Site not found

Overview

This article explains the reasons you may see the Site Not Found error message when visiting your website and steps to resolve it.

DNS causes

Common DNS causes

The following are DNS-related issues that could cause this error.

Loading the IP address in a browser

Attempting to view your site by entering the IP address in your browser automatically displays the Site Not Found error. This is because you're viewing the shared IP of your web server, not the IP of your site.

If you absolutely need to view your site through an IP address, the only option is to purchase a Unique IP.

Changing hosting status in the panel

There are several hosting options you can configure your site to use in your panel. For example:

When the hosting status is adjusted, the new DNS information has to update on servers around the world. This is referred to as DNS propagation. The error appears during this time period because the DNS information you are receiving on your local computer is outdated. Depending on your location, it can take up to several hours for DNS changes to propagate.

Pointing DNS to the wrong IP address

This can happen if your domain is registered at another company and its DNS is not correctly pointing to your DreamHost records. See this article to confirm what DreamHost DNS records you need to point your site to.

View the DreamHost DNS overview article for a full description of how DNS is configured for your domain.

Refreshing and checking your DNS

The following explains how to refresh your domain's DNS in the panel and check if it has updated online.

Refreshing DNS in the panel

Navigate to the Manage Websites page.
Open the DNS Settings page:
- If in Grid view, click the 'vertical 3 dots' button under your domain. From the popout menu, click the DNS Settings link.
- If in List view, click the 'vertical 3 dots' button to the right of your domain. From the popout menu, click the DNS Settings link.
  
  The domain's DNS records display.
Click the Refresh DNS button at the top. This forces a DNS update in DreamHost's system.

Checking your current DNS records

Online tools

You can either use DreamHost's DNS Propagation Checker in the panel or online tools to confirm where your domain's DNS records are pointing.

Command line tools

To run command-line tools, you must be logged in to a terminal via SSH.

View the Checking your domain's DNS records section of this article to confirm where your domain's DNS records are pointing using the dig command.

Other causes

HTTPS

The Site Not Found error can also appear if you view the secure URL of your site (https://example.com) but have not added an SSL certificate to your domain.

To resolve this, add either a Free Let's Encrypt certificate or a Paid Professionally-signed certificate to your domain.

Your account is suspended

If your account is suspended due to non-payment, DreamHost stops serving the DNS for all domains on the account. Until the account is paid and re-activated, the Site Not Found error will display.

To confirm if this may be the case, log in to your panel. A message displays if your account is suspended.

Contacting support

If you cannot solve this problem using the above suggestions, contact support for further assistance.