When your site does not load, the error message (or lack of one) tells you where to look. Work through this checklist from top to bottom; each step rules out a whole group of causes in a minute or two.
Before you start
- Write down the exact error or what you see: a browser error, a blank page, a hosting placeholder or a WordPress message.
- Note when it started and what changed recently: updates, DNS, plugin installs, payments.
Is it down for everyone?
- Try another device on mobile data, not your Wi-Fi.
- Use an online "is it down" checker.
- If only you cannot reach it, your IP may be blocked by the server firewall after failed logins. Check your IP with the IP checker and contact support with it.
Match the symptom
| What you see | Where to look |
|---|---|
| "This site can't be reached" / DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_NXDOMAIN | Domain expired or DNS wrong |
| Certificate warning | SSL expired or not covering the name |
| "Account suspended" page | Hosting account status or unpaid invoice |
| 503 or 508 Resource Limit Reached | CloudLinux limits during traffic peaks |
| 500 Internal Server Error | .htaccess, PHP errors, permissions |
| White page or "critical error" | Plugin or theme PHP fatal error |
| "Error establishing a database connection" | Database credentials or database server |
| Cloudflare 52x error | Connection between Cloudflare and the server |
Check the domain and DNS
- Look up the domain with the WHOIS checker: is it expired, and which nameservers does it use?
- Renew it immediately if it expired; check MdmHost dashboard → Services or your registrar.
- Confirm the A record points to your server IP (shown in cPanel's General Information).
Check the hosting account
Log in to the MdmHost dashboard and check for unpaid invoices or service notices. If cPanel opens normally, the account is active.
Check resource usage
Open cPanel → Metrics → Resource Usage. Faults at the time of the outage mean the account reached its limits; a traffic spike, a bot attack or an inefficient plugin can cause this. Enable LiteSpeed Cache, block abusive bots and review heavy plugins.
Check errors
error_login the site folder and cPanel → Metrics → Errors show PHP and server errors with the responsible file.- Rename
wp-content/pluginsto rule out plugins, or the active theme folder to rule out the theme. - Rename
.htaccessto rule out rewrite rules.
Check the database
Open cPanel → Databases → phpMyAdmin. If the database opens and has tables, compare credentials with wp-config.php. If phpMyAdmin itself cannot connect for any database, contact support.
Restore if needed
If you cannot find the cause and the site must be online now, restore files and database from a JetBackup restore point taken before the problem, then investigate on a staging copy.
Ask for help
Open a ticket at Support → New ticket with the URL, the exact error, the time it started and what you checked. That lets our 24/7 team go straight to the right logs.