Troubleshooting
When something is not working: checks and fixes.
68 guides · page 3 of 4
Fix SSH "connection refused", "timed out" and "permission denied"
Work out what each SSH error means, test the port from your computer, and use the control panel's browser console to fix the firewall, the SSH service or key permissions.
Fix SSH "Too many authentication failures" when connecting
Learn why SSH offers too many keys and gets rejected, and fix it with IdentitiesOnly, ssh-agent and a small SSH config entry.
Fix the WordPress white screen of death
Fix a blank white WordPress page step by step: find the error in the logs, disable plugins and the theme from File Manager, raise memory and restore if needed.
Fix the wrong keyboard layout in Remote Desktop
Stop Remote Desktop switching to a US or wrong keyboard layout. Add your layout on the server, remove extras, set a default input method and tame Alt+Shift.
Fix WordPress permalinks and 404 errors on posts
Fix WordPress posts and pages that return 404 while the home page works: re-save permalinks, restore the .htaccess rules and check rewrite conflicts in cPanel.
Fix WordPress stuck in maintenance mode
Remove the "Briefly unavailable for scheduled maintenance" message after a failed update by deleting the .maintenance file, then finish the update safely.
Free up disk space on a Linux VPS
Find what is using space, then safely clear package caches, systemd journal logs, old Docker data and large log files without breaking running services.
FTP connection failed? Fix FileZilla and FTP login errors
Fix FTP errors such as "530 Login authentication failed", connection timeouts and "Failed to retrieve directory listing" when connecting to cPanel hosting.
High CPU or RAM usage on a Linux VPS: find the cause and fix it
Track down what is eating CPU or memory on your Linux VPS with top, ps and logs, then fix runaway PHP, MySQL, bots, Docker containers or a lack of swap.
How to fix 403 Forbidden errors in Apache
Fix Apache 403 Forbidden errors by checking Require rules, file permissions, a missing index file,.htaccess deny rules and SELinux labels, one cause at a time.
How to fix 500 Internal Server Error on Apache
Track down an Apache 500 Internal Server Error by reading error.log, then fix bad.htaccess directives, missing modules, PHP fatal errors and permission problems.
How to make.htaccess rewrites work in OpenLiteSpeed
Fix.htaccess rewrites in OpenLiteSpeed - turn on rewrite and Auto Load from.htaccess, understand why edits need a restart and which directives are supported, and fix 404 errors on WordPress permalinks.
How to read server logs to troubleshoot your website
Where to find web, PHP, mail, database and system logs on cPanel hosting and a Linux VPS, and how to search them quickly to find the cause of an error.
How to test whether RDP port 3389 is reachable
Check in under a minute whether your server answers on RDP port 3389, from Windows, Mac or Linux, and learn what each result means and what to do next.
How to write a support ticket that gets solved fast
Write support tickets that get solved on the first reply by including the service, IP address, exact error text, steps already tried and screenshots, without ever pasting passwords.
Is your ISP or router blocking port 3389? How to tell
Work out whether your internet provider, home router, parental controls or a proxy is blocking RDP port 3389, and collect the details support needs to help.
Locked out by your firewall? How to get back into your VPS
If a firewall rule blocked SSH, you can still reach your server through the browser console in your VPS provider's control panel. Disable the firewall, fix the rule and turn it back on safely.
Port open in the firewall but still unreachable: how to fix it
You allowed a port in the firewall but connections still fail. Work through each layer, from the listening address to the server and client networks, to find the real block.
Read the error log and raw access logs in cPanel
Find the cause of website errors with cPanel's Errors tool, PHP error_log files and Raw Access logs, and learn how to read common log lines.
Restore Remote Desktop to port 3389 after changing it
Changed the RDP port and now you cannot connect? Use the browser console to set Remote Desktop back to port 3389, re-add the firewall rule and get back in.
Other topics
- Getting startedYour first hour with a new server: access, logins and basics.69 guides
- cPanelFiles, databases, email, domains and every cPanel tool, step by step.37 guides
- WHM & resellingWHM, packages, reseller accounts, WHMReseller and running a hosting brand.49 guides
- WordPressInstall, secure, speed up, migrate and fix WordPress sites.40 guides
- Email & webmailMailboxes, webmail, forwarders, spam filters and email delivery.37 guides
- DomainsRegistering, transferring and managing domains and nameservers.20 guides
- SSL certificatesFree AutoSSL, Let's Encrypt, paid certificates and HTTPS.19 guides
- CloudLinuxCloudLinux setup and use: LVE limits, CloudLinux Manager, CageFS and PHP/Node.js selectors.31 guides
- LiteSpeedLiteSpeed Web Server, LSCache and the LiteSpeed Cache plugin: install, settings and tuning.30 guides
- Imunify360Malware scanning, firewall and proactive defence with Imunify360.23 guides
- SoftaculousInstall, update, clone and back up apps with Softaculous.23 guides
- WP SquaredcPanel's WordPress platform: sites, plugins, staging and backups.9 guides
- SitePadBuild and publish websites with the SitePad builder.9 guides
- SitejetDesign, edit and publish sites with the Sitejet builder.9 guides
- WHMResellerAlpha and master resellers with WHMReseller: install, setup and use.12 guides
- VirtFusionInstall, set up and manage VirtFusion: hypervisors, packages, servers and WHMCS integration.7 guides
- VirtualizorManage your VPS with Virtualizor: power, OS reinstall, VNC, IPs and backups.30 guides
- PleskWebsites, email, databases and settings in the Plesk panel.52 guides
- DirectAdminUsers, domains, email and reseller tools in DirectAdmin.40 guides
- WHMCSBilling, automation, products and client management with WHMCS.51 guides
- Control panelscPanel & WHM, Plesk, DirectAdmin and other panels on your VPS.106 guides
- SecurityKeys, passwords, firewalls and keeping a server patched.115 guides
- Networking & DNSIP addresses, reverse DNS, ports and traffic.34 guides
- Websites & appsWeb servers, WordPress, PHP, Node.js, SSL and app hosting.52 guides
- DatabasesMySQL, MariaDB, PostgreSQL, Redis and MongoDB on a VPS.64 guides
- Billing & accountInvoices, renewals, the client area and your account.9 guides
- TroubleshootingWhen something is not working: checks and fixes.68 guides
- Linux VPSSSH, packages, services and everyday Linux administration.70 guides
- Windows VPS & RDPRemote Desktop, Windows Server settings and Admin RDP tips.58 guides
- Docker & DevOpsContainers, Git deploys, automation, monitoring and backups.58 guides
Still stuck?
Ask MdmHost AI for a quick answer, or open a ticket and our team will take a look. We are here 24/7.