Error 522: Connection timed out
Cloudflare couldn't reach the website's server: its connection attempt went unanswered. The site's server or its firewall is the problem.
Quick checks
- As a visitor: reload later; you can't fix it from your side.
- As the owner: can you reach the origin directly, and is its firewall dropping Cloudflare's IPs?
If you’re visiting the site
Wait and retry
- Reload in a few minutes. If it persists, contact the site.
If you run the site
Allow Cloudflare through the firewall
- Firewalls and cloud security groups often silently drop traffic, which looks like a timeout.
- Allow Cloudflare's ranges (cloudflare.com/ips) on 80 and 443.
Check server load
- An overloaded server may not accept new connections quickly. Check CPU, memory and connection backlog.
Check the DNS record
- An A record pointing to an old or wrong IP produces 522. Update it in the Cloudflare dashboard.
Still not working?
From another machine, run curl -v --connect-timeout 10 http://ORIGIN_IP/. If it times out too, the origin or its network is the problem; if it connects, check firewall rules specific to Cloudflare's addresses.
See what’s happening
LightAtom's Ports view shows whether a test origin on your Mac is listening on the network interface or only on localhost.
Frequently asked questions
What causes Cloudflare error 522?
A connection from Cloudflare to the origin that never completes: a firewall dropping Cloudflare's IPs, an overloaded or offline server, or a DNS record pointing to the wrong address.
How long does error 522 last?
Until the origin accepts connections again. Brief overloads clear in minutes; firewall or DNS mistakes last until someone fixes them.
Is error 522 Cloudflare's fault?
Rarely. It almost always means the origin server isn't reachable from Cloudflare's network.