Is your server offline, or do you suspect it might be?
The first step toward resolving the issue is checking whether the server is responding to requests, or if it has really “gone offline.”
A very simple test is to employ ping (ICMP) packets to test the server’s status. Follow the steps below to verify whether your server is online:
- On Windows, open Command Prompt. (Mac OS X and Linux users can open Terminal.)
- Type the following command, including your server’s IP address: ping -t 0.0.0.0
If the server is online and responsive, you will see results returned quickly, with specific readings for each successful “ping.” If the server is offline, you will see slow responses like “Request timed out” or “Could not reach destination host.”
[From the RedArray Knowledgebase: https://www.redarray.net/portal/knowledgebase/16/How-To-Check-if-a-Server-is-OnlineorOffline-Ping.html]