The DNS Previewer blog
Field notes on DNS migrations, WordPress hosting, and the parts of running websites that break at 3am, written from the trenches by people who've been on those calls.
- Troubleshooting
This site can't be reached: what Chrome is actually telling you
The heading is the same for half a dozen different faults. The line underneath it, and the code at the bottom, are what tell you which one you have.
Romail Shah··10 min read - Troubleshooting
ERR_CONNECTION_REFUSED: what it means and how to fix it
ERR_CONNECTION_REFUSED means nothing was listening on that port. Why it is not a timeout, and the five server-side causes to check.
Romail Shah··11 min read - Troubleshooting
ERR_SSL_VERSION_OR_CIPHER_MISMATCH: what it means and how to fix it
Your browser and the server share no TLS version or cipher they both accept. What a visitor can do, and the five server-side causes.
Romail Shah··8 min read - Troubleshooting
ERR_SSL_PROTOCOL_ERROR: what it means and how to fix it
ERR_SSL_PROTOCOL_ERROR means the HTTPS handshake failed and no page was sent. What a visitor can try, and the five causes to check.
Romail Shah··9 min read - Troubleshooting
502 Bad Gateway: what it means and how to fix it
A 502 Bad Gateway means one server got an unusable answer from another. What to do as a visitor, and the four causes if the site is yours.
Romail Shah··9 min read - WordPress
Error establishing a database connection: how to fix it
Nearly always wrong details in wp-config.php, or a database server that will not answer. How to tell which one it is, and how to fix it.
Romail Shah··10 min read - DNS
How to flush DNS on Windows, Mac and Linux
Flush DNS with ipconfig /flushdns on Windows, one Terminal command on Mac, or resolvectl on Linux. Plus browsers, phones, and when it helps.
Romail Shah··7 min read - Windows
Windows hosts file: where it is and how to edit it
The Windows hosts file lives at C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc\hosts. Where to find it, how to edit it, and why Windows keeps blocking the save.
Romail Shah··9 min read - Migration
How to preview a site on a new server without editing the hosts file
The hosts file works on one machine, needs admin rights, and ignores wildcards. Where it breaks, and how to test a new server without it.
Romail Shah··8 min read - DNS
DNS propagation: how long it really takes
DNS propagation is really just caches expiring on their own clocks. What controls the delay, how long it really takes, and how to check it.
Romail Shah··12 min read - Migration
The WordPress migration checklist I run before flipping DNS
An 18 step pre-flight checklist for WordPress migrations: the vhost, SSL, email and serialised data failures that only surface after DNS moves.
Romail Shah··15 min read
The free DNS preview tool behind this blog
Preview your site on a new server before flipping DNS. Password protection, no-expiry links, wildcard subdomains. Every feature unlocked, free forever.