Are you seeing the "ERR_CONNECTION_TIMED_OUT" error in your browser? Non a very helpful error message, is information technology? If you are a daily WordPress user, and so it'due south e'er good to be aware of common errors like these that might preclude y'all from getting access to your website.

In today's post, we're going to have a deep dive into the "ERR_CONNECTION_TIMED_OUT" error and examine why you might see this and what you lot can do to prepare it chop-chop. Simply put, information technology's an indication that the system is unavailable and the fourth dimension given for i to connect has elapsed, and at present the request has timed out. But what does that actually mean?

Let's observe out!

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What is the ERR_CONNECTION_TIMED_OUT Fault?

An ERR_CONNECTION_TIMED_OUT error typically means there is something wrong with your local network connexion. Nonetheless, that's not always the case.

Co-ordinate to the WordPress back up documentation, a connection timed out error appears when your website is trying to exercise more than your server can manage. It'southward particularly common on shared hosting where your memory limit is restricted.

When yous visit a website and it doesn't load, your browser will try for around 30 seconds or so until it terminates the connection. After which it volition return an "ERR_CONNECTION_TIMED_OUT" error, indicating a communication problem. In Google Chrome you might see this equally "This site can't exist reached. Domain.com took too long to reply."

ERR_CONNECTION_TIMED_OUT error in Chrome
ERR_CONNECTION_TIMED_OUT error in Chrome

Due to all the different web browsers, operating systems, and servers, the error can present itself in a number of unlike means. Just most of them have the same or like meaning. "ERR_NETWORK_CHANGED" and "ERR_CONNECTION_REFUSED" are two very closely related errors that tin usually be solved with the aforementioned troubleshooting steps below.

Another common mistake code that appears nether 'This site tin can't be reached' is the DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_NXDOMAIN, which is a DNS mistake that substantially means the domain that was requested doesn't exist.

Below are a few examples of how the error might present itself in different browsers.

Mozilla Firefox

In Mozilla Firefox the mistake will show equally "The connectedness has timed out." The server at domain.com is taking too long to respond.

ERR_CONNECTION_TIMED_OUT error in Firefox
ERR_CONNECTION_TIMED_OUT error in Firefox

Microsoft Edge

In Microsoft Border, the error will show as "Hmmm… can't accomplish this folio. Domain.com took too long to answer." In Edge, notwithstanding, information technology does likewise incorporate the "ERR_CONNECTION_TIMED_OUT" fault.

ERR_CONNECTION_TIMED_OUT error in Edge
ERR_CONNECTION_TIMED_OUT fault in Edge

Safari

In Safari, the error will testify every bit "Safari Can't Open the Page. Safari can't open the page domain.com because the server where this page is located isn't responding."

ERR_CONNECTION_TIMED_OUT error in Safari
ERR_CONNECTION_TIMED_OUT fault in Safari

How to Fix the ERR_CONNECTION_TIMED_OUT Error

Where should yous start troubleshooting if you come across this error on your WordPress site? Without a great bargain of context, information technology can sometimes be frustrating and overwhelming where to even begin. Typically these are either client-side bug (issues with your network connectedness or firewall) or an issue with the server at which the site is hosted (memory limits, execution times, etc.).

1. Check Your Connection

Google Chrome, Firefox, and Edge all recommend that you should check your network connection. While this might sound obvious, they all point to checking your connection start as it's i of the most common reasons for the fault. Here are a few things we recommend:

  • Restart your home or office router. This only takes a few minutes and solves more problems than a lot of people would like to acknowledge. To completely power cycle information technology, disconnect the power supply and so wait xxx seconds before plugging it back in.
  • Bank check to see if yous're on a bad or deadening wifi connection. This is a common occurrence on busy public wifi hotspots such every bit coffee shops or airports.

