Fix “This Site Can’t Be Reached” Error (5+ Reliable Solutions That Actually Work)

Are you seeing the “This site can’t be reached” error on your site?

This error is frustrating and can have multiple underlying causes, which makes troubleshooting harder. In this guide, we break those causes down and show you how to fix them.

By the end of this guide, you’ll know how to flush DNS cache, troubleshoot local issues, and diagnose common server-side problems.

Let’s get started!

What Does “This Site Can’t Be Reached” Error Mean?

When you see the “This site can’t be reached” error, your browser is telling you that the website you tried to load has failed. In simple terms, the browser cannot establish a connection with the server.

This happens when the connection between your computer (the client) and the website’s server is severed or was never established in the first place. 

For everyday users, this is a momentary annoyance. However, if you are a website owner or developer, then you cannot ignore this error. If you see this on your site, it means that either your web server (Apache/NGINX) or your DNS records are misconfigured.

This is where a server management platform helps. While manual configuration is possible, tools like RunCloud automatically monitor key services and connections. RunCloud ensures that services like NGINX or PHP are actually running, so your visitors never see a dead screen.

Suggested read: How to Flush DNS Cache on Windows, Mac, and Linux

Why You’re Seeing the “This Site Can’t Be Reached” Error

The internet is a complex network of connections, which is why this error can originate from your local computer, your internet service provider, or the website’s server. To fix it, you first need to understand which part of the chain is broken.

Here are the most common reasons this error occurs:

1. Domain Name System (DNS) Failures

This is the most common cause of failure, and it triggers the DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_NXDOMAIN error code. This can happen if the domain has expired, or if you recently migrated your site and the DNS propagation hasn’t finished yet. It can also occur if the A Record or CNAME in your DNS settings points to the wrong IP address.

2. Connection Timeouts and Refusals

Sometimes the website address is found, but the web server is unavailable. You will likely see ERR_CONNECTION_TIMED_OUT or ERR_CONNECTION_REFUSED. This can happen due to several reasons:

• Server Downtime: The physical server hosting the website may be offline or undergoing a reboot.
• Server Misconfiguration: If the web server (like NGINX or Apache) crashes due to a syntax error, it cannot accept new visitors.
• Firewall Blocking: Your Firewall software might be identifying the site as a threat and blocking access. If you are using RunCloud, you can easily edit your Firewall rules from your RunCloud dashboard. If you want to learn more, read our guide on using ModSecurity as a web application firewall.
• Overload: If a server lacks resources (RAM/CPU), it may stop responding. 

3. Local Cache Issues

Your computer saves time by storing old data. This is referred to as a DNS cache or Browser cache. If a website moves to a new server but your computer remembers the old IP address, the connection will fail.

You can easily fix this by flushing your DNS cache. Read our dedicated blog post titled “How to Fix DNS Server Not Responding (Windows & Mac)” to learn more about it.

4. SSL and Security Protocol Errors

If you encounter the ERR_SSL_PROTOCOL_ERROR or ERR_CONNECTION_RESET, you can be certain that the issue is related to security. If the website’s security certificate is out of date, modern browsers will terminate the connection to protect your data.

5. Network Restrictions (VPN/Proxy)

When you use a proxy or VPN, your internet traffic is routed through a middleman. If that middleman disconnects or malfunctions, you will lose access to the web. 

Suggested read: How to Fix DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_NXDOMAIN Error

How to Fix The “This Site Can’t Be Reached” Error 

Now that we have discussed the common culprits, let’s explore the solutions to get your connection back on track. We’ll start with the quickest fixes and then move on to more technical server-side diagnostics.

Step 1: Identify the Exact Error Code

Before you can fix the problem, you need to know exactly what conversation your browser failed to have. The “This site can’t be reached” message is a generic wrapper, but looking at the small gray text code below it reveals the specific root cause.

Suggested read: How to Fix the HTTP Error 503 Service Unavailable in 2025 [SOLVED]

Step 2: Check Domain Status and DNS Configuration

If you are seeing the DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_NXDOMAIN error, the issue is almost certainly in the DNS records. This occurs when the DNS resolution chain is interrupted.

