Checking Website 'Uptime'

John_M_Business

Hi

Does anyone know of a cheap / free tool that can run on a regular basis and check to see whether a website is experiencing uptime / downtime?

i.e. you set it off to run every hour to check a URL / Domain. If it experiences problems then it sets off an alert...

Thanks

John B

JWatson_2

I use the service from https://www.internetseer.com .

I've had no problems with it over several years use, and it's free !

salthegal

any others out there which are recommended?

John_M_Business

Internet Seer is 'Sort Of' free... but you need to participate in their 'panel' to get the free ride - given that you're on a freebie: is this much hassle??

Thanks

John

salthegal

wonder if theres any software which you can install on your pc and use your own connection to do this? been looking but havent found any yet...

John_M_Business

I'm just testing this out. It doesn't do email alerts, or check sites when your computer is switched off, but as a rudimentary device it seems to offer the kind of thing I'm looking for:
http://www.snapfiles.com/download/dlSiteUp.html

Darksun

Netcraft can be useful

John_M_Business

Darksun wrote:

Netcraft can be useful

At £600 a year, it'd better be. There are loads of cheaper 'corporate' solutions out there - but if you're running a small site for a client who won't pay a bean towards monitoring (but will get the hump if the site experiences downtime) then something like Netcraft is not on the radar.

sf

this is the freeware I use for that kind of task...

http://www.karenware.com/powertools/ptnetmon.asp

Monitor your Internet connection! This Power Tool perodically tests the web servers and e-mail servers of your choice, and attempts to download a specific page. It can also test connections to any computer on the local network, or on the Internet! It reports any errors that occur, so you can take corrective action.

or if you'd prefer an web-based monitoring service, this one looks pretty good for a freebie...

http://www.siteuptime.com/

irnbru_2

John_M_Business wrote:

but if you're running a small site for a client who won't pay a bean towards monitoring

Are you hosting it? If so it's your responsability to ensure your servers are working.

If the client is paying directly for the hosting, it's the client's responsability.

John_M_Business

irnbru wrote:

Are you hosting it? If so it's your responsability to ensure your servers are working.

If the client is paying directly for the hosting, it's the client's responsability.

No, I am not hosting it, I am not an ISP/Hosting Firm. I develop websites and perform online marketing for a number of clients.

It's all very well blaming the web hosting firm, but the client will say: "How did YOU let this happen? You recommended them!" and if you're seen to just be blaming others it doesn't look that good - buck passing and all that! Therefore far better for any problems to be spotted first - but not to charge a client a completely ridiculous sum a year to do so (i.e. £600).