How to check if a website is down
Work out whether a site is truly down or only unreachable from your network, using DNS and port checks. Step-by-step.
When a site will not load, the question is whether it is actually down or just unreachable from your network. A couple of external checks answer it quickly. Here is how.
Check DNS first
Look up the domain’s A record. If DNS returns no address, the problem is DNS (expired domain, deleted record) rather than the server. If it returns an IP, DNS is fine and the issue is connectivity or the server itself.
Then check the port
Test whether port 443 (HTTPS) or 80 (HTTP) is open on that IP from an external server. If the port is open externally but the site fails for you, the problem is your network or ISP. If it is closed/timing out externally too, the server or its firewall is the issue — it really is down for everyone.
Step by step
Look up the domain’s A record to confirm DNS resolves to an IP.
Run an external port check on 443 (or 80) for that IP.
Open externally but failing for you → your network/ISP is the problem.
Closed/timeout externally → the server or firewall is down for everyone.
Try it now — free, no signup
Use the DNS & port checker in your browser. Then, when you need it at scale with an API key and higher limits, grab the full Eveses API.