Your website is not accessible: what now?

It's frustrating when your website doesn't work

You type in your website address. And instead of your website you see an error message. Or the page just doesn't load. That's frustrating and maybe a bit nerve-wracking.

Don't panic. Often the problem is easy to solve. And otherwise your hosting provider will help you.

This guide takes you through step by step. First you check what you can control yourself. Then you know when to call support. And you learn what information you need to have at hand.

Step 1: Check if it's your internet

Before you search further: first check if your internet connection works.

What you can do:

• Open another website like google.com
• Do those websites work? Then it's not your internet
• No website works? Then your internet connection is the problem

Solution for internet problems:

• Restart your router (off for 5 minutes, then on again)
• Call your internet provider if the problem persists

Do other websites work? Then continue to step 2.

Step 2: Check your website address

Sometimes the problem is very simple. You made a typo in the website address.

Check this:

• Did you type .com, .nl or .be correctly?
• Is there a space in the address? That shouldn't be there
• Did you put www in front? Try it without www too

Address definitely correct? Then continue to step 3.

Step 3: Try a different browser

Sometimes your website doesn't work in one browser, but does in another. This doesn't happen often, but it's easy to test.

What you can do:

• Do you normally use Chrome? Then try Firefox or Edge
• Or use the browser on your phone

Does your website work in a different browser? Then it's your original browser. Clear the cache (temporary files) or update your browser.

Doesn't work in any browser? Continue to step 4.

Step 4: Ask someone else to look

Maybe your website works, but just not for you. This can happen if the problem is with your computer or network.

What you can do:

• Ask a friend or family member to open your website
• Or use your mobile phone with mobile internet (not wifi)

If the website works for others: The problem is with you. Restart your computer. Or call someone who can help with your computer.

If the website doesn't work for anyone: Then there's a problem at the hosting provider. Continue to step 5.

Step 5: Check if your hosting has expired

Did you pay your hosting bill? Sometimes you forget a payment. Or your automatic payment no longer works. Then the hosting provider turns off your website.

How to check this:

• Log in to your hosting provider's customer panel
• Look at "My invoices" or "Payments"
• Is there an unpaid invoice?

Solution:

• Pay the outstanding invoice
• Your website usually comes back online within a few hours
• Don't know how? Call customer service

Step 6: Check your provider's status page

Some hosting providers have a status page. There you can see if there are outages.

How to find this:

• Search on Google for: "[hosting provider name] status"
• Or look on their website under "Outages" or "System Status"

What you see:

• Green boxes mean: everything works normally
• Red or orange boxes: there's an outage

Is there an outage? Then you're not the only one. The provider is working on a solution. Usually it also says when it will be resolved.

Step 7: Check your mailbox

Sometimes your hosting provider sends an email when something is wrong. For example during maintenance. Or if your invoice isn't paid.

Look for emails from:

• Your hosting provider
• The email address you normally receive invoices from
• Also check your spam folder

Is there an email about maintenance? Then you know your website will come back by itself.

Now calling support: what you need to know

Have you gone through all the steps and your website still doesn't work? Then it's time to call. But keep this information at hand. Then support can help you faster.

Information you need:

1. Your domain name (for example: www.yourwebsite.com)
2. Your customer number (on your invoices)
3. What error message you see (write it down or take a photo)
4. Since when the problem exists
5. What you've already tried yourself

What error message do you see?

Different error messages mean different things. The most common:

"404 - Page not found" The page doesn't exist (anymore). Or you have a typo in the address. Check the address again.

"500 - Internal Server Error" Something is wrong with your website or hosting. The hosting provider needs to fix this. Call them.

"503 - Service Unavailable" The server is temporarily overloaded or there's maintenance. Wait 10 minutes and try again. Problem persists? Then call.

Connection timeout or "This site can't be reached" The server doesn't respond. This can be due to an outage. Or your domain name has expired. Call support.

When to call and when to email?

Call immediately if:

• Your website is important and needs to be back online quickly
• You offer a paid service through your website
• The problem has lasted more than 4 hours
• You have payment problems that need to be resolved

Emailing is fine if:

• It's not urgent
• You have a question about the problem
• You're outside office hours and it's not urgent

When in doubt: calling is always fastest. A good hosting provider doesn't mind you calling.

Prevent problems in the future

A few tips to prevent problems:

Get good hosting Choose a reliable hosting provider with good uptime.

Pay on time Set up automatic payment. Or set a reminder in your calendar when your invoice arrives.

Save contact details Write down your hosting provider's phone number and email address. Put it with your other important numbers.

Check your website regularly Look a few times a week if your website still works. Then you notice problems quickly.

Summary: what to do when your website doesn't work

1. Check your own internet
2. Check your website address for typos
3. Try a different browser
4. Ask someone else to look
5. Check if your hosting is paid
6. Check your provider's status page
7. Check your email for messages
8. Call support with all information at hand

With these steps you usually find the problem quickly. And otherwise you know exactly what to do to get help.

Stay calm. Every problem can be solved!

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does it take to implement this?

Implementation time varies per situation. Simple configurations can be done within an hour, more complex setups may take several hours to a day.

What are the costs?

Costs depend on your hosting provider and package. Many basic features are included for free, advanced features may incur additional costs.

Do I need technical knowledge?

You need little technical knowledge for the basics. Most hosting providers offer extensive documentation and support to help you.