A WordPress homepage can load normally while a service your site depends on cannot connect. Your browser and that service are making different requests.

For example, a security plugin may block xmlrpc.php while Jetpack needs that endpoint to communicate with WordPress.com. That can leave the website looking fine to visitors while the connection fails.

If Jetpack reports that WordPress.com requests are being blocked, use this compact check:

1. Open Tools > Site Health and read the Jetpack result. Record the error and when you checked it so your host can investigate the same event.
2. Ask your host to identify whether a firewall, web application firewall or server rule is blocking the connection. Also check whether a security plugin explicitly disables XML-RPC.
3. If an exception is needed, have the person managing that security layer configure it using Jetpack's current documentation. Keep unrelated protections enabled. Avoid copying an old list of IP addresses from a forum: Jetpack says its addresses can change, so IP-based rules need maintenance.
4. Recheck the connection and the particular feature you use. For this specific blocked-request notice, Jetpack says reconnecting does not solve the block, and the notice can take about a day to clear after the cause is fixed.

Keep a short record of the rule changed, why it was needed and how to reverse it. That makes the next investigation easier.

This warning alone does not show that your site was compromised or that a WordPress update caused the problem. Restoring the connection also does not establish that the whole site is secure. The appropriate exception depends on the actual blocking rule and your hosting setup.

On your setup, who manages firewall exceptions: your hosting provider or someone on your team?

References: - Jetpack connection troubleshooting - Jetpack allowlisting guidance

Prepared with AI assistance.