ERR_CONNECTION_TIMED_OUT Error: How to Fix Connection Timeout

You open a website—instead of content you see "ERR_CONNECTION_TIMED_OUT". Browser waited for server response, didn't get it and gave up. Familiar situation? Happens more often than we'd like, both on others' sites and your own.

Connection timeout causes vary. Slow internet, server problem, incorrect computer settings, conflicting browser extensions. Good news—most causes fixed in 5-10 minutes without contacting support.

In this article we'll cover all possible problem sources and solutions. From simple (router restart) to technical (DNS configuration, hosts file editing, server optimization). After reading you'll be able to diagnose and fix the error yourself.

What ERR_CONNECTION_TIMED_OUT Means

Browser tries to load site. Sends request to server, waits for response. Normally server responds in fractions of a second—delivers HTML, CSS, jаvascript, images. Browser receives data, assembles page, shows visitor.

ERR_CONNECTION_TIMED_OUT means browser never got response. Technically browser waits 30-120 seconds (depends on settings), then stops connection attempts and shows error. Server is either unavailable, overloaded, or network path to it blocked.

Different browsers phrase the problem differently:

Google Chrome:

Unable to access site
example.com is not responding.
ERR_CONNECTION_TIMED_OUT

Mozilla Firefox:

Connection timeout
Server example.com took too long to respond.

Microsoft Edge:

Cannot connect
example.com is not responding for too long.

Safari:

Safari cannot open the page
Safari could not connect to server.

Different wording, same essence—browser couldn't establish server connection within allotted time.

How It Differs from Other Network Errors

ERR_CONNECTION_REFUSED — server actively rejected connection. Web server works but refused to process request. Usually firewall or web server configuration problem.

ERR_NAME_NOT_RESOLVED — browser couldn't convert domain name to IP address. DNS server problem or domain not registered at all.

ERR_CONNECTION_RESET — connection established but dropped during process. Cause on server side (restart, network problems) or in between (packet reset by provider).

ERR_CONNECTION_TIMED_OUT — connection never established at all. Server silent, router not responding or network path broken. Most mysterious error because unclear where exactly problem is.

Timeout Causes

Diagnosis starts with determining problem source. Error occurs at three levels: local computer, network infrastructure (provider, router), remote server.

User-Side Problems

Weak or unstable internet connection Wi-Fi router far away, weak signal. Provider conducting line work. Mobile internet in poor coverage area. Packets lost, speed drops, connections break.

Incorrect computer network settings Outdated DNS cache storing old site IP addresses. Proxy server configured but unavailable. Network adapter working with errors. Hosts file contains incorrect entries blocking site access.

Browser problems Overflowing browser cache. Conflicting extensions blocking network requests. Outdated browser version with known bugs. Corrupted user profile.

Firewall or antivirus blocking Windows Firewall considers site dangerous and blocks connection. Antivirus with web protection intercepts traffic and blocks suspicious addresses. VPN client incorrectly routes packets.

Server-Side Problems

Server down or overloaded Hosting provider conducting maintenance. Server crashed due to site code error or overload. DDoS attack loads server with millions of requests. Web server (Apache, Nginx) reached concurrent connection limit.

Hosting resource limits Shared hosting gives minimum RAM and CPU. Site consumed all limit—hosting blocks additional requests. Database slow due to missing indexes or bad queries. PHP scripts execute too long and killed by timeout.

DNS problems Hosting provider's DNS servers unavailable. Domain's DNS records point to wrong IP address. Recently changed hosting but DNS not yet updated (propagation time up to 48 hours).

Server firewall level blocking Hosting firewall blocked your IP due to suspicious activity. ModSecurity or similar determined request as attack and dropped it. Geo-blocking forbids access from certain country IP addresses.

Network Infrastructure Problems

Internet provider side problems Backbone communication channel failure. Provider blocks certain sites or ports. Provider's router overloaded. Incorrect packet routing through slow intermediate nodes.

Router problems Home router frozen and requires restart. Outdated router firmware with bugs. Router overheating in hot weather. NAT table overflow with large number of simultaneous connections.

Basic Diagnosis: Determining Problem Source

Before fix attempts, need to understand where problem is. Three quick tests will show direction.

