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Website Troubleshooting Guide

Comprehensive guide to diagnosing and fixing common website issues.

Overview​

This guide helps identify and resolve common website problems that affect functionality, performance, and user experience.

Website Down Issues​

Complete Site Down​

Symptoms:

  • Website not loading at all
  • "This site can't be reached" error
  • Connection timeout
  • DNS errors

Diagnosis Steps:

1. Check if it's just you:

  • Use isitdownrightnow.com
  • Try from different device/network
  • Ask colleague to check

2. Check hosting status:

  • Login to hosting control panel
  • Check server status
  • Review resource usage
  • Check for suspension notices

3. Check domain/DNS:

  • Verify domain is active
  • Check DNS settings
  • Use DNS checker tools
  • Verify nameservers

Solutions:

Issue: Server Down​

Fix:

  • Contact hosting provider
  • Check for scheduled maintenance
  • Restart server (if you have access)
  • Upgrade hosting if resources exceeded

Issue: DNS Problems​

Fix:

  • Verify DNS settings in domain registrar
  • Wait for DNS propagation (24-48 hours)
  • Flush DNS cache locally
  • Use correct nameservers

Issue: Domain Expired​

Fix:

  • Renew domain immediately
  • Contact registrar
  • Update payment information
  • Set up auto-renewal

Partial Site Down​

Symptoms:

  • Homepage loads but other pages don't
  • Some pages show 404 errors
  • Broken images/resources

Common Causes & Solutions:

1. .htaccess Issues​

Diagnosis:

  • Rename .htaccess to .htaccess.old
  • Check if site works

Fix:

  • Review .htaccess syntax
  • Remove problematic rules
  • Restore from backup
  • Regenerate permalinks (WordPress)

2. File Permissions​

Diagnosis:

  • Check file permissions
  • Should be 644 for files, 755 for directories

Fix:

# Set correct permissions
find . -type f -exec chmod 644 {} \;
find . -type d -exec chmod 755 {} \;

3. Missing Files​

Diagnosis:

  • Check server logs
  • Look for 404 errors

Fix:

  • Restore from backup
  • Re-upload missing files
  • Check file paths

Performance Issues​

Slow Website​

Symptoms:

  • Pages take >5 seconds to load
  • Slow server response
  • Images loading slowly
  • Timeouts

Diagnosis Tools:

  • Google PageSpeed Insights
  • GTmetrix
  • WebPageTest
  • Chrome DevTools

Common Issues & Solutions:

1. Large Images​

Diagnosis:

Check image sizes:
- Should be <200KB for photos
- <50KB for graphics

Fix:

  • Compress images (TinyPNG, ImageOptim)
  • Convert to WebP format
  • Implement lazy loading
  • Use responsive images
  • Use CDN

Image Optimization:

<!-- Responsive images -->
<img srcset="image-320w.jpg 320w,
             image-640w.jpg 640w,
             image-1024w.jpg 1024w"
     sizes="(max-width: 320px) 280px,
            (max-width: 640px) 600px,
            1024px"
     src="image-640w.jpg"
     alt="Description">

2. Too Many HTTP Requests​

Diagnosis:

  • Check Network tab in DevTools
  • Count total requests
  • Should be <50 requests

Fix:

  • Combine CSS files
  • Combine JavaScript files
  • Use CSS sprites
  • Remove unused plugins
  • Minimize external resources

3. No Caching​

Diagnosis:

  • Check Response Headers
  • Look for Cache-Control headers

Fix - Apache (.htaccess):

<IfModule mod_expires.c>
  ExpiresActive On
  ExpiresByType image/jpg "access plus 1 year"
  ExpiresByType image/jpeg "access plus 1 year"
  ExpiresByType image/gif "access plus 1 year"
  ExpiresByType image/png "access plus 1 year"
  ExpiresByType image/webp "access plus 1 year"
  ExpiresByType text/css "access plus 1 month"
  ExpiresByType application/javascript "access plus 1 month"
  ExpiresByType application/pdf "access plus 1 month"
  ExpiresByType text/x-javascript "access plus 1 month"
  ExpiresByType image/x-icon "access plus 1 year"
  ExpiresDefault "access plus 2 days"
</IfModule>

4. Unoptimized Code​

Diagnosis:

  • Large CSS/JS files
  • Inline styles/scripts
  • Render-blocking resources

Fix:

  • Minify CSS and JavaScript
  • Remove unused code
  • Defer JavaScript loading
  • Inline critical CSS
  • Use code splitting

Minification Example:

