What Is an Error Code 522 and How to Fix It: Comprehensive Guide 

Key takeaways: 

• Error Code 522 is an issue between Cloudflare and your origin server, indicating a server-side problem. 
• Resolving Error 522 requires a systematic approach, starting with verifying server online status and building on from that. 
• Persistent Error 522s can damage your website’s SEO, reduce crawlability, and potentially lead to ranking drops. 

An “Error Code 522: Connection Timed Out” message, like any other internet error, frustrates website owners and visitors. Understanding the error and its causes makes it easier to solve it and keep your website fully accessible. 

This article will focus on Error Code 522 characteristics, plus strategies to prevent its recurrence for a consistently online and responsive site. 

What does error code 522 mean? 

Source: Cloudflare 

Error Code 522, often displayed as “Connection Timed Out,” occurs when Cloudflare attempts a transmission control protocol (TCP) connection to a web server, but it does not respond to HTTP requests in time. The lack of response leaves Cloudflare waiting, eventually leading to the timeout error. It’s like calling someone, the phone rings, but they never pick up. 

Fixing the error primarily involves resolving issues on your origin server or its network configuration that make it non-responsive. Several issues can cause this, ranging from server overload to incorrect firewall settings or DNS issues. 

What is a “Connection Timed Out” message? 

A “connection timed out” message indicates that a network request did not receive a timely response from the destination server. This isn’t a problem with establishing the initial link, but rather with the subsequent data exchange or the lack of response within a predetermined time limit. In Cloudflare’s case, this timeout typically occurs after 60 seconds. 

How does Cloudflare trigger this error? 

When a user requests your website, Cloudflare intercepts it, processes it, and then forwards it to your actual web server (the “origin server“). Cloudflare then waits for your origin server to send back the necessary data. 

If your origin server doesn’t respond within 60 seconds, Cloudflare will trigger the 522 error and display it to the user. The Cloudflare error prevents users from experiencing pages that load indefinitely and helps manage the CDN’s resources efficiently. 

What causes error code 522? 

Several factors can cause your origin server to fail to respond to Cloudflare, resulting in Error 522. Understanding what causes it is the first step toward effective troubleshooting. Here are some reasons why such an error appears: 

• The origin server is offline or overloaded. The most straightforward reason is that your web server is simply down, inaccessible, or overwhelmed by too many requests. The problem might stem from too many people trying to access the site at once, the server not having enough capacity, inefficient programming, or an imbalance in how traffic is distributed. 
• IP addresses are not whitelisted. Cloudflare uses a specific range of IP addresses. If your server’s firewall or security groups don’t whitelist these IPs – or don’t explicitly grant access only to this pre-approved list of IP addresses, while blocking all others – it will block Cloudflare’s requests. 
• Incorrect Domain Name System (DNS) settings. Misconfigurations in your DNS records, particularly your A record (which points to your server’s IP address), can prevent Cloudflare from correctly locating and connecting to your origin server. 
• Keep-Alive is disabled on the origin server. If the Keep-Alive header is disabled or improperly configured on your origin server, it can lead to delayed server responses, resulting to 522 errors. 
• Slow server or hosting plan. A web server with insufficient resources or a slow hosting plan can’t process Cloudflare’s requests within the 60-second timeout limit, especially under high traffic. 
• Blocked ports. Your server or network may have blocked certain ports required for web traffic (e.g., 80 for HTTP or 443 for HTTPS). 

How to fix error code 522 (step-by-step) 

Resolving 522 errors call for an orderly method, starting with the most common causes. Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you resolve the issue. 

Step 1: Check if your origin server is online 

Confirm that your origin web server is online and responsive: 

1. Open your browser. 
2. Try accessing your site directly via the origin server’s IP address (not your domain name, unless you configured your DNS to bypass Cloudflare). For example, try http://YOUR_SERVER_IP/ or https://YOUR_SERVER_IP/ in your browser. If you can access your site this way, your server is likely online. 
3. Note: If you don’t know your server IP, you can usually find it in your hosting control panel (cPanel, Plesk, etc.) or by checking your domain’s A record before Cloudflare was enabled. 

If your server is offline, contact your hosting provider immediately. If not, proceed to the next step. 

Step 2: Review your DNS and IP address settings 

Ensure that Cloudflare is pointing to the correct IP address for your origin server: 

1. Log in to your Cloudflare account. 
2. Navigate to the DNS section for your domain. 
3. Verify that your A record (or CNAME, if applicable) points to the public IP address of your origin server. If you’ve recently migrated hosts or changed server IPs, this is a common point of failure. 

Correct any old or incorrect IP addresses, give it some time for DNS propagation, then check your site. If it still doesn’t fix your issue, proceed to the next step. 

Step 3: Make sure Cloudflare IPs are whitelisted 

Check if your server’s firewall or security settings are blocking Cloudflare’s IP ranges: 

1. Get Cloudflare’s latest IP ranges from their official website. 
2. Access your server’s firewall (e.g., iptables on Linux, Windows Firewall, or your hosting provider’s firewall management interface). 
3. If you use a web application firewall (WAF) like ModSecurity, check its logs for blocked requests from Cloudflare IPs. 
4. Add all Cloudflare IP ranges to your firewall’s whitelist to allow incoming connections. 

