Troubleshooting Site Downtime

Website downtime can be stressful, but most issues can be quickly diagnosed and resolved. This guide walks you through systematic troubleshooting steps to get your site back online as quickly as possible.

Initial Quick Checks

Is It Really Down?

Before diving into complex troubleshooting, verify that your site is actually down:

1. Try Different Devices: Check your site from your phone, tablet, or different computer
2. Use Different Networks: Try mobile data instead of WiFi, or vice versa
3. Check Multiple Browsers: Test in Chrome, Firefox, Safari, or Edge
4. Ask Others: Have friends or colleagues check if they can access your site
5. Use Online Tools: Use services like downforeveryoneorjustme.com or isitdownrightnow.com

Clear Your Local Cache

Sometimes what appears to be downtime is actually cached content:

1. Hard Refresh: Press Ctrl+Shift+R (Windows/Linux) or Cmd+Shift+R (Mac)
2. Clear Browser Cache: Go to browser settings and clear cache and cookies
3. Incognito/Private Mode: Try accessing your site in a private browsing window
4. Different Browser: Test with a browser you don't normally use

Quick Tip: If your site loads for others but not for you, it's almost always a local caching issue. Clear your browser cache and try again.

Checking Server and Service Status

UncleBTech System Status

1. Visit Our Status Page: Go to https://unclebtech.com/system-status
2. Check Your Service Type: Look for issues with WordPress, Cloud, or LaunchStack hosting
3. Review Recent Updates: Check for any recent maintenance or known issues
4. Subscribe to Updates: Sign up for status notifications if there's an ongoing issue

Your Hosting Control Panel

1. Log Into Client Portal: Access https://my.uncleb.tech
2. Check Service Status: Look for any suspension or maintenance notices
3. Review Resource Usage: Check if you've exceeded bandwidth or storage limits
4. Access Control Panel: Open Enhance CP or Coolify to check service health

DNS and Domain Status

1. Check Domain Expiry: Verify your domain hasn't expired
2. DNS Propagation: Use tools like whatsmydns.net to check DNS propagation
3. Nameserver Verification: Ensure your domain is pointing to UncleBTech nameservers
4. Domain Registrar: Check with your domain registrar for any domain-level issues

Common Downtime Causes and Solutions

Resource Limit Exceeded

Symptoms:

• Site loads very slowly or times out
• Error messages about resource limits
• Some pages work while others don't

Solutions:

1. Check Resource Usage: Review CPU, RAM, and bandwidth usage in your control panel
2. Identify Traffic Spikes: Look for unusual traffic patterns or viral content
3. Optimize Performance: Enable caching, optimize images, remove unnecessary plugins
4. Upgrade Plan: Consider upgrading to a higher-tier plan if consistently hitting limits
5. Contact Support: We can help optimize your current plan or recommend upgrades

Plugin or Theme Issues

Symptoms:

• Site was working, then suddenly stopped after updates
• WordPress admin area accessible but frontend broken
• Specific error messages mentioning plugins or themes

Solutions:

1. Access WordPress Admin: Try logging into /wp-admin to see if backend works
2. Deactivate Recent Plugins: Disable any recently installed or updated plugins
3. Switch to Default Theme: Temporarily switch to a default WordPress theme
4. Check Error Logs: Review error logs in your control panel for specific issues
5. Restore from Backup: Use a recent backup if the issue started after recent changes

SSL Certificate Issues

Symptoms:

• Browser security warnings
• "Not secure" messages
• Mixed content warnings

Solutions:

1. Check SSL Status: Verify SSL certificate is active in your control panel
2. Force HTTPS: Ensure WordPress is configured to use HTTPS
3. Update URLs: Check that all internal links use HTTPS
4. Clear CDN Cache: If using a CDN, clear its cache
5. Contact Support: SSL issues are usually resolved quickly by our team

Database Connection Errors

Symptoms:

• "Error establishing a database connection"
• White screen of death
• Site completely inaccessible

Solutions:

1. Check Database Status: Verify database service is running in control panel
2. Review Database Credentials: Ensure wp-config.php has correct database details
3. Database Repair: Try WordPress database repair tool at /wp-admin/maint/repair.php
4. Restore from Backup: Database corruption may require backup restoration
5. Contact Support Immediately: Database issues require prompt professional attention

Advanced Troubleshooting

Server-Level Issues

Checking Server Health:

1. Server Response Codes: Use tools like httpstatus.io to check HTTP response codes
2. Ping Tests: Use command line or online tools to ping your server
3. Traceroute: Identify where connection issues might be occurring
4. Server Logs: Review access and error logs in your control panel

Common Server Issues:

• 500 Internal Server Error: Usually plugin/theme conflicts or file permission issues
• 502/503 Errors: Server overload or maintenance issues
• 404 Errors: Missing files or incorrect URL configurations
• Timeout Errors: Server taking too long to respond

Network and Connectivity Issues

ISP and Network Problems:

• Local Network Issues: Problems with your internet connection
• ISP Routing: Your internet provider having routing issues to our servers
• Geographic Blocks: Rare cases of geographic access restrictions
• CDN Issues: Content delivery network problems affecting your region

Testing Network Connectivity:

1. Try Different Networks: Test from different internet connections
2. Use VPN: Try accessing through a VPN to test from different locations
3. Mobile Data: Test using mobile data instead of WiFi
4. Ask Others: Have people in different locations test your site

Cache-Related Issues

Types of Caching That Can Cause Issues:

• Browser Cache: Your browser storing old versions of pages
• WordPress Cache: Plugin cache serving outdated content
• Server Cache: Server-level caching serving stale content
• CDN Cache: Content delivery network cache issues

Clearing Different Cache Types:

