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What do I do when I get a "Cannot Connect to Server" Error Message?

A "cannot connect to server" error message can be caused by a wide variety of issues. Problems can occur anywhere along the communication path; the home computer, router, cable modem, ISP service, telecommunication networks, the datacenter network, network hardware, or firewalls, as well as the website servers.

The most common outages are related to your network. Extended HomeTeamsONLINE server outages are rare, most outages are caused by network issues. We have several redundant failovers which allow us to keep the website up, as well as post notifications regarding the status of the outage. (Check for alerts on the top of the Admin Home page).
 

How do I identify What is Causing the Connection Error?

Since most outages are due to a local issue along the communication path, you can follow these steps to identify the point of failure:

1. First try reloading the page, or restarting you browser (to avoid "cached" pages). Many outages are very brief and my only last several seconds. Try visiting a common website like "google.com" to see if the outage is happening for any connection to the Internet, in which case you should contact you Internet Service Provider (ISP).

Additional checks:
Try other browsers, like Firefox, Safari, Chrome or Internet Explorer. Test on as many as possible.
Power Cycle (Unplug/re-plug or turn off/on all devices in order)
Reboot your computer

2. If you still cannot connect, a good idea is to run the trace route utility (in Windows) by first opening a console by clicking:

start > run > then type: cmd

Alternate method:
start > All Programs > Accessories > Command Prompt

Next:
Type: tracert hometeamsonline.com
Then, press Enter.

When you start seeing stars, press Ctrl+C

Tracert will display the milliseconds used for each "hop" along the network path (and it shows a * symbol if it times out).

You can click the icon at the upper left of the command window to select, copy and paste this information to send it in an email. (Support@HomeTeamsONLINE.com)

It is helpful to have this information to see at what point along the path the issue occurs. However, if you see the timeout happening right away, it is likely an issue with your ISP or your local setup, and you should call your ISP.