If you get the ERR_CONNECTION_TIMED_OUT error message, then surely it becomes very annoying for you, especially if you are not able to visit your website or even your website visitors are not.
Contrary to the “Page Not Found” error, the above problem usually means that the browser took too much time waiting for an answer from the server. The reason behind such problem may vary from the internet connection or your browser, through the DNS settings or firewall, to the web hosting server.
The great thing is that this problem can actually be solved. This guide explains how you can fix the mentioned error and how to avoid it.
Table of Contents
ERR_CONNECTION_TIMED_OUT Meaning
The error message ERR_CONNECTION_TIMED_OUT is displayed when the computer’s browser makes an attempt to access a website and fails to get a response from the web page.
Rather than showing the content on the web page, the browser displays the following:
This site can’t be reached.
The connection timed out.
ERR_CONNECTION_TIMED_OUT
This just means that communication failed between your browser and the web server.
Possible Reasons Behind ERR_CONNECTION_TIMED_OUT
Following are some possible reasons behind this problem:
- Low-quality or unreliable internet connection
- Faulty DNS settings
- Corrupted browser cache
- Firewall/Antivirus restrictions
- Proxy configuration error
- Expired DNS records
- Overloading of the server
- Failure of the hosting server
- Problems with website configuration
If you have your own website, the problem may also be due to the hosting of the website.
Steps to Fix ERR_CONNECTION_TIMED_OUT Error
Use the below steps sequentially until the error gets fixed.
1. Test Internet Connection
Before making any technical changes, first make sure that your internet connection is functioning properly.
You can do this by:
- Opening other sites
- Restarting the router
- Connecting to different Wi-Fi network
- Accessing mobile data for some time
If all websites cannot open, then the issue is with the internet connection and not with the site itself.
2. Refresh the Webpage
There might be a temporary glitch in the server.
Click:
- Ctrl + F5 (Windows)
- Cmd + Shift + R (Mac)
This will refresh your webpage and load the latest version of the website.
3. Clear Browser Cache
The browser cache might get corrupted, which makes the websites non-responsive.
Clear:
- Cache
- Cookies
- Website Data
Restart the browser after clearing the cache to test it.
4. Flush DNS Cache
Your computer stores DNS cache to make access to the website much faster next time.
When DNS cache becomes outdated, the website may not load.
- For Windows: Enter the command prompt window and type
ipconfig /flushdns - For macOS: Use this code in Terminal app and restart your browser
sudo dscacheutil -flushcache
If you want to know more about DNS, please check our article on DNS propagation.
5. Use Public DNS
Sometimes DNS server offered by your ISP may not work properly. The usage of public DNS servers helps to fix connection timed out error.
Among the most popular public DNS servers are:
a. Google Public DNS
- 8.8.8.8
- 8.8.4.4
b. Cloudflare DNS
- 1.1.1.1
- 1.0.0.1
Change of DNS takes a few minutes only.
6. Disable the Temporary Use of Your Proxy/VPN Service
Your connection is not made properly by using the proxy or VPN service.
Disable these services for a while and reload your browser.
If the problem gets solved, it means your proxy/VPN settings are causing the trouble.
7. Turn Off Your Firewall/Antivirus Temporarily
Your firewall or antivirus can also cause such connection error as well.
You need to turn off the following security features:
- Web Shield of Antivirus
- Windows Firewall
- Third-party firewall
If the problem gets solved, you should add the site to your safe zone instead of disabling the security.
8. Restart Your Router and PC
It is a basic fix for all network problems.. Rebooting fixes temporary conflicts on the network and reconnects you to the Internet.
9. Determine Whether the Website is Offline
Sometimes the issue lies on the side of the website owner.
Try to open the website from:
- Different device
- Mobile network
- Different location
In case nobody opens it, the server may be down.
10. Analysis of Website Hosting (Website Owners)
In case you own the website, it is necessary to check your hosting account.
Here are some issues that may happen on the server side:
- High CPU usage
- Low memory
- Overloaded server
- PHP errors
- Firewall settings
- Resource restrictions
A high quality hosting provider plays an important role in preventing any time outs.
At HarmonWeb we offer hosting services of high quality, which are designed for minimizing downtime and providing quick response time for any websites.
In case you have some difficulties in connecting to your website, then it is possible to change your hosting plan.
11. Check Your DNS Configuration
Your browser will not be able to find your website due to incorrect DNS entries.
Check:
- A Entries
- CNAME Entries
- Name Servers
- Whether DNS propagation is complete
If your site has been relocated or transferred to a new host recently, DNS entries might still be in the process of propagation.
12. Restart Web Server Services (Advanced)
If you are running your own VPS or dedicated server, restarting the web services might solve the problem.
These include:
- Apache
- NGINX
- LiteSpeed
As well as:
- Error logs
- PHP logs
- MySQL status
- CPU utilisation
- Memory usage
If you don’t know how to do this, contact your hosting provider.
ERR_CONNECTION_TIMED_OUT: Prevention Tips
Here are some tips to help avoid this problem in the future:
- Use a good host
- Check your server’s performance
- Ensure that your site loads quickly
- Update your plugins/themes
- Use good DNS services
- Enable caching on your website
- Check uptime
- Renew your domain name
- Keep your SSL certificate updated
A fast website will not suffer from this problem.
When to Contact Your Web Host?
In case all of the above solutions didn’t help and the error keeps appearing, contact your web host.
Inform them about:
- Error message text
- Website link
- Time of error appearance
- Screenshots
- Changes made recently on the site
It will help the technical support of your service diagnose the problem faster.
Conclusion
Not all times the ERR_CONNECTION_TIMED_OUT error is an indication of something seriously wrong. Most often than not, this problem occurs due to network problems, outdated DNS records, problems in the browser’s cache, or problems in the server configuration.
Using the advice provided above, you can find the reason of your problem and access your website again. If the problem lies within your hosting, choosing a reliable hosting provider, such as HarmonWeb, will help to prevent it in the future and enjoy great website performance and quality technical support.
Whether it is a blog, personal website, or an online store that you are running, using reliable hosting is vital for a pleasant surfing experience of your visitors.
