Error Code 522 Cloudflare ( How To Fix It )

As website owners, we rely on a stable online presence for our businesses to thrive. However, sometimes, we might encounter an HTTP error message when we access our website, and one of the most common errors that we might face is the Cloudflare Error 522: Connection timed out.

This error message indicates that the connection between Cloudflare’s edge servers and the origin server, such as an Amazon S3 bucket, has timed out. This error can occur for a variety of reasons, including network congestion, server overload, or misconfiguration. In this article, we will discuss the main causes of Cloudflare Error 522 and three confirmed methods to fix it.

What is Cloudflare Error 522?

Cloudflare Error 522 is an HTTP error message that appears on a website that uses Cloudflare’s CDN. It indicates that Cloudflare’s edge servers were not able to connect to the origin server within the given time limit, causing the connection to time out.

As a result, the website cannot be accessed by the user. This error message can be caused by several reasons, such as server overload, firewall blocking Cloudflare requests, incorrect IP address, or KeepAlive disabled.

Main Causes of Cloudflare Error 522

There are several reasons why the Cloudflare Error 522 message might appear on your website. Let’s take a look at some of the most common causes of this error message:

Server Overload: If your server is receiving more requests than it can handle, it might lead to a connection timeout, resulting in the Cloudflare Error 522 message.
Firewall Blocks Cloudflare Requests: Your firewall might be configured to block requests from Cloudflare’s IP addresses, which can cause the connection to time out.
Incorrect IP Address: If the IP address of your origin server is incorrect or not updated, it can cause a connection timeout between Cloudflare’s edge servers and your origin server.
KeepAlive Disabled: KeepAlive is a connection header that allows multiple requests to be sent over a single TCP connection. If KeepAlive is disabled on your server, it can increase CPU and memory usage, leading to a connection timeout.

Six Steps to Fix Cloudflare Error 522

If you encounter the Cloudflare Error 522 message on your website, don’t worry; here are three confirmed methods that you can use to fix it:

Step 1: Review Your DNS Settings

The first step is to review your DNS settings to ensure that your website’s traffic is being routed correctly through Cloudflare. Ensure that your Cloudflare account is active and that you have not disabled it. Review your DNS settings and ensure that they are set up correctly.

Step 2: Enable KeepAlive and htaccess

KeepAlive is a connection header that allows multiple requests to be sent over a single TCP connection, reducing the number of connections between the client and server. Enabling KeepAlive can reduce CPU and memory usage and improve website performance.

To enable KeepAlive, you can add the following line to your server’s configuration file:

KeepAlive On

Additionally, the htaccess file is a configuration file that can help configure additional features for websites on the Apache web server. You can use this file to optimize website performance by setting rules that control website access, caching, and redirects. For Hostinger users, you can find the htaccess file inside the File Manager.

Step 3: Review nginx.conf

nginx.conf is the main configuration file of NGINX, the open-source web server software. This file can help you optimize your website performance by setting rules for proxy buffering, caching, and gzip compression. Additionally, you can use the nginx.conf file to allow Cloudflare IPs to bypass your server’s firewall.

For Hostinger users, you can find the nginx.conf file inside the File Manager.

Step 4: Allow Cloudflare IPs

Another reason behind the Cloudflare Error 522 is a firewall feature that blocks Cloudflare’s IP addresses. To fix this issue, you need to allow Cloudflare IPs to bypass your server’s firewall.

For Hostinger users, you can follow these steps to allow Cloudflare IPs:

Log in to your hPanel and navigate to Hosting → Advanced → IP Blocker.
Scroll down to the bottom of the page and click on the Cloudflare IPs button.
Click on the Allow button to add all Cloudflare IPs to the whitelist.

Step 5: Disable Cloudflare

If none of the above steps resolves the Cloudflare Error 522 issue, you may need to disable Cloudflare temporarily. Disabling Cloudflare will allow your website to bypass the Cloudflare CDN and connect directly to your origin server. This will help you determine if the Cloudflare CDN is causing the issue.

For Hostinger users, you can follow these steps to disable Cloudflare:

Log in to your Cloudflare account.
Click on the Overview tab and select the website you want to disable Cloudflare for.
Click on the Pause Cloudflare on Site button.
Confirm that you want to disable Cloudflare.

Step 6: Restart Cloudflare Account

If you have tried all of the above steps and the Cloudflare Error 522 issue persists, you may need to restart your Cloudflare account. This will help you reset your account’s settings and clear any cached data that may be causing the issue.

To restart your Cloudflare account, follow these steps:

Log in to your Cloudflare account.
Click on the Overview tab and select the website you want to restart.
Click on the Settings button.
Scroll down to the Advanced section and click on the Restart all systems button.
Confirm that you want to restart your Cloudflare account.

Other Ways to Optimize Your Server Capacity

Aside from the three confirmed methods mentioned above, there are other ways to improve your server capacity and reduce the risk of encountering the Cloudflare Error 522 message. Here are some tips:

Reduce the Number of Plugins: Too many plugins on your website can increase resource usage, leading to a connection timeout. Consider reducing the number of plugins to optimize your server capacity.
Upgrade or Change Your Hosting Plan: If your website receives a high volume of traffic, consider upgrading or changing your hosting plan to one that can handle more requests.
Regularly Check Resource Usage: Regularly monitor your server’s resource usage, such as CPU, memory, and disk usage, to ensure that it is not overloaded.
Use a Content Delivery Network (CDN): A CDN can help improve website performance and reduce the risk of connection timeouts by distributing your website’s content across multiple servers worldwide.

Troubleshooting Other Cloudflare Errors

In addition to the Cloudflare Error 522 message, there are other Cloudflare errors that you might encounter. Here are some tips for troubleshooting them:

Error 520: This error message indicates that the connection between Cloudflare’s edge servers and your origin server has failed. To fix this error, review your server logs to identify any issues and ensure that your server is running correctly.
Error 521: This error message indicates that Cloudflare’s edge servers are unable to connect to your origin server. To fix this error, check that your origin server is accessible and that there are no issues with its configuration.

Conclusion

In summary, the Cloudflare Error 522 message can be caused by several reasons, including server overload, firewall blocking Cloudflare requests, incorrect IP address, or KeepAlive disabled.

However, there are three confirmed methods to fix it, including checking your web server, reviewing your Cloudflare DNS settings, and troubleshooting other web server settings.

Additionally, regularly checking your server’s resource usage, reducing the number of plugins, upgrading or changing your hosting plan, and using a CDN can help optimize your server capacity and reduce the risk of encountering the Cloudflare Error 522 message.

Remember that if none of these methods works, you can always contact Cloudflare support for further assistance.