diff --git a/.github/workflows/Build-and-deploy-win.yml b/.github/workflows/Build-and-deploy-win.yml
index 39795ae6b..ddbfe3f3d 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/Build-and-deploy-win.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/Build-and-deploy-win.yml
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ on:
       - main
       - staging
       - pre-staging
+      - detect-firewall
 
 jobs:
   deploy-on-windows:
diff --git a/src/main/index.js b/src/main/index.js
index 48897a6cc..95a8d42c3 100644
--- a/src/main/index.js
+++ b/src/main/index.js
@@ -43,6 +43,11 @@ log.initialize({ preload: true });
 log.transports.console.level = false;
 log.transports.file.level = "debug";
 let user_restart_confirmed = false;
+global.serverLive = true;
+
+ipcMain.handle("get-server-live-status", () => {
+  return global.serverLive;
+});
 
 let nodeStorage = new JSONStorage(app.getPath("userData"));
 
@@ -331,12 +336,27 @@ const createPyProc = async () => {
         pyflaskProcess.stderr.on("data", (data) => {
           const logOutput = `[pyflaskProcess stderr] ${data.toString()}`;
           sessionServerOutput += `${logOutput}`;
+          global.serverLive = false;
         });
         // On close, log the outputs and the exit code
         pyflaskProcess.on("close", (code) => {
           log.info(`child process exited with code ${code}`);
           log.info("Server output during session found below:");
           log.info(sessionServerOutput);
+          global.serverLive = false;
+        });
+        // Event listener for when the process exits
+        pyflaskProcess.on("exit", (code, signal) => {
+          if (signal) {
+            log.info(`Process was killed by signal: ${signal}`);
+            global.serverLive = false;
+          } else if (code !== 0) {
+            log.info(`Process exited with error code: ${code}`);
+            global.serverLive = false;
+          } else {
+            log.info("Process exited successfully");
+            global.serverLive = false;
+          }
         });
       } else {
         log.info("Application is not packaged");
@@ -351,10 +371,29 @@ const createPyProc = async () => {
 
         pyflaskProcess.on("error", function (err) {
           console.error("Failed to start pyflaskProcess:", err);
+          global.serverLive = false;
         });
 
         pyflaskProcess.on("close", function (err) {
           console.error("Failed to start pyflaskProcess:", err);
+          global.serverLive = false;
+        });
+
+        // Event listener for when the process exits
+        pyflaskProcess.on("exit", (code, signal) => {
+          if (signal) {
+            global.serverLive = false;
+
+            log.info(`Process was killed by signal: ${signal}`);
+          } else if (code !== 0) {
+            global.serverLive = false;
+
+            log.info(`Process exited with error code: ${code}`);
+          } else {
+            global.serverLive = false;
+
+            log.info("Process exited successfully");
+          }
         });
       }
       if (pyflaskProcess != null) {
diff --git a/src/preload/index.js b/src/preload/index.js
index b9988f3d5..69d0d6871 100644
--- a/src/preload/index.js
+++ b/src/preload/index.js
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import { contextBridge } from "electron";
+import { contextBridge, ipcRenderer } from "electron";
 import { electronAPI } from "@electron-toolkit/preload";
 import os from "os";
 import fs from "fs-extra";
@@ -406,6 +406,12 @@ if (process.contextIsolated) {
         });
       },
     });
+    contextBridge.exposeInMainWorld("server", {
+      serverIsLive: async () => {
+        const status = await ipcRenderer.invoke("get-server-live-status");
+        return status;
+      },
+    });
   } catch (error) {
     log.error(error);
   }
diff --git a/src/renderer/src/assets/css/buttons.css b/src/renderer/src/assets/css/buttons.css
index 9307456c1..f6b758cee 100644
--- a/src/renderer/src/assets/css/buttons.css
+++ b/src/renderer/src/assets/css/buttons.css
@@ -505,3 +505,11 @@
 #copy-icon-client-id:hover {
   cursor: pointer;
 }
+
+#copy-icon-firewall-docs {
+  margin-left: 5px;
+}
+
+#copy-icon-firewall-docs:hover {
+  cursor: pointer;
+}
diff --git a/src/renderer/src/main.js b/src/renderer/src/main.js
index 887a07bbb..0f19ce534 100644
--- a/src/renderer/src/main.js
+++ b/src/renderer/src/main.js
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ import "./assets/imports";
 
