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Connection errors

This site can't be reached: how to find the cause and fix it

Chrome got no usable answer from the website. The code at the bottom of the page names the reason.

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Quick answer

"This site can't be reached" is the headline Chrome uses for many different connection failures, so the headline alone does not tell you the cause. The short line under it (such as "refused to connect") and the code at the bottom (such as ERR_CONNECTION_TIMED_OUT) do. Three checks often solve or narrow down the problem: the spelling of the address, a second network, and clearing the address your device has stored for the site.

When to wait: If CheckWebsiteNow cannot reach the site either, try again in a few minutes. If only your network fails, waiting rarely helps.

If you are visiting the website

  1. Check the address, then reload once Look for a missing or extra letter and for the wrong ending, such as .co instead of .com. If the line under the headline says the server IP address could not be found, or asks you to check for a typo, rule out a typo first.
  2. Try a second network Switch off Wi-Fi and open the page over mobile data, or do it the other way round. If the page loads on one network only, the website is up, and the difference lies on the way through the other network: the router, its DNS service, a filter, the provider, or a block that only affects that network's address. Restarting the router clears many stuck connections. When you are abroad and roaming, the two connections may not appear to be in the same country, so a country block is also possible.
  3. Clear the stored address and reconnect Your device and Chrome keep website addresses for a while, and after a site moves to a new server that old entry leads nowhere. In Chrome you can also open chrome://net-internals/#dns and select Clear host cache.

    Windows

    Open Command Prompt, run ipconfig /flushdns, then turn Wi-Fi off and on again.

    macOS

    Open Terminal and run sudo dscacheutil -flushcache; sudo killall -HUP mDNSResponder (enter your Mac password when asked), or simply restart the Mac.

    Android

    Swipe down, switch on Airplane mode, count to ten and switch it off, so the phone builds a fresh connection.

    iPhone and iPad (iOS)

    Open Control Center, tap the airplane icon, wait about ten seconds and tap it again.

    ChromeOS

    Select the time at the bottom right, open the network list and switch Wi-Fi off and back on.

  4. Switch off proxy, VPN and web protection for one test A VPN that dropped, a proxy you did not set up, or the web shield of a security suite can stop every connection. Pause it, reload once and switch it back on.
  5. Test the site from outside your network Enter the address in CheckWebsiteNow. Our check runs from one server location. If it fails there with the same kind of error, the problem very likely sits on the website side, and only its owner can fix it. If it works there, keep looking at your own device or network.

If you run the website

  1. Reproduce the failure from outside From a network outside your own, run curl -sv https://example.com -o /dev/null with your domain. The output shows whether the name resolved, whether a connection opened and where it stopped.
  2. Check the name lookup and the registration dig example.com A +short and dig example.com AAAA +short should return your server's current addresses. An empty answer points to missing records or a lapsed registration.
  3. Check that the server accepts connections On the server, sudo ss -tlnp shows which ports are open. Ports 80 and 443 have to listen on a public address, and the firewall or cloud security group has to let them through.
  4. Look at load and error logs If connections open but never get an answer, check CPU, memory and the error log of the web server. An overloaded server can accept a connection and then stay silent.

Which code is shown at the bottom?

The code in capital letters near the bottom of the page decides the fix. Read it before you change settings.

ERR_NAME_NOT_RESOLVED or DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_NXDOMAIN: the name could not be turned into an address. Check the spelling, then try another network or DNS service; an expired domain can only be renewed by its owner.

ERR_CONNECTION_REFUSED: the server was found but turned the connection down. That usually points to the website server or its firewall, unless a proxy on your device is in the way.

ERR_CONNECTION_TIMED_OUT: no answer arrived in time. The server may be overloaded, or a slow network or a filter holds the traffic back.

ERR_CONNECTION_RESET: the connection started and was then cut. Chrome's help names an unstable connection, an outdated browser, a VPN issue or security software as typical reasons.

ERR_ADDRESS_UNREACHABLE: the address was found, but your network has no route to that server. The usual places to look are an internal address that only works inside one home or company network, a VPN setting, or the router itself.

If Chrome shows the headline "No internet" instead, the code is usually ERR_INTERNET_DISCONNECTED (your device has no network connection at all) or ERR_PROXY_CONNECTION_FAILED (Chrome is told to use a proxy server that does not answer).

Each code has its own page with detailed steps under Related messages.

Website problem or connection problem?

Open the address on a second device and on a second network. If it fails everywhere and our outside check fails too, the website is the likely cause.

Chrome sometimes adds that the page "might be temporarily down or it may have moved permanently to a new web address". This is Chrome's general sentence for errors that have no more specific text, so treat it as a hint to run the two-network test, not as a verdict.

Common questions

Does "This site can't be reached" mean the website is down?

Not always. It means Chrome got no usable answer. A typo, your network, a proxy or a DNS fault produce the same headline as a server outage, and an outside check such as CheckWebsiteNow tells the cases apart.

Why does the page load on mobile data but not on Wi-Fi?

Then the website is up and something on the Wi-Fi path differs: the router, its DNS service, a filter or a sign-in page. Restart the router first; our troubleshooting guide "Website works on mobile data but not on Wi-Fi" goes through the rest. If you are roaming abroad, a country block is also possible.

Can a VPN fix this error?

Rarely. A VPN helps only when your own network blocks the site, and a VPN that drops can cause this error itself.

Likely causes

  • Common A typo in the address, or a link to a name that no longer exists. (Your side)
  • Common A fault in your Wi-Fi, router or internet provider, including its DNS service (the internet's address book). (Your side)
  • Common The website server is down, overloaded or refuses connections. (Website side)
  • Sometimes A proxy (a middle server that forwards your traffic), VPN, firewall or security tool on your device stops the connection. (Your side)
  • Sometimes The domain's DNS records are missing or wrong, or the domain registration has expired. (Website side)

What to avoid

  • Do not reset or reinstall Chrome before you have tried the steps above.
  • Do not change DNS or proxy settings on a work or school device without asking the administrator.

Is the website down? Check it now

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

Sources

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