Guides

Website will not load, how to find the cause

The site does not load at all. Run these five checks in order and you will usually find the cause in a few minutes.

White screen in WordPress, causes and the fix

A blank white page means PHP crashed halfway through. Here is how to make the error visible and fix the most common causes.

500 Internal Server Error, what it means and how to fix it

A 500 error says the server crashed but not why. Here is how to find the real cause in the error log and fix the most common cases.

404 errors on a site, when they matter and how to fix them

Not every 404 is a fault. Here is how to tell a harmless missing page from a real problem, and how to fix the latter.

A hacked website, first steps and clean-up

Unfamiliar pages, redirects or a Google warning. Here is what to do in the right order without destroying the evidence.

Why a WordPress site is slow and what you can do about it

Slowness almost always comes down to the same four things. Here is how to measure the real cause and fix it in the right order.

Browser says the site is not secure, how to fix the SSL error

The warning can come from an expired certificate, the wrong address or mixed content. The error message tells you which one it is.

403 Forbidden, what causes it and how to fix it

The server understood the request but refuses to show the page. The cause is nearly always file permissions, a directory rule or a security rule.

What the gateway errors 502, 503 and 504 mean

The site does not respond but the error is not a plain 500. The number tells you where in the chain the fault is and what to check first.

Error establishing a database connection, how to find the cause

One line of text has replaced your site. The content is not gone, WordPress simply cannot reach the database right now.

WordPress stuck in maintenance mode, how to release the site

The site says Briefly unavailable for scheduled maintenance and the notice will not go away. The cause is one file left behind by an interrupted update.

ERR_TOO_MANY_REDIRECTS, the site redirects itself in circles

The browser reports too many redirects. Two rules point at each other, and the loop only breaks when one of them is removed.

There has been a critical error on this website, how to find the cause

WordPress reports a critical error and promises to send an email. That message usually names the plugin that brought the site down.

Cannot log in to the WordPress admin, how to find the cause

The public site works but wp-admin will not open, bounces back to the login form or shows a blank page. Work through these six causes in order.

The WordPress password reset email never arrives, how to get in anyway

You asked for a new password and nothing came. The cause is almost always that the site cannot send email, and the password can be changed without it.

A plugin broke the site, how to disable it without the admin

You activated a plugin and the site went down in the same second. When the admin is out of reach, the plugin can be switched off over a file connection in minutes.

A WordPress update failed or got stuck, how to finish it

The update stopped, keeps spinning or says another update is already in progress. All three share the same root, and the fix has to be done in the right order.

Allowed memory size exhausted, how to fix running out of memory

The site fails on memory or execution time. Raising the limit helps for a while, but the real fix is finding out what eats the memory.

The site looks broken, the styles do not load

The content is there but the design is gone and the page is plain text stacked up. The stylesheet is not loading, and there are four likely reasons.

Images do not show on the site, how to find where they went

A broken icon or an empty box has replaced your images. The files are usually still there, but the address or the permissions are wrong.

Changes do not show on the site, how to clear the right cache

You edited a page and saved it, but visitors still see the old version. Caching happens in three layers and clearing the wrong one does nothing.

The padlock is missing although SSL is valid, mixed content explained

The certificate is fine but the browser shows no padlock. The page loads encrypted while part of it loads unencrypted, and the browser says so.

Image upload fails in WordPress, causes and the fix

The media library reports an HTTP error or says the file is too large. Three limits and one permission problem explain nearly every case.

The site redirects to an unknown address, what to do

Visitors end up on a strange site even though the address is right. This is a break-in, and the redirect is hidden so that you do not see it but your visitors do.

Google warns about your site in search results, how to get the warning removed

The search result says the site may be hacked or dangerous. The warning only clears once the cause is fixed and a review has been requested.

The contact form does not work, messages never arrive

The form looks like it sends but nothing turns up. This is the most expensive silent fault there is, because enquiries disappear unnoticed.