 // Render React Components into their respective slots in the DOM
 import "./components/renderers/ReactComponentRenderer";
-
+import "./scripts/check-firewall/checkFirewall";
 import "./assets/demo-btns";
 import "./assets/nav";
 import "./scripts/client";
diff --git a/src/renderer/src/scripts/check-firewall/checkFirewall.js b/src/renderer/src/scripts/check-firewall/checkFirewall.js
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..9e16436a5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/renderer/src/scripts/check-firewall/checkFirewall.js
@@ -0,0 +1,50 @@
+import axios from "axios";
+import { clientError } from "../others/http-error-handler/error-handler";
+
+/**
+ * This function checks if the client is blocked by an external firewall.
+ * Assumptions: The client is connected to the internet.
+ * Returns: true if the client is blocked by an external firewall, false otherwise.
+ */
+export const clientBlockedByExternalFirewall = async (url) => {
+  // check that the client can make an api request to Pennsieve's public API
+  //make an axios request to this public endpoint: https://api.pennsieve.io/discover/datasets
+  //if the request fails, the client is blocked by an external firewall
+  try {
+    await axios.get(url);
+    return false;
+  } catch (error) {
+    clientError(error);
+    if (!error.response) {
+      // the request was made but no response was received. May be a firewall issue or the client
+      // may just need to wait to try again later.
+      return true;
+    }
+
+    // there is not a firewall issue if we get an actual repsonse from the server
+    return false;
+  }
+};
+
+let docsUrl = "https://docs.sodaforsparc.io/how-to/how-to-resolve-network-issues";
+const copyClientIdToClipboard = () => {
+  window.electron.ipcRenderer.invoke("clipboard-write", docsUrl, "clipboard");
+};
+
+const commonHTML = `<p style="text-align:left;">Please refer to the SODA documentation page on resolving this issue by either clicking <a href="https://docs.sodaforsparc.io/how-to/how-to-resolve-network-issues" target="_blank">here</a> or by copying the url to the documentation page with the copy icon below.</p>
+  
+  <div style="display:flex; margin:auto;">
+    <p style="margin-right: 10px;">${docsUrl}</p>
+    <div><i class="fas fa-copy" id="copy-icon-firewall-docs" click=${copyClientIdToClipboard()}></i></div>
+  </div>`;
+
+export const blockedMessage = `
+  <p style="text-align:left;">SODA is unable to reach Pennsieve. 
+  If this issue persists it is possible that your network is blocking access to Pennsieve from SODA.
+  </p>
+  ${commonHTML}`;
+
+export const hostFirewallMessage = `<p text-align:left;>SODA is unable to communicate with its server.  
+    If this issue persists it is possible that your network is blocking access.
+  </p>
+   ${commonHTML}`;
diff --git a/src/renderer/src/scripts/globals.js b/src/renderer/src/scripts/globals.js
index 28a063429..ab1cd09db 100644
--- a/src/renderer/src/scripts/globals.js
+++ b/src/renderer/src/scripts/globals.js
@@ -1,14 +1,13 @@
 import Swal from "sweetalert2";
 import "bootstrap-select";
 import DragSort from "@yaireo/dragsort";
-
 import api from "./others/api/api";
 import { clientError, userErrorMessage } from "./others/http-error-handler/error-handler";
 import client from "./client";
-import { swalShowError } from "./utils/swal-utils";
-// import { window.clearValidationResults } from './validator/validate'
+import { swalShowError, swalShowInfo } from "./utils/swal-utils";
 // // Purpose: Will become preload.js in the future. For now it is a place to put global variables/functions that are defined in javascript files
 // //          needed by the renderer process in order to run.
+import { clientBlockedByExternalFirewall, blockedMessage } from "./check-firewall/checkFirewall";
 
