Checking the server's listening ports using netstat or ss is the correct next step because it will help to confirm if the web service is correctly bound to the appropriate port and is listening for incoming connections. If the service is not listening on the expected port, it could be due to misconfiguration, which needs to be investigated further. The other options, checking the /etc/hosts file or restarting the server, may not immediately contribute to solving the issue, where the primary concern is the service's ability to accept connections. Looking into /etc/passwd would be irrelevant as it is used for user account information and not service networking issues.