2. Disable Firewall and Antivirus Software Temporarily

Firewalls and antivirus software are intended to protect users and their systems. They browse your device regularly and automatically block any suspicious activity. Still, this type of security tin at times lead to connexion issues.

This is considering firewalls can oft block pages they don't need to or pass up content that is completely safety. We've seen this happen many times with software similar AVG. To bank check whether this is the instance for you, try disabling your firewall and antivirus programs. Of grade, this is but brash if you know for sure that the site you're intending to visit is safe.

Additionally, you should merely disable this kind of software temporarily. Switch information technology back on later you've finished checking to see whether the mistake has been resolved, and then y'all don't become vulnerable to attacks. If you repeatedly encounter errors because of your firewall or antivirus software, you may desire to consider changing what you lot're using.

These types of tools also take what is called a "false-positive" report you can fill out. If you're 100% positive that a site your visiting is blocked and shouldn't be, yous can permit the software developer know. Here are a few quick links:

  • AVG false positive form
  • Norton simulated positive class
  • Sophos false positive form

3. Disable Proxy Settings

Sometimes you might see the ERR_CONNECTION_TIMED_OUT fault if you lot are utilizing a proxy service. This is normally pretty rare, especially on the client-side. All the same, one might have been fix without yous even knowing it. To disable or check to ensure no proxy settings are enabled, follow these steps.

Access the Settings menu in your Chrome browser. This will open upward the complete carte of options. Nether the Organization department (you'll demand to click Advanced at the bottom to come across this), you should find an entry titled Open up proxy settings. By selecting it, yous'll exist taken to the respective menu:

Open Proxy Settings in Chrome
Open Proxy Settings in Chrome

Your next stride depends on the system you're currently using. Windows users will want to click on LAN Settings and uncheck the Utilise proxy server for LAN option. If yous're a Mac user, y'all should immediately find yourself in the relevant carte du jour. Yous'll then take to uncheck all selectable proxy protocols and check to come across if the ERR_CONNECTION_TIMED_OUT message has been resolved.

Uncheck proxies on Mac
Uncheck proxies on Mac

If you're on Windows, you will see a "Local Area Network (LAN) Settings" window appear. Yous will want to confirm that the "Utilize a proxy server for your LAN" option is unchecked.

Disable Chrome proxy settings in Windows
Disable Chrome proxy settings in Windows

The same goes if you're using a VPN like ExpressVPN or TunnelBear. Brand sure you're not connected by blow.

iv. Change DNS Servers

The adjacent matter you can try is changing your DNS servers. Past default, DNS servers are automatically assigned by your Internet service provider. But you could try temporarily changing these to a public DNS server, such as Google or Cloudflare.

  • Some prefer to use Google's public DNS (8.viii.eight.eight and viii.eight.4.4) long-term due to them sometimes being more reliable.
  • Cloudflare also offers secure and blazing fast costless DNS (1.1.1.one and 1.0.0.1) which we will be using in this instance. If you want to use Google's the steps are the same, you just replace the DNS server addresses with Googles.

Tip: If you lot're already using a free DNS server and having issues, removing it and defaulting back to your Internet access provider'southward DNS servers as well sometimes fix things.

Google and Cloudflare aren't perfect 100% of the time and at that place have been a few instances where we've noticed switching back has resolved the result. This is peculiarly true if you lot're using a Wifi hotspot in an airport or java shop.

Windows

In Windows just open up upwardly Control Prompt by pressing the Windows logo key and R. Then type "command panel" and hit Enter.

Run Control Panel Windows
Run Control Console Windows

Click on "Network and Internet" then "Network and Sharing Eye." On the left-hand side, click on "Change Adapter Settings."

Change adapter settings
Modify adapter settings

Right click on your current connection, this will either be Local Surface area Connection or Wireless Network Connection based on how you're connecting. Then click on "Properties."

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Wireless connection properties
Wireless connectedness properties

Select Net Protocol Version 4 (or Version half-dozen if desired) and click on "Properties."