Test 1: Check Site Availability Externally

Open https://isitdownrightnow.com or https://downforeveryoneorjustme.com. Enter problem site address. Service checks availability from several world points.

Result "It's just you" — problem on your side. Site works but your computer or network can't reach it. Proceed to local computer and network solutions.

Result "It's down" — server problem. Site unavailable for everyone. Have to wait until site owner or hosting provider fix situation. If it's your site—proceed to server level solutions.

Test 2: Check Other Sites

Open several popular sites: google.com, youtube.com, wikipedia.org. All load normally? Problem with specific site. Don't load? Problem with your internet connection.

Try opening sites in different browser. Chrome doesn't work but Firefox opens? Problem in Chrome or its extensions. No browser opens? Problem in system or network.

Test 3: Check from Different Device or Network

Try opening problem site from smartphone via mobile internet (disable Wi-Fi). Site opens? Problem with home network or router. Doesn't open? Problem either with site or your provider blocking access.

Try from neighbor's computer or cafe with free Wi-Fi. Different network solves problem? Dig toward home router or provider settings.

User Solutions: Fixing on Your Side

Most ERR_CONNECTION_TIMED_OUT cases solved with simple actions on local computer. Starting with most obvious.

1. Check and Restart Internet Connection

Make sure internet works. Open command prompt (Win+R, type cmd) and execute:

ping google.com

Command sends 4 packets to Google server and shows result:

Pinging google.com [142.250.185.46] with 32 bytes of dаta:
Reply from 142.250.185.46: bytes=32 time=15ms TTL=118
Reply from 142.250.185.46: bytes=32 time=14ms TTL=118

If you see "Request timed out"—internet not working or working intermittently.

Network adapter restart:

Windows:

netsh winsock reset
netsh int ip reset
ipconfig /release
ipconfig /renew

These commands reset Windows network stack, release and request new IP address. After execution restart computer.

macOS: Open "System Preferences" → "Network" → select active connection → click "Advanced" → TCP/IP tab → "Renew DHCP Lease" button.

2. Router and Modem Restart

Classic method solving 30-40% network problems. Router works for months without restart, accumulates garbage in memory, starts glitching.

Correct restart sequence:

1. Turn off computer
2. Turn off router (button or pull power)
3. Turn off modem if it's separate
4. Wait 30 seconds
5. Turn on modem, wait for full load (2-3 minutes)
6. Turn on router, wait for full load
7. Turn on computer

After loading check problem site access. Router got new IP from provider, cleared routing tables, reset hung connections.

3. DNS Cache Clearing

Computer stores domain name to IP address mappings in memory to speed up repeat accesses. Cache can become outdated if site moved to different server or changed IP.

Windows: Open command prompt as administrator (right-click Start menu → Command Prompt (Administrator)):

ipconfig /flushdns

You'll see confirmation:

Successfully flushed the DNS Resolver Cache.

macOS: Open Terminal and execute (password required):

sudo dscacheutil -flushcache
sudo killall -HUP mDNSResponder

Linux: Ubuntu/Debian:

sudo systemd-resolve --flush-caches

CentOS/RHEL:

sudo systemctl restart nscd

After cache clearing browser will request current site IP from DNS servers.

4. Change DNS Servers

Your provider's DNS servers can be slow, overloaded or temporarily unavailable. Switching to public DNS often solves problem.

Popular public DNS:

• Google: 8.8.8.8 and 8.8.4.4
• Cloudflare: 1.1.1.1 and 1.0.0.1
• Quad9: 9.9.9.9 and 149.112.112.112

Windows 10/11 configuration:

1. Right-click network icon in tray → "Network & Internet settings"
2. "Change adapter options"
3. Right-click active connection → "Properties"
4. Select "Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4)" → "Properties" button
5. Switch to "Use the following DNS server addresses"
6. Enter:
   • Preferred DNS: 1.1.1.1
   • Alternate DNS: 1.0.0.1
7. Click "OK", close all windows

macOS configuration:

1. "System Preferences" → "Network"
2. Select active connection → "Advanced" button
3. "DNS" tab
4. Click "+" and add 1.1.1.1 and 1.0.0.1
5. Remove old DNS servers via "-" button
6. Click "OK" → "Apply"

After DNS change execute ipconfig /flushdns (Windows) or restart network connection.

