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November 25, 2013
About 503 Service Unavailable error
The 503 Service Unavailable error is a server-side error, meaning the problem is usually with the web site's server. It's possible that your computer is having some kind of problem that's causing the 503 error but it's not likely.
Regardless, there are a few things you can try:
1.Retry the URL from the address bar again by clicking the reload/refresh button or pressing F5.
Even though the 503 Service Unavailable error means that there's an error on another computer, the issue is probably only temporary. Sometimes just trying the page again will work.
Imporant: If the 503 Service Unavailable error message appears while paying for an online purchase, be aware that multiple attempts to checkout may end up creating multiple orders - and multiple charges! Most payment systems, and some credit card companies, have protections from this kind of thing but it's still something to be aware of.
2.Come back later. The 503 Service Unavailable error is a common error message on very popular websites when a huge increase in traffic by visitors (that's you!) is overwhelming the servers.
As more and more visitors leave the website, the chances of a successful page load for you increases.
3.Restart your router and then your computer, especially if you're seeing the "Service Unavailable - DNS Failure" error.
While the 503 error is still most likely the fault of the web site you're visiting, it's possible that there's an issue with your computer's or router's DNS server configurations and a simple restart of both might fix the problem.
Tip: If resetting your equipment didn't correct the 503 DNS Failure error, there may be temporary issues with the DNS servers themselves. In this case, pick new DNS servers from my Free & Public DNS Servers List and change them on your computer or router.
4.Contact the webmaster. There's a very good chance that the website administrators are already working on fixing the 503 error but you can always try to contact the website directly if think that might not be the case.
The best way to find a website's contact information is usually through a WHOIS search, using the domain name (e.g. facebook.com) as your search term. If that doesn't get you an email address, the webmaster of most websites can be reached at webmaster@website.com, replacing website.com with the actual website name.
Regardless, there are a few things you can try:
1.Retry the URL from the address bar again by clicking the reload/refresh button or pressing F5.
Even though the 503 Service Unavailable error means that there's an error on another computer, the issue is probably only temporary. Sometimes just trying the page again will work.
Imporant: If the 503 Service Unavailable error message appears while paying for an online purchase, be aware that multiple attempts to checkout may end up creating multiple orders - and multiple charges! Most payment systems, and some credit card companies, have protections from this kind of thing but it's still something to be aware of.
2.Come back later. The 503 Service Unavailable error is a common error message on very popular websites when a huge increase in traffic by visitors (that's you!) is overwhelming the servers.
As more and more visitors leave the website, the chances of a successful page load for you increases.
3.Restart your router and then your computer, especially if you're seeing the "Service Unavailable - DNS Failure" error.
While the 503 error is still most likely the fault of the web site you're visiting, it's possible that there's an issue with your computer's or router's DNS server configurations and a simple restart of both might fix the problem.
Tip: If resetting your equipment didn't correct the 503 DNS Failure error, there may be temporary issues with the DNS servers themselves. In this case, pick new DNS servers from my Free & Public DNS Servers List and change them on your computer or router.
4.Contact the webmaster. There's a very good chance that the website administrators are already working on fixing the 503 error but you can always try to contact the website directly if think that might not be the case.
The best way to find a website's contact information is usually through a WHOIS search, using the domain name (e.g. facebook.com) as your search term. If that doesn't get you an email address, the webmaster of most websites can be reached at webmaster@website.com, replacing website.com with the actual website name.