<!-- Before -->
<script src="jquery.js"></script>
<script src="bootstrap.js"></script>
<script src="custom.js"></script>

<!-- After -->
<script src="combined.min.js" defer></script>

5. Slow Database Queries​

Diagnosis (WordPress):

  • Install Query Monitor plugin
  • Check slow queries
  • Look for queries >1 second

Fix:

  • Optimize database tables
  • Add database indexes
  • Clean up post revisions
  • Remove spam comments
  • Use caching plugin

Database Optimization:

-- Optimize all tables
OPTIMIZE TABLE wp_posts, wp_postmeta, wp_options;

-- Delete post revisions
DELETE FROM wp_posts WHERE post_type = 'revision';

-- Delete spam comments
DELETE FROM wp_comments WHERE comment_approved = 'spam';

6. Poor Hosting​

Diagnosis:

  • Check server response time (TTFB)
  • Should be <600ms
  • Check resource limits

Fix:

  • Upgrade hosting plan
  • Switch to better host
  • Use VPS or dedicated server
  • Enable server-level caching

Functionality Issues​

Forms Not Working​

Symptoms:

  • Form submissions fail
  • No confirmation message
  • Emails not received
  • Validation errors

Common Causes & Solutions:

1. Email Configuration​

Diagnosis:

  • Check email settings
  • Test email function
  • Check spam folder

Fix (WordPress):

  • Install WP Mail SMTP plugin
  • Configure SMTP settings
  • Use transactional email service (SendGrid, Mailgun)
  • Verify SPF/DKIM records

SMTP Configuration:

SMTP Host: smtp.gmail.com
SMTP Port: 587
Encryption: TLS
Username: your-email@gmail.com
Password: app-specific password

2. JavaScript Errors​

Diagnosis:

  • Open browser console (F12)
  • Look for red errors
  • Check which script is failing

Fix:

  • Fix JavaScript errors
  • Update conflicting plugins
  • Remove problematic scripts
  • Check jQuery version conflicts

3. Server-Side Issues​

Diagnosis:

  • Check server error logs
  • Look for PHP errors
  • Check file upload limits

Fix:

  • Increase PHP memory limit
  • Increase max_upload_size
  • Fix PHP errors
  • Check file permissions

PHP Configuration (php.ini):

upload_max_filesize = 64M
post_max_size = 64M
max_execution_time = 300
memory_limit = 256M

Symptoms:

  • 404 error pages
  • "Page not found" messages
  • Broken internal links

Diagnosis:

  • Use broken link checker
  • Check Google Search Console
  • Crawl site with Screaming Frog

Fix:

  • Update broken links
  • Create 301 redirects
  • Fix typos in URLs
  • Restore deleted pages

301 Redirect (.htaccess):

Redirect 301 /old-page.html /new-page.html
Redirect 301 /old-category/ /new-category/

Login Issues​

Symptoms:

  • Can't login to admin
  • Password reset not working
  • Locked out of site

Solutions:

1. Forgot Password​

Fix (WordPress):

  • Use "Lost your password?" link
  • Check email for reset link
  • Reset via database:
UPDATE wp_users 
SET user_pass = MD5('newpassword') 
WHERE user_login = 'admin';

2. Too Many Login Attempts​

Fix:

  • Wait 30 minutes
  • Clear cookies
  • Use different browser
  • Contact hosting to whitelist IP

3. Plugin Conflict​

Fix:

  • Rename plugins folder via FTP
  • Try logging in
  • Rename back and deactivate plugins one by one

Security Issues​

Website Hacked​

Symptoms:

  • Spam content appearing
  • Redirects to other sites
  • Malware warnings
  • Defaced homepage
  • Unknown admin users

Immediate Actions:

1. Take Site Offline:

  • Put site in maintenance mode
  • Or temporarily disable

2. Change All Passwords:

  • Hosting account
  • FTP/SFTP
  • Database
  • Admin accounts
  • Email accounts

3. Scan for Malware:

  • Use security plugin (Wordfence, Sucuri)
  • Scan all files
  • Check database

4. Clean Infected Files:

  • Remove malicious code
  • Restore from clean backup
  • Update all software

5. Secure Site:

  • Update everything
  • Remove unused plugins/themes
  • Install security plugin
  • Enable firewall
  • Set up monitoring

Prevention:

Security Checklist:
□ Keep software updated
□ Use strong passwords
□ Enable 2FA
□ Regular backups
□ Security plugin installed
□ SSL certificate active
□ Limit login attempts
□ Hide admin username
□ Disable file editing
□ Regular security scans

