Locked Out by Wordfence? (503 Error Fix – AWS Lightsail)
If you see: “Your access to this site has been temporarily limited… (HTTP 503)”
Learning category
Explore practical AWS Lightsail tutorials, guides, and implementation-focused lessons.
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If you see: “Your access to this site has been temporarily limited… (HTTP 503)”
Sign into your Lightsail server using [SSH](https://manzari.com/how-to-ssh-into-an-amazon-lightsail-server/) or the browser terminal.
This issue commonly occurs on AWS Bitnami WordPress installs when the site is initially accessed via the server IP address instead of the domain. Even after updating the site URL, images may continue loading from the IP.
On AWS Bitnami WordPress installs, WordPress is often configured to dynamically determine its site URL based on how the site is accessed (domain or server IP). While this can be convenient during setup, it can cause serious issues later — especially with page builders like Elementor — where images and assets suddenly start loading from the server IP instead of the domain.
Some services on AWS Lightsail (like phpMyAdmin) are only accessible from localhost for security reasons. To access them safely, you can create an SSH tunnel.
AWS Lightsail doesn’t expose phpMyAdmin publicly — instead, you access it securely using an SSH tunnel. This keeps your database private and protected.
In the Connect section, look for the option to Download default SSH key (PEM file) and save it to your computer.
If your WordPress site on AWS Lightsail (Bitnami) starts loading images or assets from an IP address instead of your domain, the issue is almost always incorrect WordPress URL settings.
To connect to your Amazon Lightsail instance via SSH, you’ll need your PEM key and the server’s public IP address. If you don't have a PEM key yet, read my tutorial on [How to Download Your PEM File in AWS Lightsail](https://manzari.com/uncategorized/how-to-download-your-pem-file-in-aws-lightsail/).
If you’ve rebuilt a server and suddenly SSH refuses to connect with a “Remote Host Identification Has Changed” warning, don’t panic. This is a very common and expected situation when working with VPS servers, cloud instances, or rebuilt environments.
Exporting a WordPress site with All-in-One WP Migration is usually easy. The frustration typically starts during the import process, where you’re suddenly met with an error saying your file exceeds your server’s upload limits — followed by a prompt to buy an “unlimited” extension.
In this tutorial, I’ll show you a straightforward, step-by-step way to install WordPress on AWS using Lightsail — including setting up a static IP, pointing your custom domain, and securing your site with a free Let’s Encrypt SSL certificate.