When your site misbehaves: quick ways to find what’s wrong
If your website suddenly goes offline, loads slowly, or returns strange errors, the first thing to do is gather facts before making changes. Check whether the problem affects only you or everyone, whether it’s a single page or the whole site, and whether anything changed recently (plugin updates, DNS edits, provider notifications). A few targeted checks , ping, traceroute, browser console, and provider status pages , often reveal whether it’s a dns, server, application, or network issue. This article walks through the common basics issues in hosting, how to confirm each one, step-by-step fixes, and practical prevention measures you can apply right away.
DNS problems and domain propagation
DNS problems are one of the most common sources of a site suddenly being unreachable. Symptoms include “server not found”, long delays when resolving the domain, or the site pointing to an old server after a migration. Cause can be incorrect record values, DNS TTL not expired yet after a change, or registrar/hosting misconfiguration. Start by checking dns records with online tools (dig, nslookup, or web checkers) and verify A, AAAA, cname, MX, and TXT entries match what your host specifies. If you just changed hosting or updated records, remember propagation can take time: TTL values control how long old values stay cached.
Practical fixes: confirm records at the registrar and at your DNS provider, correct any mis-typed IP addresses, and lower TTL before planned migrations to speed updates. If records look right but DNS still resolves incorrectly from some locations, try clearing local dns cache and testing with different resolvers (8.8.8.8, 1.1.1.1). If propagation is the issue, be patient after lowering TTL and avoid repeated editing. If you use CDN or reverse proxies, ensure their DNS records and ssl settings match the origin configuration.
downtime and 5xx server errors
Seeing 500, 502, 503, or 504 errors usually points to server-side problems. 500 is a generic internal error, 502 is a bad gateway (often from a reverse proxy or load balancer), 503 means the server is unavailable or overloaded, and 504 indicates a gateway timeout. Check server logs first , webserver logs (apache/nginx) and application logs provide clues. If logs show memory exhaustion, CPU spikes, or repeated failed requests, resource limits or runaway scripts are likely causes.
How to fix: restart web services, clear caches, and temporarily disable plugins or heavy scripts to identify the culprit. If you’re on Shared Hosting hitting resource limits, consider upgrading to a plan with more resources or moving to a vps. For 502/504 issues behind a cdn or proxy, confirm the origin server is reachable from the proxy and increase proxy timeout settings if necessary. Monitor server load over time to spot patterns and add scaling where needed.
Slow site performance
A slow site can kill conversions and search rankings. Causes range from inefficient code, lack of caching, oversized images, distant server locations, to too many third-party requests. Start by running a performance audit with tools like Lighthouse or GTmetrix to identify render-blocking resources, unoptimized images, slow server response (TTFB), and large JavaScript files.
Fixes you can implement: enable server-side caching (page and object caches), use a content delivery network (CDN) to serve assets closer to visitors, optimize images (responsive sizes and modern formats like WebP), defer or async non-critical scripts, and enable GZIP/Brotli compression. If TTFB is high, investigate database queries and consider database optimization, query caching, or moving to a faster hosting tier or geographic region closer to your main audience.
SSL/tls errors and mixed content
SSL problems show as browser warnings and break secure connections. You might see certificate expired, hostname mismatch, or mixed content errors where secure pages load insecure resources. These issues harm trust and search rankings and can block features like service workers.
Quick actions: check certificate validity with browser tools or SSL checkers, ensure the certificate matches the domain (including www vs non-www), and verify the certificate chain is complete on the server. For mixed content, scan the site for HTTP assets and update them to https or use protocol-relative urls. Use automated certificate renewal (let’s encrypt) or ensure your provider renews and installs certificates automatically. If you use a CDN or proxy, make sure SSL is configured correctly at both the edge and the origin.
Email and deliverability problems
Many site owners assume hosting affects only web pages, but email setup on the host matters too. Symptoms include bounced emails, spam folder placement, or emails not being sent. Common causes are missing or incorrect MX, SPF, DKIM, or DMARC records, shared IP reputation problems, or improper smtp configuration.
Fixes: confirm MX records point to the correct mail server and add or correct SPF and DKIM records to authenticate your mail. Set up a DMARC policy that fits your risk tolerance. If your host’s mail IPs are blacklisted or rate-limited, consider using a transactional email service (SendGrid, Mailgun, or similar) to improve deliverability and tracking. Test with tools that check headers and reputation to find specific issues.
Database connection errors
“Error establishing a database connection” or similar messages indicate the application can’t talk to the database. Causes include wrong credentials, database server down, too many connections, corrupt tables, or network issues between the app and DB. Check the database server status, credentials in configuration files, and the host value (localhost vs IP vs socket).
To resolve: verify credentials and try a manual connection from the server to confirm reachability. Check logs for max_connections errors and increase limits if you’re hitting caps or implement connection pooling in your app. Repair or optimize corrupted tables and ensure backups exist before doing major maintenance. If your database is on a separate host or managed service, confirm network rules and security groups allow the connection.
