There is nothing more frustrating while you are racing against a deadline when every second counts and that moment from out of nowhere you see the ERR-CONNECTION-TIMED-OUT error on your Browser. Nowadays, the internet is an essential part of our lives, and when you see “ERR_CONNECTION_TIMED_OUT” in your browser, it can be a very stressful situation to deal with, at that time, when you are surfing the internet actively, a Developer, I understand it.

In this article, I will share what the “ERR_CONNECTION_TIMED_OUT” error means, what causes it, and how to fix it. Let’s take a closer look at this problem.

What is an ERR-CONNECTION-TIMED-OUT Error?

The ERR-CONNECTION-TIMED-OUT is a message that appears in your web browser when it can not establish a connection with the website you are trying to visit within a specific time limit.

Why ERR-CONNECTION-TIMED-OUT Error Happen?

Here is the reason for this happening, ERR_CONNECTION_TIMED_OUT Error in your Browser;

• Network problems may prevent your browser from reaching the website. If your Internet connection is weak or fully gone, you can see this error. This is the most common reason for this error.
• When The website’s servers experience down, overload, or other technical problems, I mean the website server is down or its unavailability makes it unreachable.
• In addition, in some cases, if your device has an Antivirus, and has a Firewall on, it can show this error, sometimes some sites, your security software, and settings block the site.
• If your device causes errors in installing old malware, sometimes your browser’s cache and cookies can cause connection problems.

How to Fix the ERR_CONNECTION_TIMED_OUT Error( Best Troubleshooting Methods)?

1. Check Your Internet Connection, is it properly working or not

While showing this ERR_CONNECTION_TIMED_OUT error, your browser first recommends checking the internet connection. Ensure that your internet connection is properly working is very important. In most cases Google Chrome, Firefox, and Microsoft Edge all advise you to check your internet connection first which seems more obvious because this is the most common error. Here are some recommendations,

• Cable and Wifi connections: Ensure all LAN cables and Wifit adapters between your router, modem, and computer are securely connected.
• Restart your PC or Laptop or Mobile: It will take only a few minutes but trust me this is the problem that 50% of users face every single day. You need to disconnect the internet source and after some time plug it back.

2. Erase Browsing Data and Cookies

Browser data such as data, cookies, and saved logins lead to website slowdown that causes the Err- Connection-Timed-out error. sometimes clearing browser history helps us to run websites smoothly.

For Google chrome;

• Open Google Chrome.
• Click the three dots.
• Click on Settings.
• Then Go to Privacy and Secruity and The Click on Clear Browsing Data.
• Select All time
• Click on Clear data.

For Mozilla Firefox;

• Open Firefox
• Click the three lines or hamburger menu
• Go to Settings
• Go to the Privacy & Security panel
• Scroll down to the Cookies and Sites Data.
• Click Clear Data and Clear History.

3. Deactivate Proxy Server settings or VPN in your Computer Control Panel

A Proxy server setting or VPN is a function that user’s IP address, to control which sites can be accessed, and cache site data to improve page loading speed. It works as a middleman for your device and the website you want to visit. sometimes it causes unintentionally Err-Connection-Timed-out-Error.

For windows,

• Open the Control Panel and Select Network and Internet Internet Options.
• In Network & Internet settings in the Internet Properties window. Make sure to off all of the proxy settings like “Automatically detect settings”.
• Use automatic configuration script” and “Use a proxy server for your LAN (These settings will not apply to dial-up or VPN connections)”, and click OK.

For macOS,

• Open system preferences select network
• Click advance settings uncheck all protocols under “select protocols to configure”.
• then click ok and apply to save the changes.

For Linux;

Go to Terminal and hit this command;

nmcli connection show

nmcli connection modify "Wired connection 1" proxy.method none

nmcli connection down "Wired connection 1"

Cache: A browser stores the data so future requests for the data can be served faster. clearing your browser cache can resolve the connectivity issues.

4. Modify DNS service in Network Setting and Add Secure IP

If the issue exists again; now try to modify the DNS service as you have to refresh your DNS and renew your IP address. These caches store the IP addresses of the websites you visit so that you don’t have to type them in the future to visit those websites. As these Caches get old, it gradually accumulates and causes various problems. And that leads to Err-Connection-Timed-Out-Error. So you need to flush The DNS that will reset the DNS Chaces stored on your device.

