Connection errors

How to Fix Website Connection Errors (Diagnostic Sequence)

ERR_CONNECTION_REFUSED, ERR_CONNECTION_TIMED_OUT, ERR_CONNECTION_RESET, and friends — what each one means and the exact diagnostic order to follow before contacting your host.

Test connectivity

Quick summary

  • Isolate the layer first: DNS, TCP, TLS, or HTTP.
  • DNS errors look different from TCP/firewall errors.
  • SSL errors throw before the page ever loads.
  • Multi-region testing rules out local network issues.

Decode the error message

  • ERR_NAME_NOT_RESOLVED / NXDOMAIN — DNS layer.
  • ERR_CONNECTION_REFUSED — TCP layer, server rejecting.
  • ERR_CONNECTION_TIMED_OUT — packets dropped, firewall or routing.
  • ERR_CONNECTION_RESET — connection killed mid-handshake, often firewall.
  • NET::ERR_CERT_* — TLS layer, see our SSL guide.
  • 5xx — HTTP reached the server, app returned an error.

Local vs remote: the 60-second test

Open the URL on a different network (mobile data, a VPN, or our diagnostic tools that run from our infrastructure). If it works elsewhere, the issue is between you and the host. If it fails everywhere, it's the host or its upstream.

Troubleshooting workflow

Run through these steps in order. Each step links to the right diagnostic tool.

  1. 1

    Resolve DNS first

    Confirm the hostname returns the expected IP.

    Open DNS Lookup
  2. 2

    Test reachability

    HTTP ping from our network rules out your local issues.

    Open HTTP Ping
  3. 3

    Trace the route

    See where packets stop. Hops timing out point to network issues.

    Open Traceroute
  4. 4

    Check the port directly

    Confirm the service is actually listening on 80/443.

    Open Port Check
  5. 5

    Verify the certificate

    TLS errors stop the page before HTTP runs.

    Open SSL Checker

Recommended next steps

DNS Lookup

HTTP Ping

Traceroute

Port Check

SSL Checker

Troubleshoot DNS errors

Frequently asked questions

What does ERR_CONNECTION_REFUSED mean?

DNS resolved but the server actively rejected the TCP connection — the service isn't listening, or a firewall blocks the port.

What about ERR_CONNECTION_TIMED_OUT?

Packets sent but no response. Usually a firewall silently dropping traffic, a routing problem, or an overloaded server.

Why is the site up for me but not for others?

Cached DNS, regional routing, or a partial outage. Run a multi-region uptime check or test with a VPN.

How do I know if it's the site or my network?

Test the same URL on mobile data and from a different network. If both fail, it's the site or its upstream.

Monitor it continuously

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