SSL Certificate Issues​

Symptoms:

  • "Not Secure" warning
  • SSL certificate expired
  • Mixed content warnings

Solutions:

1. Expired Certificate​

Fix:

  • Renew SSL certificate
  • Install new certificate
  • Update in hosting panel

2. Mixed Content​

Diagnosis:

  • Check browser console
  • Look for HTTP resources on HTTPS page

Fix:

  • Update all URLs to HTTPS
  • Use protocol-relative URLs
  • Enable SSL plugin (WordPress)
  • Update hardcoded links in database

Find & Replace URLs:

-- WordPress database
UPDATE wp_options 
SET option_value = REPLACE(option_value, 'http://', 'https://');

UPDATE wp_posts 
SET post_content = REPLACE(post_content, 'http://', 'https://');

Mobile Issues​

Not Mobile-Friendly​

Symptoms:

  • Text too small
  • Horizontal scrolling
  • Elements overlapping
  • Buttons too small

Diagnosis:

  • Mobile-Friendly Test (Google)
  • Test on real devices
  • Use browser DevTools

Fix:

  • Implement responsive design
  • Add viewport meta tag
  • Use mobile-first CSS
  • Test on multiple devices

Viewport Meta Tag:

<meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1">

Responsive CSS:

/* Mobile first */
.container {
  width: 100%;
  padding: 15px;
}

/* Tablet */
@media (min-width: 768px) {
  .container {
    width: 750px;
    margin: 0 auto;
  }
}

/* Desktop */
@media (min-width: 1024px) {
  .container {
    width: 970px;
  }
}

Database Issues​

Database Connection Error​

Symptoms:

  • "Error establishing database connection"
  • White screen
  • Can't access site

Diagnosis:

  • Check database credentials
  • Verify database server is running
  • Check database user permissions

Fix (WordPress):

1. Check wp-config.php:

define('DB_NAME', 'database_name');
define('DB_USER', 'database_user');
define('DB_PASSWORD', 'database_password');
define('DB_HOST', 'localhost'); // or IP address

2. Verify Database Exists:

  • Login to phpMyAdmin
  • Check if database exists
  • Restore from backup if missing

3. Repair Database:

// Add to wp-config.php
define('WP_ALLOW_REPAIR', true);
// Visit: yoursite.com/wp-admin/maint/repair.php

E-commerce Issues​

Payment Gateway Not Working​

Symptoms:

  • Payment fails
  • Checkout errors
  • Orders not processing

Common Causes:

1. API Credentials Wrong​

Fix:

  • Verify API keys
  • Check test/live mode
  • Regenerate keys if needed

2. SSL Not Configured​

Fix:

  • Install SSL certificate
  • Enable HTTPS
  • Update payment gateway settings

3. Currency Mismatch​

Fix:

  • Check store currency
  • Verify gateway currency support
  • Update currency settings

Cart Issues​

Symptoms:

  • Items not adding to cart
  • Cart emptying
  • Quantity not updating

Fix:

  • Clear browser cache
  • Check JavaScript errors
  • Disable conflicting plugins
  • Update e-commerce plugin

Troubleshooting Workflow​

Step-by-Step Process​

1. Identify the Problem:

  • What exactly is not working?
  • When did it start?
  • What changed recently?

2. Gather Information:

  • Check error messages
  • Review server logs
  • Check browser console
  • Note recent changes

3. Research:

  • Search error messages
  • Check documentation
  • Look for similar issues
  • Ask in forums

4. Test Solution:

  • Try on staging site first
  • Backup before changes
  • Implement fix
  • Test thoroughly

5. Document:

  • What was the problem?
  • What fixed it?
  • How to prevent it?

Prevention Tips​

Regular Maintenance​

Daily:

  • Monitor uptime
  • Check error logs
  • Review security alerts

Weekly:

  • Backup website
  • Update plugins/themes
  • Check broken links
  • Review analytics

Monthly:

  • Full security scan
  • Performance audit
  • Database optimization
  • Review backups

Quarterly:

  • Comprehensive audit
  • Update PHP version
  • Review hosting plan
  • Test disaster recovery

When to Get Help​

Contact Support If:

  • Server-level issues
  • Database corruption
  • Security breach
  • Can't access site at all
  • Lost all backups
  • Complex technical issues

Escalation:

  1. Hosting support
  2. Developer/agency
  3. Security specialist
  4. Database expert

Last Updated: January 2026
Version: 1.0
Owner: ARUKZ DIGITAL Support Team

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