⏱️ Browser Error

Fix ERR_CONNECTION_TIMED_OUT Browser Error

📅 Updated: Jan 14, 2026 ⏱️ 5-25 min to fix ✅ 87% Success Rate

⏱️ Browser Timeout Error

Error: ERR_CONNECTION_TIMED_OUT

Browsers: Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Safari

Meaning: Browser waited too long, no response from server

Fix Time: 5-25 minutes

You click on a link or enter a web address. The browser shows a loading animation. You wait. And wait. And wait some more. Then finally, after what feels like forever: "This site can't be reached. ERR_CONNECTION_TIMED_OUT." No webpage, no content—just the digital equivalent of being put on hold indefinitely.

Here's what just happened: your browser tried to connect to the website's server, but after waiting for 30-60 seconds (depending on browser settings), it gave up. Unlike ERR_CONNECTION_REFUSED where the server actively says "no," with a timeout, your browser never gets ANY response—the request just disappears into the void.

Think of it like calling someone who never picks up. You let it ring and ring, but eventually you hang up because there's no answer. That's a timeout. The frustrating part? It could be YOUR network having issues, the website's server being overloaded, or something in between (like your ISP or firewall) blocking or delaying the connection. We'll systematically check each possibility.

Understanding Connection Timeouts

When you try to access a website, several things need to happen in sequence:

  1. DNS lookup - Your browser asks "what's the IP address for this domain?"
  2. TCP handshake - Your computer and the server establish a connection
  3. Data transfer - The server sends you the webpage

A timeout means one of these steps took too long or never completed. Your browser gave up waiting.

Common scenarios causing timeouts:

  • Slow or unstable internet - Your connection is dropping packets or very slow
  • Server is overloaded - Too many people visiting the site at once
  • Firewall blocking connections - Your firewall or antivirus delaying/blocking traffic
  • DNS problems - Can't resolve the domain name to IP address
  • Router/modem issues - Network equipment having problems
  • ISP problems - Your internet provider having outages or routing issues

Fix #1: Check Internet Connection and Restart Router

Start with the most basic possibility: your internet connection itself is the problem.

Checking internet connection
  1. Test internet connectivity:
    • Open a new tab and try visiting multiple different websites
    • Try sites like google.com, youtube.com, wikipedia.org
    • If NONE of them work → internet is down
    • If SOME work but not others → problem might be specific to certain sites
  2. Check WiFi signal strength:
    • Look at WiFi icon in taskbar/menu bar
    • If signal is weak (1-2 bars), move closer to router
    • Try plugging in via Ethernet cable if possible (more stable)
  3. Restart your router and modem:
    • Unplug power from both router and modem
    • Wait 30 seconds
    • Plug modem back in first, wait for lights to stabilize (2 minutes)
    • Then plug router back in
    • Wait for full connection to re-establish
    • Try website again
  4. Try mobile hotspot:
    • Enable hotspot on your phone
    • Connect your computer to it
    • Try accessing the website
    • If it works → problem is with your home internet/router
    • If it still times out → problem is with your computer or the website

Fix #2: Flush DNS and Reset Network Settings

DNS problems are a common cause of timeouts. Let's clear the DNS cache and reset network configuration.

Flushing DNS cache
  1. Windows - Flush DNS and reset network:
    • Open Command Prompt as Administrator
    • Run these commands one by one:
    • ipconfig /flushdns → Clears DNS cache
    • ipconfig /release → Releases IP address
    • ipconfig /renew → Gets new IP from router
    • netsh winsock reset → Resets network stack
    • netsh int ip reset → Resets TCP/IP
    • Restart computer
  2. macOS - Flush DNS:
    • Open Terminal
    • Run: sudo dscacheutil -flushcache; sudo killall -HUP mDNSResponder
    • Enter your password
    • Press Enter
    • Restart browser
  3. Linux - Flush DNS:
    • Open Terminal
    • Run: sudo systemd-resolve --flush-caches
    • Or: sudo /etc/init.d/nscd restart
    • Restart browser
  4. Test website after restarting

Fix #3: Change DNS Servers

Your ISP's DNS servers might be slow or having issues. Switching to public DNS often fixes timeout problems.

