you've inserted isn't a valid URL. There are several reasons why this might happen:

The URL is incorrectly formatted: If the URL does not follow the correct syntax, it may be deemed invalid. Make sure there are no typos or missing parts in the URL.

The feed is not properly formed: RSS feeds must comply with a specific XML structure. If there are errors in this structure, the feed might not be recognized as valid.

Access to the feed is blocked: This might occur if the server where the feed is hosted is blocking access to our RSS service provider.

Validating Your RSS Feed

Before panicking about your 'invalid' RSS feed, it's a good idea to first validate the URL. The W3C Feed Validation Service is an excellent tool for this.

Here's how you can use it:

Go to validator.w3.org/feed/
In the Address field, paste the URL of the RSS feed you want to validate.
Click Check.





The tool will analyze the feed and provide a detailed report. If the feed is valid, you'll see a green "Congratulations!" message. If not, the validator will list the issues that need to be corrected. These may be as simple as a missing tag in the feed, or as complex as a server-side error that requires attention from a web administrator.

Whitelisting the IP of our RSS Service Provider

If your feed is correctly formatted and validated, but you're still experiencing issues, the problem might be on the server side. Your server might be blocking the IP address of the RSS service provider we use, who are located in Germany.

To solve this, you'll need to whitelist the IP addresses of the RSS Service provider:

168.119.254.124
2a01:4f8:c010:7943::/64

Please follow these steps to whitelist the IPs:

Access your server's firewall settings.
Find the section for IP whitelist or allowlist.
Insert the IP address 2a01:4f8:c010:7943::/64 into the whitelist.
Save changes.


Ultimately, you can try to whitelist them based on their user agent: RSSAPI/2.0 (+https://rssapi.net/)*


Note that the specific steps may vary depending on your server setup. If you're not sure how to do this, please consult with your IT team or your hosting provider.


If you've followed the steps above and are still experiencing issues, or if you do not have the necessary permissions to whitelist the IP, please don't hesitate to contact us. Our team is ready to assist you in resolving any issues with your RSS feeds.

Updated on: 31/10/2023