Are you lot seeing the "ERR_CONNECTION_TIMED_OUT" error in your browser? Non a very helpful fault bulletin, is it? If y'all are a daily WordPress user, then information technology's always skillful to exist aware of mutual errors similar these that might prevent yous from getting admission to your website.

In today'southward mail service, we're going to take a deep dive into the "ERR_CONNECTION_TIMED_OUT" error and examine why yous might see this and what yous can do to fix information technology rapidly. Only put, it's an indication that the system is unavailable and the time given for one to connect has elapsed, and now the request has timed out. Only what does that actually hateful?

Allow's discover out!

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What is the ERR_CONNECTION_TIMED_OUT Error?

An ERR_CONNECTION_TIMED_OUT fault typically means there is something wrong with your local network connection. However, that's non always the case.

According to the WordPress support documentation, a connection timed out error appears when your website is trying to practise more than your server can manage. It's 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 thirty seconds or and then until information technology terminates the connection. Afterward which it will return an "ERR_CONNECTION_TIMED_OUT" error, indicating a advice problem. In Google Chrome you might see this as "This site can't be reached. Domain.com took besides long to respond."

ERR_CONNECTION_TIMED_OUT error in Chrome
ERR_CONNECTION_TIMED_OUT error in Chrome

Due to all the dissimilar web browsers, operating systems, and servers, the error can nowadays itself in a number of different ways. But about of them have the same or similar meaning. "ERR_NETWORK_CHANGED" and "ERR_CONNECTION_REFUSED" are two very closely related errors that tin ordinarily be solved with the aforementioned troubleshooting steps below.

Another common error code that appears under 'This site can't be reached' is the DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_NXDOMAIN, which is a DNS error that essentially means the domain that was requested doesn't exist.

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

Mozilla Firefox

In Mozilla Firefox the error will prove as "The connection has timed out." The server at domain.com is taking too long to reply.

ERR_CONNECTION_TIMED_OUT error in Firefox
ERR_CONNECTION_TIMED_OUT mistake in Firefox

Microsoft Border

In Microsoft Edge, the error will show as "Hmmm… can't reach this folio. Domain.com took too long to reply." In Edge, however, information technology does as well incorporate the "ERR_CONNECTION_TIMED_OUT" fault.

ERR_CONNECTION_TIMED_OUT error in Edge
ERR_CONNECTION_TIMED_OUT error in Edge

Safari

In Safari, the error will evidence every bit "Safari Tin't Open the Folio. Safari tin can't open up 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 error in Safari

How to Set up the ERR_CONNECTION_TIMED_OUT Fault

Where should you start troubleshooting if you see this error on your WordPress site? Without a not bad deal of context, it can sometimes be frustrating and overwhelming where to even begin. Typically these are either client-side problems (issues with your network connection or firewall) or an event with the server at which the site is hosted (retentiveness limits, execution times, etc.).

ane. Cheque Your Connectedness

Google Chrome, Firefox, and Border all recommend that yous should check your network connection. While this might audio obvious, they all point to checking your connexion showtime as it's ane of the nearly common reasons for the mistake. Here are a few things we recommend:

  • Restart your home or function router. This merely takes a few minutes and solves more problems than a lot of people would like to admit. To completely power cycle it, disconnect the power supply and and then await 30 seconds before plugging it dorsum in.
  • Bank check to see if y'all're on a bad or boring wifi connection. This is a common occurrence on decorated public wifi hotspots such as coffee shops or airports.

2. Disable Firewall and Antivirus Software Temporarily

Firewalls and antivirus software are intended to protect users and their systems. They scan your device regularly and automatically cake any suspicious activity. However, this type of security can at times atomic number 82 to connection issues.

This is because firewalls can often block pages they don't need to or reject content that is completely safe. We've seen this happen many times with software like AVG. To bank check whether this is the case for you, attempt disabling your firewall and antivirus programs. Of form, this is simply advised if you know for sure that the site you lot're intending to visit is safe.