 // // Contributors table for the dataset description editing page
 const currentConTable = document.getElementById("table-current-contributors");
@@ -907,6 +906,13 @@ window.resetFFMUI = (ev) => {
 };
 
 window.addBfAccount = async (ev, verifyingOrganization = False) => {
+  // check for external firewall interference (aspirational in that may not be foolproof)
+  const pennsieveURL = "https://api.pennsieve.io/discover/datasets";
+  const blocked = await clientBlockedByExternalFirewall(pennsieveURL);
+  if (blocked) {
+    await swalShowInfo("Potential Firewall Interference", blockedMessage);
+    return;
+  }
   let footerMessage = "No existing accounts to load. Please add an account.";
   if (window.bfAccountOptionsStatus === "") {
     if (Object.keys(bfAccountOptions).length === 1) {
@@ -1346,6 +1352,8 @@ var dropdownEventID = "";
 window.openDropdownPrompt = async (ev, dropdown, show_timer = true) => {
   // if users edit current account
   if (dropdown === "bf") {
+    console.log("Calling opendropdown here?");
+
     await window.addBfAccount(ev, false);
   } else if (dropdown === "dataset") {
     dropdownEventID = ev?.id ?? "";
diff --git a/src/renderer/src/scripts/others/renderer.js b/src/renderer/src/scripts/others/renderer.js
index 6b4992f25..0b4abe678 100644
--- a/src/renderer/src/scripts/others/renderer.js
+++ b/src/renderer/src/scripts/others/renderer.js
@@ -79,6 +79,11 @@ import {
   setPennsieveAgentCheckInProgress,
   setPostPennsieveAgentCheckAction,
 } from "../../stores/slices/backgroundServicesSlice";
+import {
+  clientBlockedByExternalFirewall,
+  blockedMessage,
+  hostFirewallMessage,
+} from "../check-firewall/checkFirewall";
 
 // add jquery to the window object
 window.$ = jQuery;
@@ -462,6 +467,24 @@ const startupServerAndApiCheck = async () => {
     { value: 1 }
   );
 
+  let serverIsLive = await window.server.serverIsLive();
+  if (serverIsLive) {
+    // notify the user that there may be a firewall issue preventing the client from connecting to the server
+    Swal.close();
+    await Swal.fire({
+      icon: "info",
+      title: "Potential Network Issues",
+      html: hostFirewallMessage,
+      heightAuto: false,
+      backdrop: "rgba(0,0,0, 0.4)",
+      confirmButtonText: "Restart SODA To Try Again",
+      allowOutsideClick: false,
+      allowEscapeKey: false,
+      width: 800,
+    });
+    await window.electron.ipcRenderer.invoke("relaunch-soda");
+  }
+
   Swal.close();
   await Swal.fire({
     icon: "error",
@@ -479,6 +502,7 @@ const startupServerAndApiCheck = async () => {
 // Check app version on current app and display in the side bar
 // Also check the core systems to make sure they are all operational
 const initializeSODARenderer = async () => {
+  // TODO: Add check for internal firewall that blocks us from talking to the server here (detect-firewall)
   // check that the server is live and the api versions match
   // If this fails after the allotted time, the app will restart
   await startupServerAndApiCheck();
@@ -489,10 +513,11 @@ const initializeSODARenderer = async () => {
 
   //Refresh the Pennsieve account list if the user has connected their Pennsieve account in the past
   if (hasConnectedAccountWithPennsieve()) {
-    try {
-      // window.updateBfAccountList();
-    } catch (error) {
-      clientError(error);
+    // check for external firewall interference (aspirational in that may not be foolproof)
+    const pennsieveURL = "https://api.pennsieve.io/discover/datasets";
+    const blocked = await clientBlockedByExternalFirewall(pennsieveURL);
+    if (blocked) {
+      swalShowInfo("Potential Network Issue Detected", blockedMessage);
     }
   }