IPV 4 properties
IPV 4 backdrop

Brand a note of any existing settings in case you need to revert back. Click "Use the following DNS server addresses." Enter the following, or replace the existing with these:

For IPv4:1.i.1.ane andi.0.0.1
For IPv6:2606:4700:4700::1111 and2606:4700:4700::1001

DNS server addresses
DNS server addresses

Click OK, then Shut. Restart your browser.

Mac

To change DNS servers on a Mac, get to System Preferences…

Mac system preferences
Mac organisation preferences

Click on the network icon and and so click "Advanced."

Mac network advanced
Mac network advanced

Click on the "DNS" tab.

Mac DNS
Mac DNS

Then add Cloudflare's DNS server addresses.

For IPv4:1.one.1.ane and1.0.0.1
For IPv6:2606:4700:4700::1111 and2606:4700:4700::1001

v. Flush/Renew DNS

Y'all can as well try flushing your local DNS cache. This is like to clearing your browser enshroud. It could exist that the site you're trying to visit isn't resolving to the correct IP address. If you lot've simply migrated your WordPress site to a new host, it's important to wait for things to fully propagate. This tin can sometimes accept up to 24 hours, although it tin be as little every bit a few minutes. This depends on your DNS provider and the TTL value of your DNS records.

Windows

In Windows simply open upwards Command Prompt and enter the following:

ipconfig /flushdns
Command prompt - flush DNS
Command prompt – affluent DNS

Y'all should see a "Successfully flushed the DNS resolver Enshroud" if it worked.

Mac

For macOS users, you can enter the following in the concluding:

dscacheutil -flushcache
dscacheutil -flushcache
Mac flush cache

Note: At that place is no success message on Macs.

6. Check Your Hosts File

Every computer has what they call a local hosts file. This is a file that contains manual DNS entries which are mapped to specific IP addresses. Typically this is simply edited when you want to preview your DNS before switching over domains to a new host. Or perhaps you have a local development site running using a tool like DevKinsta, Vagrant or Docker.

In that location is a multitude of different ways this file could have been changed or edited. Therefore, it's always skillful to cheque to ensure the website you're trying to access isn't in there. Just follow the steps beneath.

Windows

The hosts file typically requires boosted access. And so the start step is to open up up your text editor every bit an administrator. Simply click on your start carte, search for your text editor, right-click on information technology and select "Run equally administrator." This can be washed in whatsoever text editor such as Notepad, Notepad++, Cantlet, etc. We are using Sublime in our example below.

Run text editor as administrator
Run text editor as ambassador

Within your text editor click File → Open and scan to the following location:

C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc\

Click on the hosts file and "Open."

open hosts file
Open hosts file

Double-bank check and brand sure the website y'all're trying to visit isn't listed in in that location. If it is, remove it.

Mac

To check your hosts file on a Mac, we recommend getting Gas Mask. It's a free application which tin exist used as hosts file manager, hosts files editor, and switch between them. It makes everything quick and easy! Otherwise, you can follow the steps below to edit your hosts file on Mac manually.

Get to Utilities and then click on "Terminal."

Mac utilities terminal
Mac utilities terminal

Enter in the following control and printing Enter (you will most probable be prompted for your administrator password also).

sudo nano /private/etc/hosts

Double-check and make sure the website you're trying to visit isn't listed in your hosts file. If information technology is, remove it.

Edit hosts file on Mac
Edit hosts file on Mac

vii. Check the DNS of Your Domain

You lot should as well verify that the DNS of your domain is correctly pointed to your hosting provider. If you lot're a Kinsta client we have an in-depth post on how to point your domain and or DNS to Kinsta. If you recently migrated your WordPress website to a new host, information technology could be the DNS was cached incorrectly on your calculator. In which case, step 5 higher up should resolve that. Or it may simply be likewise soon and you demand to await a few hours for the DNS to fully propagate.

eight. Articulate Browser Cache

Web browsers shop information in cache on your computer. This includes your browsing history, saved login data, and cookies – all of which are recorded in social club to load the relevant pages more apace the next time they're visited.

