What Does "This Site Can't Be Reached" Mean?
"This Site Can't Be Reached" is an error message commonly encountered when trying to access a website. It indicates that the browser was unable to establish a connection to the requested site. This error can occur due to various reasons, such as network issues, domain name misconfiguration, server problems, or conflicts with plugins or themes.
When you see the "This Site Can't Be Reached" error, it implies that the website you are trying to visit is currently unreachable from your device. It could be a temporary issue, such as a network outage or a problem with the website's hosting server. It could also indicate a more persistent problem, such as incorrect domain settings or conflicts within the website's configuration.
Why "This Site Can't Be Reached" Error Can Happen
1. Network or DNS Issues:
Problems with your internet connection or DNS settings can prevent your browser from reaching the WordPress site. It could be an issue with your local network, ISP, or DNS server configurations.
2. Incorrect Domain Settings:
If the domain name is not properly configured or the DNS records are not set up correctly, it can result in an error. Ensure that the domain is pointing to the correct DNS servers and that the DNS records, such as the A record and CNAME, are accurately set up.
3. Server-related Problems:
Issues with the web server hosting your WordPress site can lead to the "This Site Can't Be Reached" error. It could be due to server downtime, misconfigurations, or resource limitations.
4. Plugin or Theme Conflicts:
Conflicts between plugins or themes installed on your WordPress site can cause the error. Incompatible or poorly coded plugins or themes can interfere with the proper functioning of your site.
5. SSL Certificate Issues:
Problems with the SSL certificate can prevent secure connections to your WordPress site, triggering the error. This could be due to an expired certificate, incorrect installation, or mismatched configurations.
Now, let's dive into five potential solutions that can help you fix this error:
5 Ways to Fix the "This Site Can't Be Reached" Error
1. Check Your Internet Connection
Before you jump into the more technical aspects of troubleshooting, it's always worth checking if the problem lies with your internet connection. Try accessing different websites. If other websites also fail to load, the issue might be with your connection.
Resetting your router or contacting your internet service provider (ISP) might resolve this issue.
2. Clear Browser Cache and DNS Cache
Your Browser Cache stores temporary data from websites you visit. Sometimes, this cache can become outdated or corrupt, leading to errors like "This Site Can't Be Reached". Clearing your browser cache is simple and varies by browser but generally involves going to your browser's Settings, and finding the option to Clear Browsing Data or Cache.
The DNS Cache stores the IP addresses of websites you have recently accessed, making future access to those sites faster. But, like the browser cache, it can sometimes cause problems. Clearing the DNS cache might solve the issue.
Here is how you can do it:
On Windows:
Open Command Prompt as an administrator.
Enter the command:
ipconfig /flushdns
Press Enter.
On Mac:
Open Terminal.
Enter the command:
sudo killall -HUP mDNSResponder
Press Enter.
Remember to Restart your computer after flushing the DNS Cache.
3. Update DNS Servers
The Domain Name System (DNS) is what turns user-friendly URLs into IP addresses that computers understand. If the DNS servers you're using are experiencing problems, you might encounter the "This Site Can't Be Reached" error. You can switch to a different DNS server, like Google Public DNS, to fix this issue.
How to change DNS servers:
On Windows:
Go to Control Panel > Network and Internet > Network and Sharing Center > Change adapter settings.
Right-click on your active network, select Properties, then click on Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4).
Choose Use the following DNS server addresses, then enter 8.8.8.8 and 8.8.4.4 (Google Public DNS addresses).
On Mac:
Open System Preferences > Network.
Select your active network, click on Advanced, then go to the DNS tab.
Click on +, then add 8.8.8.8 and 8.8.4.4.
4. Disable Misbehaving Plugins and Themes
Sometimes, a poorly coded or incompatible plugin or theme can cause the "This Site Can't Be Reached" error. You can troubleshoot this by deactivating All plugins, checking if the problem is resolved, and then reactivating them one by one to identify the culprit.
If you can't access your WordPress admin dashboard, you can disable plugins via FTP (File Transfer Protocol). Simply connect to your site using an FTP client, navigate to wp-content, rename the plugins directory to something else (like plugins_backup), and see if that fixes the issue.
You can use the same process for themes. In the wp-content directory, find the themes folder and rename it. WordPress will then default to using a core WordPress theme.
Read: Debugging WordPress Site Issues with WordPress Plugin Management
5. Check Your .htaccess File
The .htaccess file is used to configure your server. A small mistake in this file can make your website unreachable. You can check if this file is causing the error by renaming it via FTP and seeing if that resolves the issue.
Connect to your site via FTP, locate the .htaccess file (usually in the root directory), and rename it (e.g., to .htaccess_backup).
If this fixes the problem, you'll want to generate a new .htaccess file.
Read: Solve the "The Link You Followed Has Expired" WordPress Error with Ease
Conclusion
The "This Site Can't Be Reached" error in WordPress can be a nuisance, but it's typically not too difficult to resolve. By following these steps and understanding what might be causing the issue, you should be able to troubleshoot and fix the problem efficiently. Remember that regular website maintenance, including updates and backups, can prevent many issues from occurring in the first place.