Frequently asked questions
Everything about how UpOrNot checks websites and what the results mean.
How does a website status checker work?
A website status checker tries to connect to a website's server and reads its response. A successful response, such as HTTP 200, usually means the website is available. A 404 response means the server is online but the requested page does not exist. A 500-level response means the server encountered an error. UpOrNot presents these results clearly so users can understand whether the issue is global or local to their own connection. Read the full guide.
Why does your tool say a website is “online” when I cannot open it?
Our tool checks the website's availability from our own infrastructure. If the website is online but unavailable to you, the issue may be related to your local cache, internet provider, network settings, or a geographic restriction. Testing from another network or, where lawful and appropriate, with a VPN can help determine whether location is a factor. Learn more.
Is the tool really free?
Yes. Website status checks are free and available without an account. We may receive a commission if you choose to use certain VPN links recommended in relevant guides, at no additional cost to you. See our affiliate disclosure.
Does checking a website slow it down or harm its SEO?
No. Our checks are lightweight and comparable to a normal automated web request. They are designed to avoid a meaningful impact on the website being checked.
How can I contact support?
Use our dedicated contact form. We aim to respond within 24 to 48 hours.
What does “protected” mean?
Some websites use services that block automated visitors, for example with a CAPTCHA or a “checking your browser” page. When we see this, we report the site as reachable but protected instead of down, because a real visitor can usually open it. We never try to bypass these protections.
Why do you check from two locations?
A single failed request isn't proof of an outage: one network path can have a problem while the site works everywhere else. We only report a website as unavailable when two independent probes, running in different places, both fail to connect.
What is shown in “Recently checked websites”?
Only the domain name, for example example.com. We never publish paths, query strings or credentials. Domain owners can ask us to hide their domain through the contact form.
Can I check a site on my local network or an intranet?
No. For security, we only check public websites on standard ports (80 and 443). Private, local and internal addresses are refused.
Typical reply time: 24–48 h