Although they're useful, caches can cause numerous issues when they get outdated. Fortunately, this trouble is hands solved past clearing your enshroud.

But before you do that, y'all tin can easily cheque to see if it's a browser enshroud issue past first opening up your browser in incognito mode. Or yous tin endeavor a different browser. If you're still seeing the error, then you volition want to go on with clearing your cache.

In this example, nosotros'll exist using Google Chrome. Begin by opening upward the primary menu (in the top-correct corner of your browser window). From there, select More Tools: You can so click on Clear browser information.

Chrome clear browsing data
Chrome articulate browsing data

On the resulting page, you'll demand to brand sure that all listed file categories are selected. If they aren't, Chrome won't be able to empty the entire cache. Instead, it will just remove the most recent entries, which won't result in the desired effect:

Clear browsing data
Articulate browsing data

An alternative method of completing this procedure is to enter the following URL into your address bar:

chrome://settings/clearBrowserData

The resulting screen should grant you admission to the same options we've outlined above. Here are some other helpful links for immigration enshroud.

  • How to Strength Refresh a Single Page for All Browsers
  • How to Articulate Cache for Google Chrome
  • How to Clear Enshroud for Mozilla Firefox
  • How to Clear Cache on Mac (Safari)
  • How to Clear Cache for Cyberspace Explorer
  • How to Clear Cache for Microsoft Edge
  • How to Articulate Cache for Opera

9. Look at The Maximum Execution Fourth dimension

The rest of the troubleshooting steps we'll be diving into are those that have to do with the configuration of your WordPress site or server that may assistance fix the "ERR_CONNECTION_TIMED_OUT" error.

The first is the maximum execution time set for your site. On nigh servers, the default fourth dimension is gear up to thirty seconds. This is the amount of time a PHP script is allowed to run (after which it times out). On shared hosts, this is typically set low or left at the default.

You tin can't easily alter this from WordPress as the php.ini file is located on your server. To change this, we recommend reaching out to your hosting provider to see if they tin can help. At Kinsta, we fix the default maximum execution time to 300 seconds.

If you lot want to endeavour and modify this yourself, it can usually exist done with one of the following options. Both will depend on how your hosting provider configures their servers.

Option 1 – Modify Max Execution Time in php.ini File

If you lot take a php.ini file in your dwelling directory, find the max_execution_time parameter and modify information technology. For example, if it'south fix to thirty seconds, you tin can increase information technology to 300 seconds.

max_execution_time = 300

Option 2 – Modify Max Execution Time in .htacess File

If the above option doesn't work, you might exist able to change it within your .htaccess file. Just like with the php.ini file, this is typically located within your home directory. Place the following in the top of your .htaccess file:

php_value max_execution_time 300

10. Temporarily Disable Your Plugins

Every bit with nigh WordPress errors, a plugin can definitely be the root of the problem. To determine if that'south what's happening, you lot'll need to disable all of your site's plugins. All the same, if you're getting the "ERR_CONNECTION_TIMED_OUT" error information technology means yous don't have admission to your WordPress admin area. This means you will need to SFTP into your site. We recommend using FileZilla.

In one case your SFTP client is prepare, connect to your website through information technology and navigate to your WordPress root binder. In case you can't discover it, it'southward normally called public_html, html, public, www, or your site's proper name. If you lot're a Kinsta customer, it's your public folder.

WordPress root folder SFTP
WordPress root binder SFTP

Open up that folder, and navigate to the wp-content directory. Inside, you'll come across a folder chosenplugins, which contains individual subdirectories for each of the plugins installed on your site (both active and inactive).

What you're going to practice now is right-click on the plugins binder, and rename it to something else. We recommendplugins.old orplugins.deactivated, then you can hands recognize it later.