1. Browser Cache: Hard refresh or clear browser cache
2. WordPress Cache: Clear cache through caching plugin settings
3. Server Cache: Contact support to clear server-level cache
4. CDN Cache: Purge CDN cache through your CDN provider

When to Contact Support

Immediate Support Needed

Contact support immediately if:

• Complete Site Outage: Site completely inaccessible for more than 15 minutes
• Database Errors: Database connection or corruption errors
• Security Warnings: Browser security warnings or malware alerts
• Server Errors: 500, 502, or 503 errors that persist
• Email Down: Email services completely non-functional

Standard Support Timeline

Contact support within normal timeframes for:

• Performance Issues: Site loading slowly but still accessible
• Intermittent Issues: Problems that come and go
• Configuration Questions: Help with settings or optimization
• Preventive Measures: Guidance on preventing future issues

Information to Provide Support

Essential Information:

• Domain Name: The specific domain experiencing issues
• Error Messages: Exact error messages you're seeing
• Timeline: When the issue started and any recent changes
• Troubleshooting Done: Steps you've already taken to resolve the issue
• Impact: How the downtime is affecting your business

Additional Helpful Information:

• Screenshots: Screenshots of error messages or issues
• Browser Details: Which browsers are affected
• Geographic Info: Whether the issue affects all locations
• Recent Changes: Any recent updates, plugin installations, or configuration changes

Support Response Promise: We prioritize downtime issues regardless of your support plan. Critical outages receive immediate attention, with initial response within 30 minutes.

Monitoring and Prevention

Setting Up Uptime Monitoring

Free Monitoring Tools:

• UptimeRobot: Free monitoring with email alerts
• Pingdom: Basic free monitoring with detailed reports
• StatusCake: Free uptime monitoring with multiple check locations
• Google Search Console: Monitors crawl errors and accessibility issues

Monitoring Best Practices:

1. Multiple Check Locations: Monitor from different geographic locations
2. Appropriate Check Intervals: Every 5-10 minutes for business sites
3. Alert Thresholds: Set alerts for 2-3 consecutive failed checks
4. Contact Information: Ensure monitoring alerts go to the right people

Preventive Measures

Regular Maintenance:

1. Keep Software Updated: WordPress core, plugins, and themes
2. Monitor Resource Usage: Track bandwidth, storage, and performance metrics
3. Regular Backups: Ensure backups are working and test restores periodically
4. Security Scans: Regular malware and vulnerability scans

Performance Optimization:

1. Caching Setup: Implement appropriate caching strategies
2. Image Optimization: Compress and optimize images for web
3. Database Optimization: Regular database cleanup and optimization
4. CDN Implementation: Use content delivery networks for global performance

Creating a Downtime Response Plan

Preparation Steps:

1. Document Contacts: Keep support contact information easily accessible
2. Backup Communication: Have alternative ways to communicate with customers
3. Status Page: Consider setting up a status page for customer communication
4. Response Team: Designate who handles downtime issues in your organization

During Downtime:

1. Assess Impact: Determine scope and severity of the outage
2. Communicate: Inform customers about the issue and expected resolution time
3. Document: Keep records of the issue and resolution steps
4. Follow Up: Ensure the issue is fully resolved and won't recur

Post-Downtime Actions

Immediate Post-Resolution

1. Verify Full Functionality: Test all critical site functions
2. Monitor Closely: Watch for any recurring issues for 24-48 hours
3. Check Analytics: Review traffic and performance data
4. Customer Communication: Inform customers that issues are resolved

Learning and Improvement

1. Root Cause Analysis: Understand what caused the downtime
2. Prevention Planning: Implement measures to prevent similar issues
3. Monitoring Enhancement: Improve monitoring based on lessons learned
4. Documentation Update: Update procedures based on the experience

Business Impact Assessment

1. Traffic Impact: Analyze lost traffic and visitor impact
2. Revenue Impact: Calculate any lost sales or conversions
3. SEO Impact: Monitor for any search ranking effects
4. Customer Impact: Assess customer satisfaction and retention effects

Emergency Escalation Process

Critical Downtime (Business Impact)

Immediate Actions:

1. Email Emergency Support: emergency@unclebtech.com
2. Mark Ticket as URGENT: Use "URGENT" in email subject lines
3. Provide Business Impact: Explain the business impact of the downtime
4. Request Escalation: Ask for immediate escalation to senior technical staff

After-Hours Support

Emergency Contact Methods:

• Emergency Email: emergency@unclebtech.com (monitored 24/7)
• Portal Alerts: Mark support tickets as "CRITICAL" for fastest response
• Social Media: Twitter @UncleBTech for urgent public issues

What Constitutes an Emergency:

• Complete site outage affecting business operations
• Security breaches or malware infections
• Data loss or corruption issues
• Payment processing failures affecting revenue
• Email outages affecting business communications

Emergency Response: Critical downtime issues receive immediate attention with initial response within 15 minutes, regardless of your support plan level.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long should I wait before contacting support?

For complete outages, contact us immediately. For performance issues, try basic troubleshooting for 15-30 minutes first.

Will I get compensation for downtime?

Yes, if downtime exceeds our 99.9% uptime SLA, you'll automatically receive service credits.

Can downtime affect my SEO rankings?

Brief downtime (under 6 hours) rarely affects SEO. Extended outages can impact rankings, which is why we prioritize quick resolution.

How can I prevent future downtime?

Regular updates, monitoring, performance optimization, and choosing the right hosting plan for your traffic levels.

What if the issue keeps happening?

Recurring issues indicate underlying problems. Contact support for a comprehensive review and permanent solution.

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Experiencing downtime right now? Contact our emergency support immediately at emergency@unclebtech.com or call +44 (0) 20 7123 4567. Mark all communications as "URGENT" for fastest response.