Diagnosing and Resolving Intermittent Website Connectivity Issues

Diagnosing and Resolving Intermittent Website Connectivity Issues

Description:
This guide will help you understand, test, and troubleshoot intermittent website connection issues on your shared hosting account. We’ll cover basic network diagnostic tools and practical steps you can take, all without requiring server admin access.

What Are Intermittent Connectivity Issues?

Intermittent connectivity means your website sometimes loads successfully, but at other times it may be slow, unresponsive, or display errors such as:

• "This site can’t be reached"
• "Connection timed out"
• "500 Internal Server Error"

These issues may be caused by local network problems, DNS configuration errors, resource limits, or external factors.

Step 1: Isolate the Problem

Before troubleshooting, determine if the issue is widespread or isolated:

• Try accessing your website from another device or network.
• Test from a mobile device with Wi-Fi off (using mobile data).
• Ask a friend in a different location to check your site.

If the problem only occurs on your network or device, it’s likely a local issue. If it’s widespread, continue troubleshooting.

Step 2: Check for Server Announcements

• Log in to your HostPresto Client Area.
• Check for any network or server status notifications.
  • Maintenance or outages may be announced here.

Step 3: Use Basic Network Diagnostic Tools

1. Ping Test

A ping checks if your site is reachable from your device.

Windows:

ping yourdomain.com

Mac/Linux:

ping -c 4 yourdomain.com

• Consistent replies: Your site is reachable.
• Request timed out or high packet loss: Indicates a network issue.

2. Traceroute

Traceroute shows the path data takes to your website and can help identify where delays occur.

Windows:

tracert yourdomain.com

Mac/Linux:

traceroute yourdomain.com

• Look for delays or failures before reaching your server.

3. Browser Developer Tools

• Press F12 (or right-click > Inspect) and go to the Network tab.
• Reload your site and watch for failed requests or long loading times.

Step 4: Clear Local Issues

• Clear your browser cache and cookies.
• Restart your router or switch to a different network.
• Flush your DNS cache:

Windows:

ipconfig /flushdns

Mac:

sudo killall -HUP mDNSResponder

Linux:

sudo systemd-resolve --flush-caches

Step 5: Check DNS Settings

• Use MXToolbox DNS Lookup or Google Dig to check your domain’s DNS records.
• Ensure your domain’s A record points to the correct HostPresto server IP.

If you recently updated DNS, changes may take up to 24 hours to propagate.

Step 6: Check for Resource Limits

Shared hosting accounts have CPU, memory, and process limits. If you exceed these, your site may become intermittently unavailable.

• Log in to cPanel.
• Look for 'Resource Usage' or 'CPU and Concurrent Connection Usage' (under Metrics section).
• If you see warnings or recent limit hits, consider:
  • Optimizing your site: Reduce plugins, use caching, optimize images.
  • Upgrading your hosting plan if your site has outgrown current resources.

Step 7: Review Site and Application Errors

• Check your website’s error logs:
  • In cPanel > Metrics > Errors or File Manager > public_html > error_log
• Look for repeated errors such as:
  • Memory exhausted
  • Database connection failed
  • Permission denied

Step 8: Scan for Malware

Malware can cause intermittent outages or redirects.

• Remove suspicious plugins or themes if using CMS platforms like WordPress.

Step 9: Disable Problematic Plugins or Themes

If you use WordPress or another CMS:

• Temporarily disable all plugins.
• Switch to the default theme.
• Enable plugins one by one to identify any causing issues.

Additional Troubleshooting Tips

• Check .htaccess file for syntax errors (in File Manager).
• Ensure your IP is not blocked (read “I’ve Been Blocked From The Server”).
• Try accessing your site via HTTPS and HTTP.
• Test your site using online tools: GTmetrix, Pingdom, Down For Everyone Or Just Me.

When to Contact Support

If you’ve tried these steps and issues persist:

• Gather information: Include test results, error messages, affected domains, and times when issues occur.
• Submit a support ticket via your HostPresto Client Area for further assistance.

Need More Help?
Check our Knowledgebase for more articles or raise a support ticket with full details for our team to investigate further.