Do you have an error 502 Bad Gateway? Don’t dismiss it too soon. While a quick refresh usually fixes a one-time error, persistent errors may indicate more serious problems.
These can grow into serious problems if ignored, including decreased traffic, subpar user experience, and increased security risks, to mention a few.
Whether your website errors or something else is the source of the problem, it’s critical to identify it as soon as possible.
The bad news is that the error could be being caused by a wide range of possible server-side problems. The good news is that you can see those error codes. These serve as a road map for efficient troubleshooting.
We’ll provide a clear explanation of the 502 Bad Gateway error, its causes, and—most importantly—how to fix it.
Let’s get started.
What Is The 502 Bad Gateway Error?
To start, it might be helpful to give everyone a brief overview of what’s happening behind the scenes so that everything makes a little more sense. After all, power comes from knowledge, right?
Each time you try to visit a website by typing its URL into the address bar, your browser makes a request to the website’s server. After the server has completed processing the request, the content of the website is shown.
An HTTP status code would be displayed instead if something went wrong. The fun then starts.
It’s likely that you have encountered a 404 error (page not found) at least once, if not more frequently. It indicates that although the server was able to handle the request, it was unable to find the desired page or piece of content.
On the other hand, a 502 Bad Gateway error results from a breakdown in the two servers’ communication. The upstream (or next) server sent an invalid response to the first server, which relayed the message.
Put another way, the server that serves as a gateway or proxy was unable to process the request because it received an invalid response from an incoming server.
Depending on the browser you use, the status may appear in a handful of different ways:
- 502 Bad Gateway
- 502 Proxy Error
- Error 502
- HTTP Error 502 – Bad Gateway
- Temporary Error (502)
- 502 Service Temporarily Overloaded
Let’s take a closer look at some typical causes of the HTTP 502 server error as they are not just related to proxy server issues or server overload.
Why Does the Error 502 Bad Gateway Occur?
A 502 Bad Gateway error can be the result of several problems. These consist of:
- An unresolved domain name – There might be problems with the domain name and IP address’s connectivity. This frequently occurs when a website has just moved from one web host to another and the DNS server hasn’t had time to spread.
- An oversensitive firewall – A firewall that is set too restrictively on your website or by your web host may block certain IP addresses or Internet service providers. If the firewall flags them as a false threat, this might occur.
- Server overload – The origin server may crash due to an abrupt increase in traffic. If you are using a shared hosting plan for your website, other people’s traffic may affect yours. For example, your neighbors may be using all the parking spaces because they are hosting a large party.
Having said that, it should be mentioned that server issues are not the only cause of the 502 Bad Gateway error. The status error may also be caused by client-side problems, such as out-of-date browsers or corrupted files in the browser cache.
7 Resolutions to Fix 502 Bad Gateway Error
Let’s now examine how to resolve the 502 Bad Gateway error! We will discuss two scenarios: a server problem and a client-side issue.
1. Refresh The Webpage And Try A Different Browser
The easiest solution should always be the first one we try. The 502 Bad Gateway error might only exist momentarily. For instance, there might have been a brief spike in traffic or a brief overload of the web server for a few minutes.
Try refreshing the page after a few minutes of waiting. Try using a different browser to visit the same website if that doesn’t work. If that resolves the issue, the original browser might be the problem. Should the page still not open, there could be an issue with the website
Using a tool like Down for Everyone or Just Me or Is It Down Right Now to confirm whether the issue is with you or the site’s host is another way to find out if it’s at the web server or on your end.
You can find out how your site is doing by using one of these tools. The first few steps listed below will assist you in troubleshooting your site if it isn’t down for everyone else. If your website is unavailable to all users, you will need to investigate the backend of your website to identify the issue. This will be covered in more detail later in the article.
2. Test Using Another Device
Try visiting your website from your phone, assuming you’ve been using your computer and ISP. Make sure your mobile data is enabled after first turning off your wifi in the phone’s settings. Rebooting your network may resolve the issue if you can still access your website, which indicates that the problem is on your end.