Permissions, file upload limits, and .htaccess issues
Permission misconfigurations cause 403 errors or prevent uploads. Similarly, php settings and server rules can block file uploads or cause strange behavior when moving hosts. .htaccess files can also produce redirect loops or hide resources inadvertently. Start by checking file and folder permissions , web files typically need 644 for files and 755 for directories, and the webserver user must own or have access via group permission depending on server setup.
For file uploads, inspect php.ini values like upload_max_filesize and post_max_size and adjust as needed. If upload errors persist, check server error logs and any ModSecurity rules that may block content. When troubleshooting .htaccess, temporarily rename it to test whether rewrites or redirects are the issue, then restore and incrementally re-enable rules to isolate the problematic directive.
Security issues and malware
Malware or hacked files can redirect visitors, inject spam, or damage rankings. Signs include unexpected content, strange admin users, a sudden drop in traffic, or search engines flagging your site. Hosts and site scanners often detect injected code, modified files, and unusual cron jobs.
Response steps: take the site offline or show a maintenance page to protect users, take a backup of the current state for forensics, and run a malware scan with trusted tools. Replace infected files with clean copies from backups or original packages, change all passwords (hosting, database, CMS admin), update all software and plugins, and close the vulnerability that allowed the intrusion. To prevent recurrence, enforce strong passwords, enable two-factor authentication, limit admin access by IP or role, and keep software up to date.
Backups and restores
Not having reliable backups is a common and painful oversight. You should be able to restore both files and the database quickly. Backups must be tested , an archive that fails to restore isn’t useful. Create a backup schedule that fits your update frequency: daily for active sites, weekly for static ones, and keep multiple restore points. Store backups off-site or on a separate storage service to avoid losing them when the primary host has issues.
When restoring, follow a checklist: verify the backup integrity, put the site into maintenance mode, restore files and database separately, update configuration if the environment differs, and test functionality before bringing the site fully back online. Automate backups where possible and periodically test a full restore to avoid surprises.
Moving a site or migrating hosts
Migrations are fraught with small details that can break a site: DNS missteps, missing environment variables, different PHP versions, or file permission changes. Plan migrations by checking PHP versions, installed extensions, database engine versions, and any cron jobs. Lower TTLs in advance, export and verify databases, sync files, and test the site on the new host using a preview url or hosts file before cutting over DNS.
After migration, review logs, clear caches, and search for hard-coded URLs that might still point to the old host. Run performance and security checks and monitor traffic closely for any anomalies in the first 48–72 hours after the move.
Simple checklist for quick troubleshooting
- Can others reach the site? Use tools like Down for Everyone or Just Me.
- Check provider status pages and recent announcements.
- Inspect DNS with dig/nslookup and confirm A/CNAME/MX/TXT entries.
- Review server logs (access and error logs) and application logs.
- Test ssl certificate and mixed content with browser dev tools and online checkers.
- Run a performance audit and check TTFB to isolate server vs front-end slowness.
- Verify backups exist before making major changes.
Summary
Hosting problems often come down to a handful of areas: DNS, server resources and errors, SSL, performance tuning, email configuration, permissions, and security. Start by isolating the symptom, check logs and DNS, and apply targeted fixes like adjusting TTLs, enabling caching, optimizing images, fixing certificate issues, or restoring from a known-good backup. Regular monitoring, automated backups, timely updates, and sensible hosting plans reduce the chance of recurring issues.
FAQs
Why did my site become unreachable after I changed DNS records?
DNS changes can take time to propagate. Even after you update records at your registrar, cached values at resolvers and browsers can persist until TTL expires. Verify the records are correct at both the registrar and DNS host, clear local caches, and wait if propagation is the only reason. Lowering TTL before planned changes helps future migrations go faster.
How can I tell if the problem is my code or my server?
Look at server logs and metrics first. High CPU, memory exhaustion, or repeated 5xx errors point to server issues. If the server is healthy but a specific page is slow or throwing application errors, the problem is likely in the code or database queries. Use staging environments to reproduce issues and debug without affecting live visitors.
What’s the fastest way to fix SSL warnings?
Check certificate validity and domain match, and confirm the full certificate chain is installed. If the cert expired, renew it (auto-renew with let’s encrypt if possible) and install the new certificate. For mixed content warnings, update insecure resource URLs to HTTPS or remove them if not needed.
My site is slow only for users far away. What should I do?
Use a content delivery network (CDN) to serve static content from edge locations near users. Also consider hosting in a region closer to your primary audience, and enable caching and compression. Reducing overall page size and minimizing external requests helps too.
How often should I test backups?
Test restores at least quarterly for most sites, and more often (monthly) for high-traffic or frequently updated sites. Automated daily backups with periodic restore tests give the best balance of safety and reliability.