If you are the site owner, then you must verify your A Record (which points your domain to an IP address) and your CNAME records. You can use command-line tools like nslookup or dig to see where your domain is pointing. Read our blog post to learn how to search DNS records.

If you recently moved your website to a new host, you may be waiting for DNS propagation to complete. This is the time it takes for servers worldwide to update their records based on your Time To Live (TTL) settings. Read our guide on How To Speed Up DNS Propagation to learn more about this.

Step 3: Flush DNS Cache and Browser Resolver Data

Sometimes the internet is working fine, but your computer is “remembering” broken information. Your operating system stores a DNS cache to load websites faster. If a website moves to a new server IP but your computer tries to connect to the old one, the site will be unreachable.

To fix this, you need to force your computer to look up the address from scratch. Read our guide on How to Flush DNS Cache on Windows, Mac, and Linux to learn how to fix this. 

Step 4: Change DNS Resolvers to Rule Out ISP Issues

If flushing DNS didn’t work, your Internet Service Provider (ISP) might be the problem. ISPs often have slow or outdated DNS servers. If their directory is down, you won’t be able to reach websites even if your internet connection is technically active.

You can bypass your ISP by changing your network adapter settings to use public, high-speed DNS servers:

• Google DNS: Set your Primary DNS to 8.8.8.8 and your secondary DNS to 8.8.4.4.
• Cloudflare DNS: Set your Primary DNS to 1.1.1.1.

If the site loads after switching to Google DNS, the fault lies with your ISP’s configuration.

Suggested read: How to Check Linux CPU Usage or Utilization (5 Ways)

Step 5: Check Server Availability & Web Server Health

When the “This site can’t be reached” error isn’t caused by your internet connection or a DNS glitch, the problem usually lies within the server itself. Traditionally, diagnosing a crashed web server requires logging in via SSH and running complex command-line queries.

RunCloud completely changes this dynamic by offering a visual interface to diagnose, fix, and even automatically prevent these crashes. RunCloud includes a powerful Auto-Healing feature that minimizes downtime without requiring manual intervention. If a service crashes or becomes unresponsive, RunCloud detects the failure immediately and automatically attempts to restart it to restore connectivity.

If you are not using a managed platform like RunCloud, fixing an ERR_CONNECTION_REFUSED requires connecting to your server via SSH (Secure Shell) and manually running command-line utilities to check the server status. For example, to restart the NGINX or Apache services, you would need to execute commands like:

sudo systemctl restart nginx
sudo systemctl restart apache2

This manual process requires technical knowledge of Linux command-line tools and can be time-consuming, especially during unexpected downtime.

Step 6: Check Web & Server Logs

Identifying the cause of a site crash helps prevent repeat outages. Usually, this requires digging through confusing text files on the server’s log directory (/var/log/). However, if you are using RunCloud, then you can access the NGINX and Apache logs directly from the web interface.

Step 7: Check SSL, HTTPS Configuration, and Firewall Rules

Finally, aggressive security settings can block connections, leading to ERR_CONNECTION_RESET or ERR_SSL_PROTOCOL_ERROR.

If you are running local security software (such as a third-party antivirus suite, a software firewall, or a VPN client), try temporarily disabling it. These tools can sometimes aggressively intercept or block legitimate web traffic, resulting in a “Connection Refused” or “Site Can’t Be Reached” error, even when the server is healthy. If the site loads after disabling the software, you’ll need to adjust that program’s settings to allow traffic to the website.

Final Thoughts

Throughout this guide, we’ve explained different ways to decode and fix errors on your site. Whether the culprit was a simple internet hiccup, an aggressive firewall, or a complex DNS propagation delay, you now know how to trace the connection and find exactly what needs fixing.

However, if you are a website owner or developer, you know that fixing the error is only half the battle. Preventing it is where the real value lies. Why waste hours debugging command-line errors when you could automate the health of your infrastructure?

This is why many developers choose RunCloud.

RunCloud eliminates the guesswork by providing a visual dashboard for all your server needs. RunCloud covers the essentials:

• Automatic SSL: Never see an expired certificate error again.
• One-Click Service Restarts: Fix crashed web servers instantly without touching a terminal.
• Painless DNS & Domain Management: Map domains correctly every time, reducing NXDOMAIN errors.

Sign up for RunCloud and discover how painless server management can be.

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