Wrong site or an SSL warning
These problems nearly always come down to where the domain points, or to a certificate that has not been issued yet.
Your domain shows the old site, or does not load
Section titled “Your domain shows the old site, or does not load”1. Check the nameservers
Section titled “1. Check the nameservers”Look up which nameservers the world currently sees for your domain:
dig +short NS example.comReplace example.com with your domain. On Windows, use nslookup -type=NS example.com, or any online DNS lookup tool.
- The answer shows the two Sheernox nameservers: carry on to step 2.
- The answer shows other nameservers: the domain still points to your old host or registrar. Change the nameservers at the company where the domain is registered. See Point your domain to Sheernox.
If Sheernox is migrating your site for you, do not change the nameservers until the team tells you to.
2. Give the change time
Section titled “2. Give the change time”After a nameserver change, most networks see it within a few hours, but some take up to 24 to 48 hours. Until then, some visitors, and sometimes you, still reach the old host. See How long it takes.
To rule out your own computer, try the site on your phone over mobile data instead of Wi-Fi, or in a private browser window.
3. Check the website has the domain
Section titled “3. Check the website has the domain”The name visitors type must be on the website in the control panel. Open the website’s Domains page and check that the domain is listed, as the primary domain or an alias. See Connect a domain to a website.
4. DNS kept somewhere else
Section titled “4. DNS kept somewhere else”If you chose to keep your DNS with another provider rather than switching nameservers, the records there must point to Sheernox. Ask support for the records your website and email need, and add them exactly as given. See Keep DNS somewhere else instead.
5. Has the domain expired?
Section titled “5. Has the domain expired?”When a domain expires, the website and email on it stop working. Check for an unpaid renewal invoice. See Keep your domain renewed.
SSL warning
Section titled “SSL warning”Browsers say “not secure”, or show a full-page certificate warning, when the site has no valid certificate for the name in the address bar.
| Cause | Fix |
|---|---|
| The domain does not point to Sheernox yet | Work through the steps above first. A certificate can only be issued once the domain points to Sheernox. |
| No certificate has been requested for this name | On the website’s Security page, request a free Let’s Encrypt certificate. See Request a free certificate. |
| The name visitors use is not on the website | Add it on the website’s Domains page, then request a certificate for it. |
| The padlock is missing but there is no warning page | The page loads some images or scripts over http://. Change those links to https://. In WordPress, check WordPress Address and Site Address under Settings > General. |
| Your mail app warns about the certificate | The mail server name is wrong. Use mail. followed by your domain, or the name shown in your control panel. See Set up email in Thunderbird and Outlook. |
Turn on Force HTTPS only once the certificate is in place, or every visitor sees a warning. See Force HTTPS.
Still stuck?
Section titled “Still stuck?”Open a ticket with the domain name, what you see (a screenshot of the warning helps), and the result of the nameserver lookup above.