5. Disable Proxy Server

Proxy redirects all traffic through intermediate server. If proxy configured but unavailable—get ERR_CONNECTION_TIMED_OUT on all sites.

Windows proxy settings check:

1. "Settings" (Win+I) → "Network & Internet" → "Proxy"
2. Make sure "Automatically detect settings" is on
3. Make sure "Use a proxy server" is off

If proxy enabled but you didn't configure it specifically—disable. Some malware or unwanted software installs proxy to intercept traffic.

macOS: "System Preferences" → "Network" → "Advanced" → "Proxies" tab Uncheck all proxy protocols Click "OK" → "Apply"

6. Temporarily Disable Firewall and Antivirus

Windows Firewall or third-party antivirus sometimes blocks access to legitimate sites by mistake. Temporary disable helps determine if security software is problem source.

Windows Firewall disable:

1. "Control Panel" → "System and Security" → "Windows Defender Firewall"
2. Left "Turn Windows Firewall on or off"
3. Select "Turn off Windows Firewall" for private and public network
4. Check site access
5. Must enable back after check

Antivirus disable: Each antivirus has different interface. Usually right-click tray icon → "Pause protection" or "Disable for 10 minutes".

If site opened after disabling protection—problem in firewall or antivirus settings. Add site to exceptions instead of permanently disabling protection.

7. Check Hosts File

Hosts file allows manually setting domain to IP mappings bypassing DNS. Malware sometimes edits hosts to block antivirus sites or redirect to phishing copies.

Hosts file location:

• Windows: C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc\hosts
• macOS/Linux: /etc/hosts

Windows check:

1. Launch Notepad as administrator
2. File → Open → paste path C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc\hosts
3. Switch filter to "All files"
4. Open hosts file

Normal contents:

# Copyright (c) 1993-2009 Microsoft Corp.
#
# This is a sample HOSTS file used by Microsoft TCP/IP for Windows.
#
# localhost name resolution is handled within DNS itself.
#       127.0.0.1       localhost
#       ::1             localhost

If you see lines like 0.0.0.0 example.com or 127.0.0.1 site.ru—delete them. These are site access blocks.

macOS/Linux check:

sudo nano /etc/hosts

Delete suspicious lines, save (Ctrl+O, Enter, Ctrl+X).

After editing hosts restart computer or execute ipconfig /flushdns.

8. Update Network Card Drivers

Outdated or corrupted network adapter drivers cause various network problems including connection timeouts.

Windows update:

1. Right-click "Start" → "Device Manager"
2. Expand "Network adapters"
3. Right-click your adapter → "Update driver"
4. "Search automatically for updated driver software"

If Windows doesn't find updates—download driver from laptop or motherboard manufacturer's site.

Driver reinstall (if update doesn't help):

1. In device manager right-click adapter → "Uninstall device"
2. Check "Delete the driver software for this device"
3. Restart computer
4. Windows automatically reinstalls driver

Browser Solutions

Browser accumulates temporary files, cookies, history. Extensions add functionality but can conflict with each other or block connections.

1. Clear Browser Cache and Cookies

Browser cache—local copy of site files to speed up repeat loading. Corrupted cache leads to loading errors.

Google Chrome:

1. Three dots (⋮) → "Settings" → "Privacy and security"
2. "Clear browsing data"
3. Time range: "All time"
4. Check "Cookies and other site data" and "Cached images and files"
5. "Clear data"

Or quick way: Ctrl+Shift+Delete → select period and data types → clear.

Mozilla Firefox: Menu (≡) → "Settings" → "Privacy & Security" "Cookies and Site Data" section → "Clear Data" button Check both items → "Clear"

Microsoft Edge: Three dots (…) → "Settings" → "Privacy, search, and services" "Clear browsing data" → "Choose what to clear" Select "Cookies and other site data" and "Cached images and files" "Clear now"

Safari (macOS): "Safari" menu → "Preferences" → "Advanced" tab Enable "Show Develop menu in menu bar" "Develop" menu → "Empty Caches"

After clearing restart browser and try opening site.

2. Disable Browser Extensions

Ad blocking, VPN, antivirus plugin extensions can block site connections. Disabling all extensions helps identify culprit.