Additionally, you should simply disable this kind of software temporarily. Switch it back on subsequently you lot've finished checking to see whether the error has been resolved, so yous don't become vulnerable to attacks. If y'all repeatedly encounter errors because of your firewall or antivirus software, yous may desire to consider changing what you're using.

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

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

iii. Disable Proxy Settings

Sometimes y'all might see the ERR_CONNECTION_TIMED_OUT error if you are utilizing a proxy service. This is usually pretty rare, especially on the client-side. However, i might have been ready without y'all fifty-fifty knowing information technology. To disable or bank check to ensure no proxy settings are enabled, follow these steps.

Access the Settings card in your Chrome browser. This will open up upward the complete carte of options. Nether the Organisation section (you'll demand to click Advanced at the lesser to see this), you should find an entry titled Open proxy settings. By selecting information technology, yous'll be taken to the corresponding bill of fare:

Open Proxy Settings in Chrome
Open up Proxy Settings in Chrome

Your adjacent step depends on the arrangement you're currently using. Windows users will want to click on LAN Settings and uncheck the Employ proxy server for LAN option. If you're a Mac user, you should immediately discover yourself in the relevant menu. You'll then have to uncheck all selectable proxy protocols and check to meet if the ERR_CONNECTION_TIMED_OUT message has been resolved.

Uncheck proxies on Mac
Uncheck proxies on Mac

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

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

The aforementioned goes if yous're using a VPN like ExpressVPN or TunnelBear. Make sure you're not connected by accident.

4. Change DNS Servers

The next thing you lot can try is irresolute your DNS servers. By default, DNS servers are automatically assigned by your Isp. But y'all could try temporarily changing these to a public DNS server, such every bit Google or Cloudflare.

  • Some prefer to utilize Google'due south public DNS (8.8.8.8 and 8.8.four.iv) long-term due to them sometimes existence more than reliable.
  • Cloudflare also offers secure and blazing fast free DNS (1.1.ane.i and 1.0.0.1) which we will exist using in this example. If you want to use Google's the steps are the same, you merely supervene upon the DNS server addresses with Googles.

Tip: If you lot're already using a costless DNS server and having issues, removing it and defaulting dorsum to your Internet access provider's DNS servers besides sometimes ready things.

Google and Cloudflare aren't perfect 100% of the time and there have been a few instances where we've noticed switching back has resolved the issue. This is peculiarly true if y'all're using a Wifi hotspot in an airport or coffee shop.

Windows

In Windows simply open up Command Prompt past pressing the Windows logo key and R. And then type "control panel" and hit Enter.

Run Control Panel Windows
Run Control Console Windows

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

Change adapter settings
Change adapter settings

Right click on your current connection, this will either be Local Area Connection or Wireless Network Connexion based on how you're connecting. And then click on "Properties."

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Wireless connection properties
Wireless connection backdrop

Select Internet Protocol Version 4 (or Version 6 if desired) and click on "Properties."

IPV 4 properties
IPV 4 properties

Make a notation of whatsoever existing settings in instance you lot need to revert dorsum. Click "Use the following DNS server addresses." Enter the post-obit, or replace the existing with these:

For IPv4:i.1.1.1 and1.0.0.1
For IPv6:2606:4700:4700::1111 and2606:4700:4700::1001

DNS server addresses
DNS server addresses

Click OK, and so Close. Restart your browser.

Mac

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

Mac system preferences
Mac system preferences

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

Mac network advanced
Mac network advanced

Click on the "DNS" tab.

Mac DNS
Mac DNS

Then add Cloudflare'south DNS server addresses.

For IPv4:1.1.1.1 and1.0.0.1
For IPv6:2606:4700:4700::1111 and2606:4700:4700::1001

5. Flush/Renew DNS

You tin can besides endeavour flushing your local DNS enshroud. This is like to immigration your browser cache. It could be that the site you're trying to visit isn't resolving to the right IP address. If you've simply migrated your WordPress site to a new host, it's important to expect for things to fully propagate. This tin sometimes take upwardly to 24 hours, although information technology can be as trivial as a few minutes. This depends on your DNS provider and the TTL value of your DNS records.