WordPress plugins folder renamed
WordPress plugins binder renamed

WordPress will at present not be able to observe any of your plugins. When that happens, it will automatically disable those plugins.

Now, endeavor accessing your WordPress dashboard. If the timeout error is gone, and then you tin assume that one of your plugins was the culprit. All you accept to do is figure out which ane was at mistake.

Return to thewp-content directory, and rename your original plugins folder correctly. So, yous'll need to disable each of your plugins one by one, until you find the culprit.

To practice this, open up thewp-content/plugins directory. Inside, you'll find ane folder for each of your plugins. The process you're going to follow is much the same equally earlier:

  1. Get-go with the commencement folder, and rename information technology to anything you like.
  2. Check your website to see if the error is gone.
  3. If it isn't, return the plugin folder from the previous step to its original name.
  4. Move on to the next plugin on your list, repeating the above steps.

This process can take a while if y'all accept a lot of plugins, but it's vital to check each plugin in turn. If at whatsoever point y'all identify the plugin that's causing the error, you can uninstall information technology or replace information technology with some other tool.

If you get in to the end of these steps without finding a solution, you can move on to the next stage of troubleshooting.

eleven. Temporarily Revert to Default Theme

Now that you've ruled out your plugins equally the cause of the timeout fault, it'southward fourth dimension to exercise the same with your active theme. In fact, your theme could also be creating compatibility issues.

Unfortunately, the process doesn't work the same as above. WordPress won't revert to the default theme if simply rename the theme folder, y'all would cease upward with an mistake like "The theme directory "theme name" does not exist." Or if y'all endeavour to rename the entire theme directory folder, you lot finish up with "ERROR: The themes directory is either empty or doesn't exist. Please check your installation."

Therefore, you need to access your WordPress database past logging into phpMyAdmin. If you're a Kinsta client, this tin exist establish within the "Info" department of the MyKinsta dashboard.

MyKinsta phpMyAdmin
MyKinsta phpMyAdmin

Click into the "wp_options" table, then click on the "Search" tab. You lot will desire to search under the "option_name" fortemplate.

phpMyAdmin wp_options table
phpMyAdmin wp_options table

Under the "option_value" column you volition see the current name of your theme. Alter this to one of the default themes, such as "twentynineteen."

wp_options template name
wp_options template name

Check your website once again to see if this has stock-still the error. If it did, information technology simply means it'south a problem with your WordPress theme and you lot might want to try reinstalling it or reverting to your almost contempo backup.

12. Increase the Retentivity Limit

The WP_MEMORY_LIMIT parameter allows you to specify the maximum amount of memory that tin can exist consumed past PHP. If you are using shared hosting, it'due south about likely ready to a depression value such as 64M. At Kinsta, nosotros set the default retentivity limit to 256M.

You tin increase the memory limit by adding the following to your wp-config.php file. This must be placed to a higher place the wp-settings.php inclusion.

define( 'WP_MEMORY_LIMIT', '256M' );
WP_MEMORY_LIMIT in wp-config.php
WP_MEMORY_LIMIT in wp-config.php

Non sure what your current PHP memory limit is set to? If you have admission to your WordPress dashboard and are running WordPress v.two or above, you tin can come across the PHP memory limit under the "Site Health" tool.

WordPress site health PHP memory limit
WordPress site wellness PHP memory limit

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Summary

Connection and timeout errors are never fun to troubleshoot, but hopefully, you lot accept a footling more knowledge in your toolbelt at present to assistance resolve it quickly.

It's of import to remember that the "ERR_CONNECTION_TIMED_OUT" error be a result of a client-side problem such as your network connection, or an issue with the server where your WordPress site is hosted. Have any other tips to resolve this error? Permit us know below in the comments.

(Suggested reading: Acquire how to fix the ERR_CACHE_MISS error in Chrome)


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