What Is a 504 Gateway Timeout Error? Causes, Fixes, and Prevention

It's frustrating when you try to visit a website but get stuck, only for a 504 Gateway Timeout error message to eventually appear. Being unable to reach a site is more than a nuisance for business owners — unfortunately, it can result in lost sales and damage to SEO rankings.

In this guide, we’ll explain what a 504 gateway timeout error is, why it happens, and common solutions for the issue.

What is a 504 gateway timeout error?

A 504 gateway timeout error occurs when an upstream server isn't responding to a request. When you use your web browser to access a site, you may get a 504 error if the site doesn't load in time. This could indicate that the server is slow, overloaded, or down. After waiting for a response, the gateway server gives up and sends a 504 error message instead of the requested site. You may also come across 504 errors as an HTTP status code and in other contexts.

If you’re hosting a website, 504 gateway timeout errors can significantly impact your site traffic. Visitors won't be able to access your content, make purchases, or fill out contact forms. In addition, search engines like Google may rate your site as unreliable and remove it from search results.

How to fix a 504 gateway timeout error as a user

If you come across a website that is returning 504 Gateway Timeout errors, there are several steps you can take to resolve the issue. Here are some simple solutions:

Troubleshoot your browser

Refreshing the web page is the first step to take as a website visitor. Sometimes a 504 error is a one-off issue. Sites can glitch or get temporarily overloaded. Reloading the web page gives it another chance to fix the timeout error.

Another option is to use a different web browser. If the page loads without issue, it could indicate an issue with the other browser. You may want to consider clearing your computer’s cookies and deleting your browser’s cache as well. Stored cookies can sometimes stop web pages from loading.

If both browsers are struggling to load a page, it could mean that something is wrong with the web hosting server.

Restart networking devices

Before concluding that there's a hosting problem, it’s also worth rebooting your modem or router. Sometimes these devices experience connectivity issues, leading to timeout errors. Restarting networking devices can clear temporary disruptions.

Check proxy settings

Check the proxy settings on your computer or network. A proxy server is located between your device and the network. It offers enhanced privacy, but incorrect or outdated proxy configurations can block or delay requests to web servers.

After disabling any misconfigured proxies, check whether you still get a timeout error. You shouldn't have any unnecessary interruptions from your proxy server, so if the issue persists, then the problem is likely with the site.

Resolve DNS issues

The domain name server (DNS) connects your browser to the website that you’re trying to reach, and you can sometimes hit speed bumps that cause 504 errors. In addition, if the site recently switched web hosting providers, then there can be DNS issues in the first 48 hours.

Otherwise, you may need to flush the DNS cache on your device, as it may contain outdated DNS information. A flush will force the device to check for updates.

Fixing 504 gateway timeout errors affecting your site

If your website is consistently serving 504 gateway timeout errors, you should address the issue quickly. Here are some of the most important things to check to fix the problem:

Temporarily disable the CDN

The content delivery network (CDN) stores website content so that it can be delivered more quickly to visitors. If there's an outage or misconfiguration, it could cause delays, so try disabling the CDN. Allowing direct server access can help you pinpoint if the CDN is the problem.

Monitor for traffic overload and DDoS attacks

Servers can stop responding if there's too much traffic due to sudden spikes in visitors or distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks. Servers need protection against malicious visitors, such as bots. Using a firewall, DDoS prevention services like Cloudflare, and other security plugins can help protect your site from being overloaded with traffic.

Check server resources

Server overload can cause 504 timeout issues. If your server has insufficient memory, an underpowered central processing unit (CPU), or bandwidth problems, then this may result in loading issues for visitors. You should evaluate CPU and RAM usage to see if there's high traffic. You may need to upgrade your hosting plan or optimize your site to resolve the problem if it continues.

Deactivate plugins and extensions

If you are seeing server timeouts with WordPress sites, check whether any plugins or extensions are malfunctioning or causing compatibility issues. Try disabling your plugins. If the site starts to work, you know it's a plugin problem. Reactivate each plugin individually to identify the source of the issue.

Review error logs

Checking your website's server log can help you identify the issue. Logs record issues on your site, like failed connections and slow processes. You can check for these error logs in cPanel, PHP, and WordPress on the site.

Contact your hosting provider

504 errors are generally a server issue, and your web hosting provider can potentially help. If the web host can identify a server error, they can assist in fixing it. Your hosting provider may also be able to check your server and configurations, and if there are any outages affecting your site.

How to prevent 504 gateway timeout errors

Prevention is the best medicine for managing 504 gateway timeout errors. Here are a few maintenance tasks you can perform to keep your site in shape:

• Monitor server performance: Monitor your server's uptime and responsiveness. This can help you catch early signs of problems.
• Implement load balancing: Optimize your server resources by distributing traffic across multiple servers.
• Maintain good security: Make sure to install security tools to protect against cyberattacks.
• Perform regular website backups: Restoring a backup can be useful for reducing downtime.

Select a reliable web hosting provider

It’s also important to choose a good web hosting provider. Our web hosting reviews test for uptime and performance, which are key metrics for reliable hosting providers. In addition, having access to 24/7 customer support can be valuable to get your site back up and running with minimal downtime. Hostinger and Dreamhost both offer 24/7 customer support and excellent uptime, based on our testing results.

FAQs

Bottom line

A 504 gateway timeout error means that a server isn't able to load your website for visitors. Refreshing the page can fix temporary problems, but you may need to review your site's error logs, server resources, and security settings to pinpoint the issue.

Good hosting providers guarantee high uptime and offer security tools for your site, along with 24/7 support. This can help you quickly address issues and ensure that problems are resolved as soon as they’re identified.