Windows

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

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

You lot should see a "Successfully flushed the DNS resolver Cache" if it worked.

Mac

For macOS users, you can enter the post-obit in the terminal:

dscacheutil -flushcache
dscacheutil -flushcache
Mac affluent enshroud

Notation: There is no success bulletin on Macs.

6. Cheque Your Hosts File

Every calculator 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 lot desire to preview your DNS before switching over domains to a new host. Or maybe you take a local development site running using a tool like DevKinsta, Vagrant or Docker.

There is a multitude of dissimilar ways this file could have been changed or edited. Therefore, it'south always adept to check to ensure the website you lot're trying to admission isn't in in that location. Just follow the steps below.

Windows

The hosts file typically requires boosted access. And then the start step is to open up up your text editor equally an administrator. Simply click on your start menu, search for your text editor, correct-click on it and select "Run as administrator." This can be done in whatsoever text editor such as Notepad, Notepad++, Atom, 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 post-obit location:

C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc\

Click on the hosts file and "Open up."

open hosts file
Open hosts file

Double-bank check and make certain the website y'all're trying to visit isn't listed in there. If information technology is, remove information technology.

Mac

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

Get to Utilities and and so click on "Terminal."

Mac utilities terminal
Mac utilities terminal

Enter in the following command and press Enter (you volition most probable be prompted for your administrator countersign as well).

sudo nano /private/etc/hosts

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

Edit hosts file on Mac
Edit hosts file on Mac

7. Cheque the DNS of Your Domain

You lot should also verify that the DNS of your domain is correctly pointed to your hosting provider. If yous'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, it could be the DNS was buried incorrectly on your figurer. In which case, step 5 above should resolve that. Or it may but be too soon and you need to wait a few hours for the DNS to fully propagate.

8. Articulate Browser Cache

Web browsers store information in cache on your calculator. This includes your browsing history, saved login information, and cookies – all of which are recorded in order to load the relevant pages more quickly the next fourth dimension they're visited.

Although they're useful, caches can cause numerous issues when they become outdated. Fortunately, this trouble is easily solved by immigration your enshroud.

Merely before you practice that, you can easily cheque to come across if it's a browser enshroud issue by beginning opening up your browser in incognito mode. Or yous can endeavor a different browser. If you're still seeing the mistake, and so you volition desire to keep with clearing your enshroud.

In this example, we'll be using Google Chrome. Begin past opening upwardly the primary menu (in the meridian-right corner of your browser window). From in that location, select More Tools: You lot can then click on Clear browser data.

Chrome clear browsing data
Chrome clear browsing information

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 simply remove the most recent entries, which won't event in the desired outcome:

Clear browsing data
Articulate browsing data

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

chrome://settings/clearBrowserData

The resulting screen should grant y'all access to the same options nosotros've outlined above. Hither are another helpful links for clearing cache.

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

nine. Wait at The Maximum Execution Time

The residual 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 assist fix the "ERR_CONNECTION_TIMED_OUT" error.

The first is the maximum execution time ready for your site. On most servers, the default time is fix 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't easily modify this from WordPress as the php.ini file is located on your server. To modify this, we recommend reaching out to your hosting provider to come across if they can help. At Kinsta, we set up the default maximum execution time to 300 seconds.

If you desire to try and modify this yourself, information technology tin can usually be washed with one of the following options. Both volition depend on how your hosting provider configures their servers.

Selection one – Modify Max Execution Time in php.ini File

If you have a php.ini file in your home directory, detect the max_execution_time parameter and modify it. For example, if it'due south set up to xxx seconds, you can increase it to 300 seconds.

max_execution_time = 300

Option 2 – Alter 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 height of your .htaccess file:

php_value max_execution_time 300

x. Temporarily Disable Your Plugins

As with most WordPress errors, a plugin tin can definitely be the root of the problem. To decide if that's what'south happening, y'all'll need to disable all of your site's plugins. Notwithstanding, if y'all're getting the "ERR_CONNECTION_TIMED_OUT" error it means you don't have access to your WordPress admin area. This ways you volition demand to SFTP into your site. We recommend using FileZilla.

