Error 502 – Bad Gateway: How to fix it and what it is?

Error 502 – Bad Gateway: How to fix it and what it is.

In the event that you maintain a web-based business, you’ll believe your site should be accessible consistently. WordPress issues, such as the 502 Bad Gateway error, are unfortunately common and can prevent users from accessing your website.

The good news is that this error can be corrected fairly easily. You will be able to take the necessary actions to resolve the issue and restore your website’s accessibility once you have identified the root cause.

We will examine the most common causes of the 502 Bad Gateway error message in this post. After that, we’ll teach you how to fix it. Let’s get going!

What exactly is the error code 502?

Your browser sends a request to the server of the website each time you try to access it. The data—that is, the content of the website—is returned after this server processes the request.

In the event that something goes wrong during the process, you will see an HTTP status code. This may sometimes be accompanied by a message that explains the issue.

When a site uses a proxy or gateway server, a 502 Bad Gateway error occurs, indicating that the server received an invalid response from an inbound server.

Depending on your browser and the server you’re trying to access, the error message you see may vary. Notwithstanding, normally you’ll get one of the accompanying alarms:

– “502 Bad Gateway” – “502 Proxy Error” – “Error 502” – “HTTP Error 502 – Bad Gateway” – “Temporary Error (502)” – “502 Service Temporarily Overloaded” As can be seen, the 502 status code can indicate either a problem with the proxy server or an overload of servers. However, this error could also be brought on by other factors.

What Causes the 502 Awful Passage Mistake?

A 502 Bad Gateway error can result from a number of problems. These are some:

a domain name with no answer. It’s possible that the domain name isn’t connecting to the right IP address. This could happen if you just moved your website to a different host and the DNS servers haven’t finished propagating yet.

a firewall that is too sensitive. It’s possible that a firewall on your website or web host is preventing access to particular IP addresses or internet service providers. When a false threat is detected by the firewall, this takes place.

Server over-burden. A sudden increase in traffic may have caused the origin server to crash. If you have a shared hosting plan and your server only has a limited amount of resources, this issue is more prevalent.

It is important to note that the 502 Bad Gateway error may not always indicate a server issue. A client-side issue, such as an out-of-date browser version or corrupted files in the browser’s cache, may also be the cause.

What is the solution to the 502 Bad Gateway error?

Let’s take a look at how to get around the 502 Bad Gateway error now! We’ll talk about two scenarios: a problem with the server and a problem with the client.

1. Try using a different browser and refreshing the page.

Let’s begin with the simplest answer. The 502 Bad Gateway error may only be present for a short time. For instance, the web server might have experienced a brief surge in traffic or become overloaded for a few minutes.

Reload the website after some time has passed. Try accessing the page with a different browser or device as well. You can use this procedure to determine whether the problem is on the server or the client side.

2. Clear the cache in your browser.

The Bad Gateway error could be caused by your browser storing out-of-date site data. Alternately, it could have corrupted files that prevent people from getting to your website.

Clearing the cache in your browser is a good idea. For instance, in Google Chrome, select More tools > Clear browsing data by clicking the three dots in the upper right corner.

3. Clean out the DNS Cache.

A problem with the Domain Name System (DNS) could also be the source of the 502 gateway error. The propagation process, for instance, could take as long as 48 hours if you just migrated your website to a new web host.

However, your local DNS cache may also be the problem. Information about visited domain names can be found in this temporary storage on your device.

4. Check the error log for your site.

You might want to check your error logs if your website is down for everyone and not your device. These can assist you in determining the cause of the problem. The 502 Bad Gateway error could have been brought on by, for instance, an update or plugin conflict.

To view these logs, you will need to have access to your website’s files. Using a Secure File Transfer Protocol (SFTP) client like FileZilla or the File Manager in your hosting account, you can accomplish this.

5. Remove Your Plugins and Themes from Use.

A 502 gateway error may occur if a brand-new theme or plugin you’ve installed conflicts with another tool on your website. This could also be caused by a recent plugin update.

You will need to deactivate your themes and plugins from your hosting account through the File Manager because you are unable to access your WordPress dashboard. Then again, you could utilize a SFTP client.

6. Disable your firewall or CDN.

Your firewall or Content Delivery Network (CDN) might also be to blame for the 502 gateway error. You can simply check to see if any issues have been reported if you use Cloudflare.

7. Restart PHP and Increment Your PHP Cutoff points.

A PHP timeout issue could also be the cause of the 502 gateway error. When the PHP process takes longer than the maximum amount of time to load and the request times out, this occurs.

To begin with, you should take a stab at restarting PHP. This may assist in resolving any connectivity issues. You might want to request that your web host do this for you if this option is not available in your hosting dashboard.

Alternately, you might have to alter the max_execution_time or max_input_time values on your server. These are set to 300 seconds by default. However, you can request an increase in these values from your web host.

8. Contact the provider of your hosting.

You should think about contacting your hosting provider if none of the aforementioned methods help you resolve your issue. They might be affected by a problem with your website’s server. Waiting is the only option if that is the cause.

They might also be able to provide you with a solution and pinpoint the cause of the 502 gateway error. The majority of web hosts provide support round-the-clock, so they should be able to resolve the issue quickly!

Get a handle on the 502 Bad Gateway Error.

Most of the time, a problem with the server is what causes the 502 gateway error. It could, for instance, have experienced an increase in traffic that had an impact on its availability and performance. However, plugin conflicts and updates could also cause this error.

To begin diagnosing the issue, clear the local DNS cache and browser cache to rule out any issues on your end. After that, you can try disabling your firewall, CDN, plugins, and themes. Consider contacting your hosting provider for assistance if problems persist.