5 Ways to Fix Cloudflare Error 521 Error Message

If you have a WordPress website and are using Cloudflare, chances are that you may have faced an error message known as Error 521. 

Nothing is more frustrating for website owners and developers than encountering error messages.

Error 521 shows up while trying to access your WordPress site, and troubleshooting can be a headache. 

This error can show up for many reasons, ranging from something as simple as a server overload to complications with your hosting provider. 

Why Should You Care About Cloudflare Error Codes?

Well, your website visitors will be left staring at a blank screen if they are unresolved!

Luckily, there are many ways to fix this error message. 

In this article, I’ll explore five easy ways to fix Cloudflare Error 521.

Let’s begin and get your website up and running smoothly!

What Does Cloudflare Error 521 Mean?

Error 521 typically occurs when the web server cannot connect with your website host. An error like this can be really frustrating and affect your website’s performance.

Before diving into resolving the error, let’s quickly understand what Cloudflare is (and what function it serves.)

What Is Cloudflare?

Cloudflare is a content delivery network (CDN). In their own words:

“Cloudflare is one of the biggest networks operating on the Internet. People use Cloudflare services for the purposes of increasing the security and performance of their websites and services.”

It allows website owners to distribute their content across multiple servers and data centers, enabling faster speeds and increased security. 

Cloudflare also offers DNS resolution services, which allow website owners to manage their domain names.

What Causes Cloudflare Error 521?

Error 521 is a connection timed-out error and typically occurs when the web server cannot connect with Cloudflare. 

This error message can show up for various reasons, such as server overloading, network issues, or complications with your hosting provider.

Server Overloading

One common cause of Error 521 is server overloading. If your server cannot handle the traffic volume coming to your website, it may trigger this error. It might be a sign to upgrade your hosting plan.

Too Many Requests

Another possible cause is that your hosting provider may need more resources to handle requests to your website. This shouldn’t be an issue if your hosting provider is a reputed and trusted company.

A lot of times, upgrading your hosting may be necessary to solve this error message.

If your WordPress site is experiencing high traffic volume, upgrading to a hosting plan to handle the traffic would be wise. 

Server Caching Issues

Another remedy to this issue is clearing server caching to make this error message disappear.

How To Fix the Cloudflare Error 521 Error Message : Five Ways

#1. Check If Your Server Is Down

The first step is to check if your server is up and running. 

Log in to your hosting account and ensure your server is active.

One quick way to check if the server is up and running is to ping it from your device.

Ping your server through the command line (for Windows users) or the Terminal (for MAC users). 

Else, try a website such as DownDetector to confirm whether the website you want to access is down.

If the website is not responding, it may be the reason for Error 521. If so, contact your hosting provider to fix the issue.

#2. Disable Your VPN Connection

If you use a VPN service to access the internet, disable it and try re-accessing your website or application. Your VPN may be the issue if the error code 521 message disappears.

Note: Every VPN provider shares instructions on temporarily disabling their VPN. Below are the instructions from NordVPN to turn off a VPN on MacOS.

Also, Firewall restrictions could block Cloudflare’s requests, leading to Error 521. Check your firewall rules to ensure that Cloudflare is not blocked.

#3. Clear Server Cache

Clearing your server’s cache will make sure that resource requests from Cloudflare are fresh, making it easier for the server to process them. 

You can do this by logging into your website’s backend and clearing your server cache. If you’re unsure how to clear the server cache, contact your hosting provider for technical assistance. 

Refresh your website and check if the error persists. If the error 521 message disappears, this was the solution that you needed. 

#4. Check your SSL Certificate

Another possible reason for the Error 521 message is SSL certificate issues. Make sure your SSL certificate is installed and the HTTPS settings are correct. 

Next, disable the HTTPS redirect feature temporarily.  If the error message disappears, the HTTPS redirect might have been the cause of the error 521 message. 

Note: If you require help checking your SSL certificate in the backend, contact your hosting provider for support. 

#5. Upgrade your Hosting Plan

As I mentioned above, upgrading your hosting may be the best solution if your WordPress website receives high traffic.

Upgrading to a dedicated server plan, Virtual Private Server(VPS), or Cloud Server should manage high traffic (while at the same time providing enough server resources for your website.) 

Conclusion: Final Thoughts

In conclusion, Cloudflare Error 521 is a common server-side error message that can occur due to many reasons. 

But the good news is that there are easy ways to fix it. Following the abovementioned steps, you can quickly identify and fix the issue causing the error message. 

Maintaining an interruption-free website is critical to providing a seamless user experience. Don’t forget to choose a reliable hosting provider like SirsteveHQ! 

Check out this article if you’re looking for a solution for Error code 1020, another Cloudflare error. 

While You’re Here: Check Out SirsteveHQ

As a business owner, ensuring your website is up and running without interruption is paramount.

Try our WordPress hosting today, which is trusted by businesses worldwide.

If you want to upgrade your hosting plan, check out our brand-new offers for VPS Hosting. SirsteveHQ offers powerful hosting plans at a fraction of what you might be paying now!