How the Timed Out error affects browsing
If we receive the Timed Out error message, it means that we cannot enter a web page or when trying to log into a social network such as Facebook or Twitter. It is a problem that can be specific, due to a momentary failure, but also become something that happens frequently and not only when trying to enter a specific page. This happens when we try to connect to a server but it happens too long and we get no response. For example, if we open a website and it does not load.
Keep in mind that it is not always going to be a problem that we can solve at the user level, although it is in most cases. Sometimes it is a server error of that site we are trying to access and we will have no choice but to wait for it to be fixed.
If we focus on the most common causes for the Timed Out error to appear, we can name problems with the wireless connection, hence it is more frequent than when we connect by cable. There could also be a problem with the DNS servers we use, router failures and even software-level problems in the browser.
Fix Timed Out error due to connection problem
First of all we are going to give some tips to fix the Timed Out error when it comes to connection failures. This could mainly occur with the router and the wireless network itself, but also problems with the DNS servers that we are using to navigate.
Restart the router
Something fundamental when we find an error of this type is to restart the router. Could be generated conflicts when resolving requests. This can happen if we have many connected devices or, although it is not the most common, when the device has been operating for a long time.
To restart the router correctly and for this to really help, we must keep the device off at least 30 seconds. If we turn it off and on quickly it is as if we had not done anything, since it keeps everything as it was.
Verify that the Wi-Fi network is working well
The most normal thing is that the Timed out error appears when we are using Wi-Fi. This is so since the connection is more unstable and in many cases the signal quality not the best. Our computer has problems connecting with the access point, which would be the router or Wi-Fi repeater that we use, and that results in requests to open the websites taking too long to arrive.
In this case what we should try is improve quality wireless network. Surely the signal is weak and the speed is not adequate. We can choose to use a Wi-Fi amplifier, but even with small changes such as choosing another band or channel we can greatly improve the quality.
If for example we are using the 5 GHz band, we can try to use the 2.4 GHz band. The first one is the one that offers the highest speed, but if we are far from the router we can have more problems and that could lead to instability and these errors appear.
We can also test change the Wi-Fi channel to which we connect, for which we would have to access the router configuration and choose a different channel. If we are using the same channel that our neighbors use at the same time, it could cause a saturation. This happens especially when we navigate in the 2.4 GHz band.
Change DNS servers
The DNS servers they are very important to be able to open any web page. They act as translators and allow us to only have to put the name of the site in the browser and it automatically translates it to the corresponding IP address. For example, if we put RedesZone, the DNS servers that we are using will resolve that request and refer it to the IP of the website.
Why should we change the DNS before problems of this type? If the DNS that we are using takes a long time in that translation when putting any domain name, it would lead to the Timed Out error and the page would not load.
Normally we use the DNS provided by the telephone company we use and this does not mean that it will go wrong, but it does mean that we could find ourselves in the situation that they do not work well due to a saturation, for example. We can try to use the public DNS of Google or Cloudflare, which are some of the most used and that work best.
To change the DNS servers in Windows we have to go to Start, we enter Settings, Network and Internet, Change adapter options and there we select the network card that we are using and with which we have problems. Normally, this type of error appears when we are connected by Wi-Fi, so we have to select the corresponding wireless network card.
We have to click with the right mouse button, we enter Properties, we mark Internet Protocol version 4 and again Properties. There we will find a new window where we can change the IP address and the DNS servers that we are going to use. The latter is what interests us especially. We will have to give Use the following DNS server addresses and fill in the corresponding data. For example, Google’s DNS are 8.8.8.8 and 8.8.4.4.
Renew DNS and IP
The DNS cache, which stores all the requests when opening web pages, could also cause problems with the Internet connection and lead to failures such as Timed Out. Therefore, what we are going to do is renew both the DNS and the IP address from Windows.
In this case we are going to use the command line. We have to go to Start, we write Symbol of the system and we execute it with administrator permissions. There we will have to execute the following commands:
- Ipconfig / flushdns
- Ipconfig / registerdns
- Ipconfig / release
- Ipconfig / renew
The first two will allow us to clear the cache of DNS records and renew them. These will allow to solve faults that are caused by a blocking of these registers. The other two commands are used to release the IP address and request a new one from the DHCP server, which would be the router.
How to avoid this problem at the software level
We have seen what to do if the Timed Out error appears and it is a connection failure. The normal thing is that this is the case and we must restart the router, change the DNS servers or make sure that the wireless connection is fine. But it could also be caused by a software glitch, which is usually due to a problem with the browser.
Check that the browser is up to date
First of all we must make sure that the browser is correctly updated. Sometimes an update hangs and although apparently everything works fine, there are some corrupted files left and that leads to failures like the one we see in this article.
To verify if we have the latest version in Chrome we have to go to the menu, open Settings, access Help and click on Google Chrome Information. It will automatically show us the version that we have installed, and in case there is a pending update we can add it manually.
Disable extensions
But if there is something that can affect the browser, it is the add-ons that we install. We have many available to read documents, save pages to read later, etc. The most used browsers such as Chrome and Firefox have a large number of options. However, sometimes they can generate failures.
Especially if we have installed a recent extension and from there the Timed Out error has appeared when opening a website, we must deactivate it. Similarly, if we suspect that a plug-in may be the cause, we can deactivate it and see if the websites open normally.
Verify that there is no adware in the browser
Can it affect malware or some browser security issue and cause this error? The truth is that yes. The normal thing is that the browser is affected by search bars that appear without us knowing what we have done or that many pop-up windows full of advertising are opened. That is a sign that there is adware in the browser.
Adware can enter in a number of ways. For example, if we mistakenly install a malicious extension, if we click on a banner that is actually a scam, etc. What we must do is check that the browser is clean, that there is no threat and, if there is any, delete it. We can use a good antivirus such as Windows Defender itself, as well as other options such as Avast, Kaspersky, Bitdefender …
See if any firewall or VPN is interfering
Another cause at the software level is if we are using some security program or even a VPN. In the first case, the most common is that it is a firewall that could be blocking or limiting the operation of the browser. We should check that it is not configured to block that program and we can even stop it momentarily and see if that way we avoid this problem.
On the other hand, if we use a VPN to surf the Internet it could also be affecting. What this type of program does is encrypt the connection and if, for example, we open a website in the browser, it will go through that VPN. If there is a fault, it will affect us directly. We can also try to turn it off for a moment or connect to another server that has better performance. This could also happen if we are browsing through a proxy, which also acts as an intermediary.
Ultimately, these are the main issues to consider if we come across the Timed Out error when browsing by Internet. It is something that happens especially when we are using Wi-Fi and it is almost always due to a problem with the connection, although it could also be due to a failure at the software level, with the browser or some security program.