WordPress does not send email, the cause and a lasting fix

Password resets, form messages and order confirmations disappear. The cause is almost always that messages are sent in a way recipients no longer trust.

The online store checkout does not work, how to narrow it down fast

The order stalls, a payment method is missing or the confirmation never comes. Checkout is a chain of four parts, and the fault is always in one of them.

The domain expired and the site vanished, what to do

The site and the email stopped working at the same moment. The domain renewal was missed, and there is limited but usually sufficient time to act.

Publishing a website to web hosting

A step-by-step guide to publishing a website on Nordweb's web hosting.

The Enhance control panel - How to use it

An introduction to the basic functions and navigation of the Enhance control panel.

Using the Enhance control panel

The basics of the Enhance control panel: WordPress installation, file management, email and DNS settings.

Setting up an SSL certificate

Here is how you activate a free Let's Encrypt SSL certificate for your website.

Installing WordPress on web hosting

Install WordPress on Nordweb's web hosting in just a few minutes.

Backing up and restoring a website

A guide to backing up and restoring your website and database.

FTP/SFTP connection to web hosting

Here is how you establish an FTP or SFTP connection to your website's files.

Changing the PHP version

Here is how to change your website's PHP version in the Enhance control panel.

Database management (MySQL/MariaDB)

A guide to creating and managing databases and using phpMyAdmin.

Managing a VPS server

Learn to manage your VPS server: starting, stopping, monitoring resources and troubleshooting.

Your VPS address and DNS records

Every VPS gets its own address under nordvps.fi. Here is how to find it, create your own names under it and enable HTTPS.

Managing DNS settings

A guide to managing A, CNAME, MX, TXT and other DNS records in the Enhance panel.

Registering a domain with Nordweb

Here is how to register a new domain name through Nordweb quickly and easily.

Transferring a domain to Nordweb

Here is how to transfer a domain name from another provider to Nordweb.

Changing name servers

A guide to changing the name servers to point to Nordweb's servers.

Redirect a domain to another web address

Domain Alias and Domain Redirect, two ways to direct traffic to another address.

What is a domain and why is it important for a business?

Basic information about domain names and why every business should have its own domain.

Adding a subdomain

Here is how you add a subdomain (e.g. blog.company.fi) in the Enhance control panel.

Scandinavian characters in domain names

What you need to keep in mind when a domain name contains the letters ä, ö or å.

DNS records A, CNAME, MX and TXT explained

DNS records route your domain traffic to the right place. We explain the most common record types and what each is used for.

How do I access my email?

A guide to logging in to your email through Nordweb webmail.

Connecting an email account to an email program

IMAP/SMTP settings for Outlook, Thunderbird, iPhone and Android.

Changing the email server in your email program

Here is how to set mail.nordweb.fi as your incoming and outgoing mail server in Outlook, Thunderbird and on your phone.

Business email - Why it matters and how to choose the right solution

Why your own email address matters for a business and how to choose a suitable solution.

Setting up SPF, DKIM and DMARC records

Protect your email from spoofing and improve deliverability with SPF, DKIM and DMARC records.

Getting started with webmail

A guide to getting started with Nordweb's webmail service and its basic features.

Changing your email password

How to change your email account password safely in webmail or the control panel. Includes tips for a strong password.

Setting up an email autoresponder

An autoresponder replies to incoming messages automatically while you are away. Here is how to enable it and write a good automatic reply.

Control panel user guide

Learn to use Nordweb's control panel: manage websites, email, domains and your VPS from one place.

Getting started with Nordweb's services

The first steps as a Nordweb customer - from order to going live.

Billing and payment methods

Information about billing periods, payment methods and managing invoices.

Upgrading your hosting package

Here is how to change your hosting package to a larger or smaller one.

Changing your account details

Here is how to update your contact details, password and other account settings.

Easy instructions for migrating services

A comprehensive guide to migrating your domain, website and email to Nordweb.