Chrome/Edge: Type in address bar chrome://extensions/ (Chrome) or edge://extensions/ (Edge) Disable all extensions with toggles Check site access Enable extensions one by one, checking after each

Firefox: Menu (≡) → "Add-ons and themes" (or Ctrl+Shift+A) Disable all extensions Check site Enable one by one to find problematic one

Often problems caused by:

• Ad blockers (AdBlock, uBlock) with aggressive filters
• VPN extensions with incorrect routing
• Antivirus panels with web filtering function
• Download extensions (Download Manager)

3. Test in Incognito Mode

Incognito mode launches browser without cache, cookies and extensions (by default). If site opens in incognito but not in normal mode—problem in browser data or extensions.

Launch incognito:

• Chrome: Ctrl+Shift+N (Windows) or Cmd+Shift+N (Mac)
• Firefox: Ctrl+Shift+P (Windows) or Cmd+Shift+P (Mac)
• Edge: Ctrl+Shift+N
• Safari: Cmd+Shift+N

Open problem site in incognito window. Opened? Return to clearing cache and disabling extensions in normal mode.

4. Update Browser to Latest Version

Outdated browser contains known bugs and vulnerabilities. Developers regularly release updates fixing network problems.

Version check and update:

• Chrome: Three dots → "Help" → "About Google Chrome". Update starts automatically.
• Firefox: Menu → "Help" → "About Firefox". Update downloads automatically.
• Edge: Three dots → "Help and feedback" → "About Microsoft Edge". Check and install updates.

After updating restart browser.

5. Reset Browser Settings

If all previous steps didn't help—reset browser to initial state. This removes extensions, clears cache, resets settings but saves bookmarks and passwords.

Chrome: Settings → "Reset settings and clean up" "Restore settings to their original defaults" Confirm reset

Firefox: Type in address bar аbout:support "Refresh Firefox" button Confirm action

Edge: Settings → "Reset settings" "Restore settings to their default values" Confirm

After reset configure browser again and check access.

Site-Level Solutions (for Owners)

Site owners face ERR_CONNECTION_TIMED_OUT when problem on server side. If visitors complain about unavailability—time to check hosting.

1. Check Server Functionality

First make sure server is even accessible. On THE.Hosting VPS check status through control panel—shows server state, resource usage, last restart time.

Ping check: Open command prompt on your computer:

ping your-domain.com

Response should be:

Reply from 123.45.67.89: bytes=32 time=45ms TTL=54

If "Request timed out" or "Host is unreachable"—server not responding to network requests.

Port availability check:

telnet your-domain.com 80
telnet your-domain.com 443

If telnet not installed in Windows:

Test-NetConnection your-domain.com -Port 80
Test-NetConnection your-domain.com -Port 443

Should see "TcpTestSucceeded : True". If False—port closed or blocked.

2. Server Log Analysis

Web server logs and system logs will show timeout cause. On THE.Hosting VPS logs accessible via SSH.

Nginx logs:

tail -f /var/log/nginx/error.log
tail -f /var/log/nginx/access.log

Look for errors like:

• upstream timed out — PHP-FPM didn't respond in time
• connection refused — PHP-FPM not running
• 502 Bad Gateway — backend problem

Apache logs:

tail -f /var/log/apache2/error.log
tail -f /var/log/apache2/access.log

System logs:

journalctl -xe
dmesg | tail -50

Show system-level errors—memory shortage, disk problems, process crashes.

3. Check Server Resource Usage

Exceeding RAM or CPU limits leads to hangs and timeouts. Connect to server via SSH and check load.

CPU and RAM usage:

top

Shows processes, their CPU and memory consumption. Press Shift+M to sort by memory, Shift+P by CPU. If one process eating 90%+ resources—problem in it.

More convenient:

htop

(if not installed: apt install htop)

Disk usage:

df -h

Shows partition fill. If root partition filled to 100%—system can't write logs, create temporary files, work normally.

Find large files:

du -sh /var/log/*
du -sh /var/www/*

Often logs bloat to gigabytes. Clearing old logs frees space.

Check open connections:

netstat -an | grep :80 | wc -l
netstat -an | grep :443 | wc -l

Shows number of active HTTP/HTTPS connections. If thousands—either DDoS or poor keep-alive optimization.

