ERR_CONNECTION_TIMED_OUT: What it is and how to fix it

ERR_CONNECTION_TIMED_OUT is a connection error that can appear in Google Chrome and browsers such as Opera, Microsoft Edge, and Vivaldi, as well as others that share the same common ground with Google’s product.

Technically, the error defines a situation where the destination server of the site you are trying to access takes too long to respond, preventing the browser from displaying the destination page on your screen. The error can have several different causes and, in the following list, TechTudo gives tips to isolate the problem and try to solve it.

1. Check the connection

Check the connection

Since it concerns a delay in data exchange between the browser and the network, it is possible that the problem originates from an unstable or slow Internet connection, or even congested by too many simultaneous users and devices. If you are on Wi-Fi, it may be worth moving closer to the router or somewhere where the connection is better.

If you are encountering the problem even on cable and at points of good coverage, you can also try disconnecting and reconnecting your computer to the network. Another measure is to restart the router from the Internet.

2. Disable firewall and antivirus temporarily

Disable firewall and antivirus temporarily

Occasionally your computer’s firewall and antivirus may give false positives about a legitimate website, blocking its access and preventing you from accessing it. This type of occurrence is rarer, but since the test is simple, it is worth checking if you trust the destination address.

How you can temporarily disable your antivirus will vary from product to product. It is recommended that you choose a disabling that allows you to restart your computer and then test and verify that the site can be accessed. In any case, always remember to reactivate the real-time protection soon after so that you are not exposed to malware.

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3. Clear the browser cache

Your Internet browser stores data from the websites you visit as a way to speed up browsing, so you need to clear browser cache. This means that instead of fetching this information from scratch every time you open the page, the browser loads this data into memory to open the target site more quickly. However, this strategy can fail if there is a mismatch between the data in the local cache and a new version of the site.

Clear chrome cache

To correct this, you should delete the cached data from your browser. Each browser has a specific way of presenting mechanisms for this, but in Chrome the way is: “Settings”, “More tools” and “Clear browsing data”. On the screen that will appear, make sure you select the corresponding option and confirm with “Clear data”.

4. Clear the DNS cache

DNS server is the mechanism responsible for translating your address request, something like “www.techidence.com” to the IP address corresponding to that website. Similar to what happens with browser caching, DNS can end up retaining inconsistent information that, incompatible with the actual data of the target site, prevents you from accessing it.

Clear the DNS cache

You can delete the DNS cache simply: just run the Windows 10 Command Prompt as an administrator and, on the command line, enter: “ipconfig /flushdns” (without the quotes).

5. Check the Windows hosts file

The Windows hosts file is a file where you can list and shift network addresses. You can map IP addresses and destinations by overriding DNS: it is often used by network administrators to block specific sites on internal networks, such as adult content pages or social networks in companies, for example.

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The address of the website you are trying to open may be listed in the host’s file, preventing the browser from actually finding and displaying it. To check the contents of the file on your computer, you need to perform a simple process.

Run a text or code editor – such as Notepad – as administrator. Then open the document using “Open” and browse your Windows/System32/drivers/etc folders. If your file looks like the one in the image, there is nothing blocked on your connection. If there is additional information, with addresses and IPs, then your hosts are blocking or redirecting these addresses.

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