My website is down-what to check first
A fast triage checklist for diagnosing a downed site: DNS, server status, SSL errors, account suspension, and when to escalate to UnderHost support.
UnderHost NOC
Network Operations
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Before opening a support ticket, run through this checklist. Most outages are caused by DNS issues, expired SSL, an unpaid invoice, or a resource limit-all of which you can check in under five minutes.
Step 1-Is it just you?
The first thing to check is whether the problem is local (your network, browser, or DNS) or global (the server is actually down).
- Try a different browser or device.
- Try on mobile data instead of Wi-Fi.
- Try running a traceroute from your command line to see if the server responds (tracert yourdomain.com on Windows, traceroute yourdomain.com on Mac/Linux)
- Use a tool like
downforeveryoneorjustme.comfor a quick check.
Your local DNS cache might be resolving your domain to an old IP. Flush it: on Windows run ipconfig /flushdns, on macOS run sudo dscacheutil -flushcache; sudo killall -HUP mDNSResponder.
Step 2-Check UnderHost network status
Check the UnderHost Network Status page for any active incidents or maintenance windows. If an incident is listed, your outage is likely related and will be resolved as part of that incident.
Step 3-Check DNS
Run a DNS check on your domain to confirm it's resolving to the correct server IP:
nslookup yourdomain.com
Compare the returned IP with your UnderHost server IP (shown in cPanel → Server Information or your welcome email). If they don't match, your DNS is pointing to the wrong server. See How to configure DNS.
Also use the DNS Check tool to verify records from multiple locations simultaneously.
Step 4-Identify the HTTP error
If the server responds but shows an error page, the error code tells you what's wrong:
| Error | Cause | Where to look |
|---|---|---|
| 400 Bad Request | Malformed request, often a browser or cache issue | Clear browser cache, try incognito |
| 403 Forbidden | Wrong file permissions, IP blocked, or .htaccess issue | Check file permissions (should be 644/755), review .htaccess |
| 404 Not Found | Page doesn't exist or was deleted | Check file names and paths in File Manager |
| 500 Internal Server Error | PHP error, .htaccess syntax error, corrupted script | Check cPanel → Error Logs |
| 502 Bad Gateway | Upstream server (e.g. Node.js, proxy) not responding | Check the backend process, review error logs |
| 503 Service Unavailable | Server overloaded, maintenance mode, or resource limit hit | Check cPanel resource usage, contact support |
| 521/522 | Cloudflare can't reach your origin server | Check that the server is up, verify Cloudflare IP allowlist |
In cPanel, go to Metrics → Errors to see your site's recent PHP and server errors. These usually pinpoint the exact file and line causing a 500 error.
Step 5-Account suspension
If your site shows a suspension notice, the most common causes are:
- Unpaid invoice-Log in to CustomerPanel and pay any outstanding invoices. The account is typically reactivated automatically within minutes.
- Resource limit exceeded-Your account used more CPU, memory, or disk space than the plan allows. Contact support to review.
- Abuse / policy violation-A complaint or violation of the Acceptable Use Policy may trigger suspension. Open a ticket in the Abuse/Legal department to resolve it.
When to open a support ticket
Open a ticket if:
- The server doesn't respond to ping and there's no incident listed on the status page.
- The error is on the server side and you can't access cPanel to investigate.
- DNS and SSL are correct but the site still won't load.
- The outage has lasted more than 30 minutes with no visible cause.
When opening a ticket, include your domain name, the error message or HTTP code you see, the results of a traceroute, and when the issue started. More detail = faster resolution.
Related: Configure DNS | Fix SSL | cPanel login | Secure website
Still troubleshooting?
Use UnderHost tools for quick checks, or open a support ticket when the issue needs account or server access.