4. Increase PHP Limits

PHP scripts with limited execution time and memory can't process complex requests in time. Increasing limits solves timeouts on heavy pages.

Edit php.ini: Find php.ini file (path depends on PHP version):

php --ini

Shows configuration location. Edit:

nano /etc/php/8.3/fpm/php.ini

Change parameters:

max_execution_time = 300
max_input_time = 300
memory_limit = 512M
post_max_size = 64M
upload_max_filesize = 64M

After changes restart PHP-FPM:

systemctl restart php8.3-fpm

For WordPress can add to wp-config.php:

define('WP_MEMORY_LIMIT', '512M');
set_time_limit(300);

5. Database Optimization

Slow MySQL/MariaDB queries hang for tens of seconds causing timeouts. Database optimization speeds up site.

Check slow queries: Enable slow query log in MySQL. File /etc/mysql/mariadb.conf.d/50-server.cnf:

slow_query_log = 1
slow_query_log_file = /var/log/mysql/slow-query.log
long_query_time = 2

Restart MySQL:

systemctl restart mariadb

After some time open log:

tail -f /var/log/mysql/slow-query.log

See queries executing more than 2 seconds? Optimize them—add indexes, rewrite queries, remove unnecessary JOINs.

Optimize tables:

mysqlcheck -u root -p --optimize --all-databases

Defragments tables, rebuilds indexes. For large database process takes 10-30 minutes.

Clean old dаta: WordPress accumulates database garbage:

DELETE FROM wp_posts WHERE post_status = 'auto-draft' AND post_modified < DATE_SUB(NOW(), INTERVAL 30 DAY);
DELETE FROM wp_postmeta WHERE post_id NOT IN (SELECT ID FROM wp_posts);
DELETE FROM wp_comments WHERE comment_approved = 'spam';
OPTIMIZE TABLE wp_posts, wp_postmeta, wp_comments;

Deletes drafts older than 30 days, orphaned metadata, spam comments.

6. Web Server Configuration for Load

Nginx and Apache configured conservatively by default. For high load need to increase connection and worker limits.

Nginx optimization: File /etc/nginx/nginx.conf:

user www-data;
worker_processes auto;
worker_rlimit_nofile 65535;

events {
    worker_connections 4096;
    use epoll;
    multi_accept on;
}

http {
    sendfile on;
    tcp_nopush on;
    tcp_nodelay on;
    keepalive_timeout 30;
    keepalive_requests 100;
    reset_timedout_connection on;
    client_body_timeout 10;
    send_timeout 10;

    # Caching
    open_file_cache max=10000 inactive=30s;
    open_file_cache_valid 60s;
    open_file_cache_min_uses 2;
    open_file_cache_errors on;
}

Restart Nginx:

nginx -t
systemctl restart nginx

Increase PHP-FPM limits: File /etc/php/8.3/fpm/pool.d/www.conf:

pm = dynamic
pm.max_children = 50
pm.start_servers = 10
pm.min_spare_servers = 5
pm.max_spare_servers = 20
pm.max_requests = 500

Restart:

systemctl restart php8.3-fpm

7. Temporarily Disable Plugins (WordPress)

WordPress plugins cause timeouts when performing heavy operations or conflicting with each other.

Disable all plugins via SSH:

cd /var/www/html/wp-content
mv plugins plugins_disabled

Check site availability. Works? Plugin is problem source.

Return directory:

mv plugins_disabled plugins

Enter WordPress admin, enable plugins one by one until you find culprit.

Disable via database (if admin inaccessible):

mysql -u root -p wordpress_db

UPDATE wp_options SET option_value = '' WHERE option_name = 'active_plugins';

All plugins disabled. Enable manually through admin.

8. Check Server Firewall Settings

Server firewall can block incoming connections from certain IPs or countries.

UFW rules check (Ubuntu):

ufw status verbose

Shows active rules. Make sure ports 80 and 443 open:

ufw allow 80/tcp
ufw allow 443/tcp

iptables check:

iptables -L -n

Look for DROP or REJECT rules for ports 80/443. If found—delete:

iptables -D INPUT [rule_number]

Fail2Ban blocks: Fail2Ban bans IP after several failed login attempts. Check if your IP banned:

fail2ban-client status sshd
fail2ban-client status nginx-limit-req

Unban yourself:

fail2ban-client set sshd unbanip your-IP

9. Contact Hosting Technical Support

If can't solve yourself—contact hosting support. THE.Hosting provides 24/7 support for VPS questions.

