CheckWebsiteNow

Connection errors

ERR_CONNECTION_TIMED_OUT

The website did not answer in time.

Quick answer

Your browser tried to connect but got no reply before giving up. The server may be overloaded or offline, or something on the way, like a slow connection or firewall, is holding the traffic back. Our check also stops after a set time limit.

When to wait: Often yes. Try again in a few minutes; one timeout is not proof of an outage.

If you are visiting the website

  1. Wait and reload Wait a few minutes, then reload the page once. Short overloads often fix themselves.
  2. Check whether other sites load Open two or three well-known websites. If they are slow or fail too, your own connection is the problem, not this website.
  3. Try another network Switch from Wi-Fi to mobile data, or the other way round. If the site works there, your network, a company filter or your internet provider may be involved.
  4. Check the service's status page Big services often publish an official status page that lists known problems.
  5. Clear the stored address of the site If the website moved to a new server, your device may still try the old address and wait forever. In Chrome or Edge you can also open chrome://net-internals/#dns and click 'Clear host cache'.
    Windows
    Open Command Prompt and run: ipconfig /flushdns
    macOS
    Open Terminal and run: sudo dscacheutil -flushcache; sudo killall -HUP mDNSResponder (it asks for your Mac password).
    Android
    Turn Airplane mode on, wait about ten seconds, then turn it off again.
    iPhone and iPad (iOS)
    Turn Airplane mode on in Control Center, wait about ten seconds, then turn it off again.
  6. Check proxy and VPN A proxy (a middle server that forwards your traffic) or a VPN that no longer answers makes every connection wait. Turn the VPN off for one test, then back on.
    Windows
    Settings > Network & internet > Proxy. Turn off 'Use a proxy server' under Manual proxy setup if you do not need it.
    macOS
    Apple menu > System Settings > Network > your network service > Details > Proxies. Turn off proxies you did not set up on purpose.
  7. Restart your router Turn your router off, wait about 30 seconds and turn it on again. This renews your connection.

If you run the website

  1. Test the connection from outside Run curl -v --connect-timeout 10 https://example.com (use your domain) from another network. If curl gives up while connecting, packets to your server get no answer.
  2. Check firewalls for silent drops A firewall rule or cloud security group that drops traffic on ports 80 and 443 causes timeouts, not refusals. Make sure both ports are open to the public.
  3. Check server load Look at CPU, memory, open connections and traffic around the time of the error. A server that is completely busy stops accepting new connections.
  4. Check DNS points to the right server Compare dig example.com A +short with the public IP of your server. An old or wrong address points visitors to a machine that never answers.
  5. Check your hosting provider's status Your host may have a known outage or network problem. Their status page or support can confirm it.

Is it the website or me?

If other websites load fine and the problem stays on several networks, the website or its host is the likely cause. If many sites are slow, start with your own connection.

One timeout is not proof of an outage. Try again after a few minutes, or use an outside check from another network.

How it differs from similar errors

ERR_CONNECTION_REFUSED means the server answered with a clear no. ERR_CONNECTION_TIMED_OUT means there was no answer at all.

ERR_TIMED_OUT is broader: some later step of loading took too long. Behind Cloudflare, the same situation usually shows Cloudflare error 522.

For developers: what happens technically

The browser sends the first packet of a TCP connection (the basic link for web traffic) and waits for a reply. When none arrives in time, it stops and shows this page.

Chromium lists it as error -118, "A connection attempt timed out." Typical reasons are a firewall that drops packets, a server that is off, or a broken route on the way.

Common questions

Is the website down for everyone?

Not necessarily. Test the site from another network or with an outside check. If it fails everywhere, it is likely down; if it works elsewhere, the problem is on your side.

Can my internet provider cause this?

Yes. A routing or filtering problem at the provider can make one site time out while others work. Trying mobile data is the quickest way to check.

Why does it work on mobile data but not on Wi-Fi?

Then your Wi-Fi network is involved. A router, a firewall, a company filter or an old stored address may be holding the connection back.

Should I use a VPN to get around it?

You do not need to buy anything. If you already have a VPN, a quick test with it can show whether your network route is the problem; it does not fix a server that is down.

Likely causes

  • Common The server is overloaded or offline. (Website side)
  • Sometimes Your connection is slow or unstable. (Your side)
  • Sometimes A firewall silently drops the traffic. (Either side)

Is the website down? Check it now

One measurement point. Results explain what we saw, not a worldwide verdict.

Sources

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