After whitelisting, test your site. If a 522 still appears, proceed to the next step. 

Step 4: Enable Keep-Alive and check server performance 

Verify that you enabled Keep-Alive on your web server and that your server has sufficient resources. 

For Keep-Alive: 

• Apache: Check your httpd.conf or virtual host configuration for Keep-Alive On and a reasonable Keep-Alive timeout (e.g., 60-120 seconds). Nginx: Look for Keep-Alive timeout directives in your nginx.conf. Then, restart your web server software after making changes. 

For server performance: 

1. Monitor your server’s CPU, RAM, and disk I/O usage during peak traffic times. 
2. Check your server’s access and error logs for issues like database errors or excessive load. 
3. If your site is using more resources, consider improving your website’s code, database queries, or your hosting plan. 

Optimize Keep-Alive and address performance bottlenecks to resolve 522 errors. If you still come across the same issue, proceed to the last step. 

Step 5: Review firewall, server logs, or contact hosting 

If you haven’t solved the issue yet, inspect your server’s logs and consult your hosting provider: 

• Server logs. Examine your web server access logs (e.g., Apache access_log, Nginx access.log) and error logs (error_log) around the time the 522 error occurred. Look for any unusual activity, errors, or requests from Cloudflare IPs that did not receive a response.
• Firewall logs. Check dedicated firewall logs (if available) for any blocked connections that might not be immediately apparent from general server logs. 
• Hosting provider. If you still can’t identify the cause, contact your hosting provider’s support. Provide them with details about the error, the steps you’ve already taken, and the exact timestamps of the 522 errors. 
• If Cloudflare’s network might be implicated (though rare for a 522), you might also contact Cloudflare support for further diagnosis.  

Check all the areas mentioned above. This step often uncovers more complex issues or confirms a problem on the hosting provider’s end. 

Does error code 522 affect SEO or users? 

Error Code 522 can significantly impact your website search engine optimization (SEO) and user experience (UX). Make sure to fix it immediately to avoid the following: 

• Reduced crawlability. If crawlers cannot access your site, they cannot index new content or re-index existing content. 
• Ranking drops. A site that frequently returns 522 errors will likely see its rankings drop, as it shows poor and unreliable UX. 
• De-indexing. In severe and prolonged cases, search engines might temporarily de-index a site with recurring 5xx errors (including 522). 
• Increased bounce rate. Users expect immediate access to websites. An error page is an immediate barrier which leads to frustration. Users will likely leave your site immediately and not return, increasing your bounce rate. 
• Loss of trust. Repeated errors can lead users to believe your website is unreliable or poorly maintained, driving them to competitors. 

How can you prevent error code 522 in the future? 

Preventing 522 errors involves proactive server management, proper configuration, and monitoring. Here are key strategies for reducing these errors: 

• Ensure sufficient server resources. Regularly monitor your hosting server’s CPU, RAM, and disk I/O. If your traffic grows or your website becomes more resource-intensive, your current hosting plan might become inadequate. 
• Upgrade your hosting plan. If resource exhaustion is a recurring issue, it’s better to invest in a more robust hosting plan (e.g., from shared to VPS, dedicated, or cloud hosting). 
• Optimize server performance. This involves fine-tuning your server and website so they can handle requests more efficiently. 
• Code optimization. Review your website’s code for inefficiencies. Optimize database queries, reduce unnecessary loops, and ensure efficient script execution. 
• Web server configuration. Fine-tune your web server (Apache, Nginx) for optimal performance. Adjust Keep-Alive settings, worker processes, and connection limits. 
• Database optimization. Regularly optimize your database tables and indexes. Consider using database caching. 
• Implement robust caching. Utilize caching mechanisms at various levels. 
• Browser caching. Instruct browsers to cache static assets (images, CSS, JS). 
• Server-side caching. Use object caching (e.g., Redis, Memcached) for dynamic content. 
• Cloudflare caching. Use Cloudflare’s caching capabilities to serve content directly from its edge network, reducing requests to your origin server. 
• Whitelist Cloudflare IPs. To ensure uninterrupted communication, maintain an up-to-date whitelist of all Cloudflare IP addresses in your server’s firewall. 
• Use uptime monitoring tools. Implement reliable uptime monitoring tools that notify you immediately if your server goes offline or unresponsive. Many services offer this, often pinging your server every few minutes. 
• Check server logs regularly. Review your server’s error and access logs regularly. These logs often warn early about performance issues or configuration problems that could lead to 522 errors. 
• Review Cloudflare DNS settings. Double-check your DNS settings in Cloudflare to ensure your A records correctly point to your origin server’s IP address. 
• Turn on Keep-Alive. Ensure Keep-Alive is enabled and configured with appropriate timeouts on your web server to maintain persistent connections. 

Reduce Error 522s with Network Solutions 

Error Code 522 shows that your origin web server is struggling to communicate effectively with Cloudflare. While this can be a nuisance, understanding its root causes encourages you to take targeted action. 

If you want to minimize frustrating Error 522 occurrences, you can depend on Network Solutions’ reliable web hosting solutions and website support services. As a reputable web hosting provider, we can help you resolve these issues by keeping “Connection Timed Out” alerts at bay. 

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