What to specify in request:

• Site domain and server IP
• When problem started
• What you already tried to fix
• Error screenshots
• Server access (if required)

Support will check:

• Server availability from their side
• System and web server logs
• Resource usage
• Network connectivity
• Datacenter-level blocks

For infrastructure-level problems (datacenter network, DDoS attack, equipment) only hosting provider can help.

Prevention: How to Avoid ERR_CONNECTION_TIMED_OUT

Prevention easier than treatment. Several simple measures reduce timeout probability to minimum.

For Users

Regular router restart Restart router once a month. Clears memory, resets hung processes, updates routing tables.

Clear browser cache weekly Browser accumulates gigabytes of cache. Periodic clearing prevents outdated data problems.

Use current versions Update browser, operating system, drivers. Manufacturers fix network bugs with each update.

Reliable DNS servers Switch to Cloudflare (1.1.1.1) or Google (8.8.8.8) DNS. More stable than most providers.

For Site Owners

Choose reliable hosting THE.Hosting VPS with NVMe disks ensures stable operation. Shared hosting with overloaded servers—source of constant problems.

Availability monitoring Set up UptimeRobot or StatusCake to check site every 5 minutes. Get notification when site down before visitors start complaining.

Regular backups Daily database and file backup. With serious problems restore site from backup in minutes.

Performance optimization

• Use caching (Redis, Memcached)
• Enable gzip compression
• Optimize images via WebP
• Minify CSS and jаvascript
• Configure CDN for static content

Server resource monitoring Track CPU, RAM, disk usage. THE.Hosting control panel shows graphs for last 24 hours. See approaching limits—upgrade plan in advance.

Regular updates Update WordPress, plugins, themes, PHP, MySQL. Outdated software slower and more vulnerable.

DDoS protection Use Cloudflare to filter attacks. Basic plan free, protects from 90% DDoS.

When to Contact Specialist

Most ERR_CONNECTION_TIMED_OUT cases solved independently in 10-30 minutes. But there are situations requiring professional help.

Contact specialist if:

• Tried all methods from article—didn't help
• Site unavailable for several days
• Problem occurs constantly after temporary fix
• Unclear errors in server logs
• Suspect DDoS attack or hack
• Lack technical knowledge for server configuration

Where to contact:

• Hosting support (THE.Hosting 24/7)
• Freelance specialists
• IT companies specializing in servers
• Admin communities (forums, chats)

Facing ERR_CONNECTION_TIMED_OUT on Your Site?

THE.Hosting VPS with NVMe disks and dedicated resources ensures stable operation without timeouts. European datacenters, 24/7 support, 99.9% uptime.

Order THE.Hosting VPS

FAQ

Can ERR_CONNECTION_TIMED_OUT be fixed in a minute?

Yes, if cause is simple. Try: restart router, clear DNS cache with ipconfig /flushdns command, disable VPN/proxy, open site in incognito mode. One method helps in 40-50% cases.

Does error mean site is hacked or blocked?

No, ERR_CONNECTION_TIMED_OUT is technical connection problem. Hack or provider blocking give different errors (403 Forbidden, ERR_CONNECTION_REFUSED). Timeout means server silent or unreachable.

Why does error appear only on one site?

Problem on specific site side—server overloaded, web server crashed, hosting resources exhausted, DDoS attack. Check availability via isitdownrightnow.com. If site down for everyone—wait for owner restoration.

Does changing browser help?

Sometimes yes. If doesn't open in Chrome but Firefox opens—problem in Chrome settings or extensions. Reset Chrome to initial settings or reinstall browser.

How to know problem is with provider?

Site doesn't open from home internet but opens via mobile internet (4G/5G different operator). Or opens at friend's with different provider. Call provider, describe problem—possible local maintenance or routing.

How long to wait for restoration if problem on server?

Depends on cause. Server restart—5 minutes. Recovery after crash—30-60 minutes. Massive DDoS attack—hours. Datacenter failure—day. If it's your site—contact hosting support for clarification.