Changing DNS servers
  1. Windows - Change DNS:
    • Press Windows + R, type ncpa.cpl, press Enter
    • Right-click your network adapter (WiFi or Ethernet)
    • Select "Properties"
    • Double-click "Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4)"
    • Select "Use the following DNS server addresses"
    • Enter:
      • Preferred: 8.8.8.8 (Google DNS)
      • Alternate: 8.8.4.4
      • OR use Cloudflare: 1.1.1.1 and 1.0.0.1
    • Click OK on all windows
  2. macOS - Change DNS:
    • System Preferences → Network
    • Select your network connection
    • Click "Advanced" button
    • Go to "DNS" tab
    • Click "+" and add: 8.8.8.8
    • Click "+" and add: 8.8.4.4
    • Click OK → Apply
  3. Restart browser and test

Fix #4: Disable Firewall, Antivirus, and VPN Temporarily

Security software can cause timeouts by inspecting or blocking traffic.

  1. Disable Windows Firewall:
    • Open Windows Security
    • Firewall & network protection
    • Turn off firewall for your active network
    • Try website
    • Turn back on immediately after testing
  2. Disable antivirus temporarily:
    • Right-click antivirus icon in system tray
    • Select "Disable protection" or "Pause"
    • Choose 10-15 minutes
    • Try website
    • Re-enable after testing
  3. Disconnect VPN:
    • Fully disconnect VPN (don't just pause)
    • Try website without VPN
    • If it works, try different VPN server
    • Or contact VPN provider about routing issues
  4. If website works with security software off:
    • Add the website to firewall/antivirus whitelist
    • Check for "web shield" or "traffic inspection" features
    • Temporarily disable those specific features

Fix #5: Clear Browser Cache and Reset Browser

Browser cache or corrupted settings can cause timeout issues.

  1. Clear browser cache (all browsers):
    • Press Ctrl + Shift + Delete
    • Select "All time" as time range
    • Check: Cached images and files, Cookies
    • Click "Clear data"
    • Restart browser
  2. Disable browser extensions:
    • Go to Extensions page (chrome://extensions/ or about:addons)
    • Disable ALL extensions
    • Try website
    • If it works, re-enable extensions one by one to find culprit
  3. Reset browser settings:
    • Chrome/Edge: Settings → Reset settings → Restore to defaults
    • Firefox: Help → More Troubleshooting Information → Refresh Firefox
  4. Try different browser:
    • If timeout happens in Chrome, try Firefox or Edge
    • If it works in another browser → problem is browser-specific
    • If timeout occurs in all browsers → system/network issue

💡 Check MTU Settings (Advanced)

If timeouts happen consistently on certain sites but not others, MTU (Maximum Transmission Unit) might be the culprit. Some networks require specific MTU sizes.

Test MTU on Windows:

Open Command Prompt and run:
ping google.com -f -l 1472

If you get "Packet needs to be fragmented" errors, try lower values:
ping google.com -f -l 1450
ping google.com -f -l 1400

Once you find a size that works without fragmentation, set it:
netsh interface ipv4 set subinterface "Wi-Fi" mtu=[working_size] store=persistent

(Replace "Wi-Fi" with your actual adapter name and [working_size] with the number that worked)

Additional Quick Fixes

  • Restart your computer - Simple but effective. Clears network stack and resets connections.
  • Update network drivers - Device Manager → Network adapters → Right-click → Update driver.
  • Disable IPv6 - Network adapter properties → Uncheck "Internet Protocol Version 6". Some networks have IPv6 routing issues.
  • Check proxy settings - Settings → Network → Proxy. Make sure "Use a proxy server" is OFF (unless you intentionally use one).
  • Scan for malware - Run full antivirus scan. Malware can hijack connections causing timeouts.
  • Contact ISP - If all else fails and many sites time out, call your internet provider. Could be outage or line issues.

Common Questions

What's the difference between ERR_CONNECTION_TIMED_OUT and ERR_CONNECTION_REFUSED?

TIMED_OUT means your browser waited but got no response (like no one answering the phone). REFUSED means the server actively rejected the connection (like someone hanging up on you). Both prevent connection, but for different reasons.

Why do timeouts happen more on some websites than others?

Different websites are hosted on different servers with different performance characteristics. A site on a slow or overloaded server will timeout more often. Or your ISP might have routing problems to specific server locations.

Can slow internet cause ERR_CONNECTION_TIMED_OUT?

Yes. If your connection is very slow or dropping packets, the initial connection handshake might take longer than the browser's timeout threshold (usually 30-60 seconds). The browser gives up before connection completes.

Why does restarting my router fix timeout errors?

Routers maintain connection state tables and DNS caches. Over time, these can get corrupted or full. Restarting clears everything and forces fresh connections, often fixing routing issues and stale DNS entries.

I get timeouts only at certain times of day. Why?

Your ISP might be experiencing congestion during peak hours (evenings when everyone's streaming). Or the website's server might be overloaded at popular times. Try accessing during off-peak hours to test.