404 GUARD GUIDE
Keep useful old links working and check which tool is answering missing requests.
If a product or service has moved to a suitable replacement page, a deliberate redirect can help the visitor reach it. 404 Guard can include supported redirect source addresses in its Safe URL index so the original redirect plugin can handle them.
Support includes the redirection sources available to 404 Guard from tools such as WP Redirection, 301 Redirects and ThinkRank Redirections. Check the Redirections screen in your installed version for the sources it recognises. Test your important old links after building the index.
A catch-all redirect can send a person somewhere useful, but it also applies to made-up paths such as missing script files. Under a flood of requests, that can create more work or hide the difference between a missing page and a real one.
Choose one tool to handle this behaviour and test it. Two plugins both trying to catch and redirect every missing page can produce confusing results. When using 404 Guard’s equivalent behaviour, disable the conflicting catch-all rule in the other plugin.
404 Guard complements caching tools such as LiteSpeed Cache, BerqWP and WP Rocket. A cache can speed up normal pages, while 404 Guard focuses on requests for missing pages and files.
The order in which your host, cache and plugins handle requests affects what you measure. Keep your normal cache setup in the comparison and record any changes. Clear the relevant cache after changing a response that may have been cached.
WooCommerce, booking systems and other plugins may use special addresses or request types. Build the safe list and test the complete customer journey, rather than only the visible page.
Check a product, cart, checkout, forms and any custom login or account area. If something is intercepted, use Monitor mode while identifying the exact legitimate address and adding it safely.
Follow a known old link that should redirect, a real page that should load and a made-up address that should return 404. They should each behave differently for a clear reason.
If you can’t tell which plugin is answering a request, note the URL and result, then ask support. Changing several redirect or cache settings at once makes the cause harder to find.
Send the exact address, your protection mode and what happened when you tested it.