Here is a simple way to do this in Windows,

• Open the Control Panel and select Network & Internet.
• Then Go to connected Network and Edit DNS setting.
• Most people prefer DNS servers like Google’s 8.8.8.8 and 8.8.4.4 which are more reliable.
• DNS is also secure and free but the steps are the same if you want to use google one replace the DNS.
• Then click ok save the changes and restart your computer.

Here is a simple way to do this in Linux,

• Open Terminal and Hit this command;

1. Create custom DNS configuration file:

sudo nano /etc/NetworkManager/conf.d/dns.conf

2. Add DNS server addresses

[main]
dns=none

[global-dns]
nameservers=8.8.8.8,8.8.4.4

3. Restart NetworkManager

sudo systemctl restart NetworkManage

What is DNS?

This DNS is a system that translates domain names like www.example.com into IP addresses like 193.0.3.1 that’s how our modern devices are used to identify each other on the network.
Sometimes the DNS service you are using might be facing a server down or having huge traffic again sometimes the DNS server address is incorrectly configured and this may cause connection problems.

5. Check your Internet Host files in your System

To fix the ERR-CONNECTION-TIMED-OUT error you may need to check and possibly edit your host file. The host file is a local file that every computer has that used to map hostnames to IP addresses. But sometimes the host file may block a certain IP address or URL, which causes an ERR-CONNECTION-TIMED-OUT error.

Linux:

1. Open a Terminal by Press Ctrl + Alt + T or simply click on icon.

2. Open the Hosts File with a Text Editor by hitting this command;

sudo nano /etc/hosts

3. Look for any lines that might be blocking specific IP addresses or URLs which usually, are not start with a #. If you want to unblock any URL; just add a # at the beginning of the line:

Here you see, The /etc/hosts file you see contains standard entries and does not appear to contain any blocked IP addresses or URLs. If you see these types of interfaces in your Linux, your connection is secure.The lines shown are typical default entries for both IPv4 and IPv6 addresses.

4. Now, Restart Network Services again.

sudo systemctl restart networking

Windows:

• First press the Windows Key type note pad right-click on Notepad and select Run as administration.
• Open Notepad as the administrator
• Go to file open and navigate to \Windows\System32\drivers\etc.
• Then choose the host file. Below the last line begins with the “#” sign that shows the blocked website. Delete them and save your changes by pressing Ctrl + S.

6. Disable Firewall and antivirus software temporarily in your Computer

Antivirus software and Firewall keeps devices safe from unnecessary activities and also blocks websites with suspicious work, so this extra security can cause you connection problems from time to time.

Here is how can you resolve this problem in Windows,

• Open Control panel.
• Click on Update & security then Windows Secruity.
• Then select Firwall and Network Protection, then Turn it Off.
• After doing this, this issue cane be resolved

Conclusion

“ERR_CONNECTION_TIMED_OUT” error mainly happens for internet and Network connection. I hope you have fully understood the issue and troubleshooting steps of fixing this error from this iin-depth article. In addition, if all steps else fail, please contacting your ISP to help you.

Fixing Err_Connection_Timed_Out Error – FAQs

What causes ERR_CONNECTION_TIMED_OUT error?

This error ERR_CONNECTION_TIMED_OUT is usually caused by DNS issues, connection configuration, incorrect proxy settings, and server-side problems or security software blocking the connection.

Can antivirus software cause connection problems?

Yes, Antivirus software and firewalls with high-security configurations may block certain websites, and, as a result, you see this error. You can disable the anti-virus software and off the firewall temporarily to identify the cause and fix it.

What are some common ERR_CONNECTION_TIMED_OUT messages?

Here are the Some common ERR_CONNECTION_TIMED_OUT messages “This site cannot be reached” and “Connection timed out”. These all are indicating something web server is not responding within the expected time.

How can I avoid getting the ERR_CONNECTION_TIMED_OUT error in the future?

You can try optimizing your network settings, clearing your browser cache and cookies, trying a different web browser, disabling any VPN or proxy services, minify the antivirus settings, to avoid ERR_CONNECTION_TIMED_OUT errors in future.

What are the best methods to fix the err_connection_timed_out error?

Here is the quick solution to resolveerr_connection_timed_out error’

1. Please check your internet connection properly work.

2. Disable any proxy server settings or VPN connections .

3. Remove Browser cache and cookie.

4. Temporarily disable firewall and antivirus software when the error ocur.

5. Change the DNS server in your system, 8.8.8.8