Question

I need to know the referring server for a page on my site.

Is there any safe method to check where the user “came” to the page FROM?

I tried uploading this to my server, but this wont output anything at all when I write the adress to the file in the browsers adress bar:

    <?php echo $_SERVER['HTTP_REFERER']; ?>

I need to check this in order to display a link on the page or not…

Thanks

Answer 1

Try using $_SERVER['HTTP_REFERER']. Notice that it is ‘HTTP_REFERER’, NOT, as one would expect, ‘HTTP_REFERRER’

Also, please note the documentation on this variable:

The address of the page (if any) which
referred the user agent to the current
page. This is set by the user agent.
Not all user agents will set this, and
some provide the ability to modify
HTTP_REFERER as a feature. In short,
it cannot really be trusted.

In addition, ceejayoz is correct in noting that if you go directly to a page and don’t follow a link there, most browsers will not set a referrer.