Once your SFTP client is gear up, connect to your website through it and navigate to your WordPress root folder. In case you lot can't observe it, it'due south usually called public_html, html, public, www, or your site's proper name. If you're a Kinsta customer, information technology's your public folder.

WordPress root folder SFTP
WordPress root folder SFTP

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

What you're going to do now is right-click on the plugins folder, and rename information technology to something else. We recommendplugins.old orplugins.deactivated, so you can easily recognize it later.

WordPress plugins folder renamed
WordPress plugins folder renamed

WordPress will now not be able to discover any of your plugins. When that happens, it will automatically disable those plugins.

Now, try accessing your WordPress dashboard. If the timeout mistake is gone, then you lot can assume that i of your plugins was the culprit. All you take to do is effigy out which one was at fault.

Return to thewp-content directory, and rename your original plugins binder correctly. Then, you lot'll need to disable each of your plugins one by 1, until you discover the culprit.

To exercise this, open thewp-content/plugins directory. Inside, you'll find one folder for each of your plugins. The procedure you're going to follow is much the aforementioned as before:

  1. Commencement with the offset binder, and rename it to anything you like.
  2. Bank check your website to run across if the error is gone.
  3. If it isn't, return the plugin folder from the previous pace to its original proper name.
  4. Motion on to the side by side plugin on your list, repeating the above steps.

This process tin take a while if yous take a lot of plugins, but information technology's vital to check each plugin in turn. If at any point you identify the plugin that's causing the error, you can uninstall information technology or replace it with another tool.

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

xi. Temporarily Revert to Default Theme

Now that you've ruled out your plugins equally the cause of the timeout error, it's time to do the aforementioned with your active theme. In fact, your theme could also be creating compatibility issues.

Unfortunately, the process doesn't piece of work the same every bit above. WordPress won't revert to the default theme if just rename the theme folder, you would end up with an error like "The theme directory "theme name" does not be." Or if you endeavour to rename the unabridged theme directory folder, you end up with "ERROR: The themes directory is either empty or doesn't be. Please check your installation."

Therefore, you lot demand to admission your WordPress database past logging into phpMyAdmin. If you lot're a Kinsta client, this can be found within the "Info" section of the MyKinsta dashboard.

MyKinsta phpMyAdmin
MyKinsta phpMyAdmin

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

phpMyAdmin wp_options table
phpMyAdmin wp_options tabular array

Under the "option_value" column you will meet the current name of your theme. Change this to one of the default themes, such every bit "twentynineteen."

wp_options template name
wp_options template proper name

Check your website again to run across if this has fixed the error. If it did, it only means it's a problem with your WordPress theme and yous might desire to try reinstalling information technology or reverting to your about contempo backup.

12. Increase the Memory Limit

The WP_MEMORY_LIMIT parameter allows you to specify the maximum amount of memory that tin can exist consumed past PHP. If yous are using shared hosting, it'due south nigh probable set to a depression value such every bit 64M. At Kinsta, we set the default retentivity limit to 256M.

Yous can increase the memory limit by adding the following to your wp-config.php file. This must be placed higher up the wp-settings.php inclusion.

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

Not certain what your current PHP retention limit is set to? If y'all have admission to your WordPress dashboard and are running WordPress 5.2 or to a higher place, y'all can run into the PHP retentivity limit nether 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, merely hopefully, you have a petty more knowledge in your toolbelt at present to help resolve it quickly.

Information technology's important to remember that the "ERR_CONNECTION_TIMED_OUT" error be a result of a client-side problem such every bit your network connexion, or an issue with the server where your WordPress site is hosted. Have any other tips to resolve this error? Let us know below in the comments.

(Suggested reading: Learn how to fix the ERR_CACHE_MISS mistake in Chrome)


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