Turn off your computer and disconnect your modem and router to restart your network. If your wifi router and modem are integrated, disconnect them, give it a minute or so, then plug the modem back in and allow it to reboot. When your router has finished booting up, plug it in. Plug in your integrated hardware and allow it to boot if you have it.
When your computer has finally started up, try to access your website.
3. Clear Your Browser’s Cache
Large amounts of data are stored by browsers, mostly to facilitate faster page loads when the browser is opened again. The Bad Gateway error, however, might be caused by corrupted files or outdated site data in your browser’s cache.
The next action to take is to clear the cache in your browser. The steps may change depending on the browser you are using.
Use the hamburger menu (three horizontal bars) in the upper right corner of Mozilla Firefox. Navigate to History > Past Events > Clear.
You can access additional options and a new menu from there. You can select Today in the time range field, choose Cache (you can deselect the other options if you’d like), and click Clear Now if you were able to access your site without any problems yesterday.
Regardless of whether you’re using Microsoft Edge, Safari, Google Chrome, or another browser, the procedure will essentially be the same. For more information, see how to clear the cache in other browsers if you’re not sure.
Proceed to the next step if, even after clearing the cache, you are still receiving status errors when trying to access your website.
4. Flush The DNS Cache
A DNS (Domain Name System) problem may also result in a 502 Bad Gateway error. For instance, it may take up to 48 hours for your site to propagate if you recently moved it to a new web host.
Your local DNS cache, however, might also be the source of the problem. This device’s temporary storage holds data about previously visited domain names.
With Windows, you can use the Command Prompt to clear the DNS cache. Enter “CMD” into the Windows search field on your taskbar and hit Enter to open it.
You’ll now have access to your Command Prompt.
Once the Command Prompt box is open, copy or type the following command:
ipconfig /flushdns
Give it a go. An alert stating, “Successfully flushed the DNS resolver Cache,” will appear when it’s done.
If you’re using a Mac operating system, enter or copy the following command in the terminal.
dscacheutil -flushcache
You can also use a third-party service like Google Public DNS to temporarily change your DNS server if you feel uncomfortable doing either of these.
5. Check Your Site’s Error Log
You can also look through your site’s error logs to see if you can find the source of the problem if your site is down for everyone and it’s a local issue. For instance, it might identify an update or plugin conflict as the reason behind your 502 Bad Gateway error.
You can use a Secure File Transfer Protocol (SFTP) client, like WinSCP or SmartFTP, to access the log files from your website. After installing your preferred client, HostForLIFE.eu offers a thorough Knowledge Base article explaining how to access your error logs through File Transfer Protocol.
6. Disable Your CDN or Firewall
The next thing to check is your firewall or content delivery network (CDN) if everything else has failed. Keep in mind that your firewall may be installed by your host, as a stand-alone plugin, or as a component of your overall security plugin.
You can see if any issues have been reported if you use Cloudflare. The server may be undergoing routine maintenance, for instance.
You can also attempt to disable your firewall and CDN via the host’s control panel if maintenance isn’t the problem. It is advised that you get in touch with your host for support, as they may not all use the same control panel.
7. Contact Your Support Team
It’s time to think about getting in touch with your hosting company if you’ve tried the earlier procedures and nothing has worked. It is possible that your website is experiencing a server problem. If that’s the case, your only option is to wait for them to make the necessary corrections.
They might also be able to locate the cause of your 502 Bad Gateway error and guide you through a fix. A lot of hosts provide chat support around-the-clock, and they ought to be able to handle problems fast.
Final Verdict
Usually, a server issue results in the 502 Gateway Error. For example, there might have been an increase in traffic, which is impacting availability and performance.
To rule out any issues on your end, begin troubleshooting by clearing the cache in your browser and local DNS. After that, you may want to try turning off your firewall, CDN, themes, and plugins. Consider asking for help from your hosting company if you’re still having issues.
If you have shared hosting, the sudden spikes in traffic from another website might be the cause of your 502 error. With VPS hosting from HostForLIFE.eu, you can have more control and space for growth thanks to isolated resources and improved performance.
