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When your WordPress site’s server refuses to connect to Cloudflare, error 521, which is unique to Cloudflare, appears. You need a WordPress site to load quickly and safely if you’re in charge of it. Many website owners connect their sites using Cloudflare, a free content delivery network (CDN) and security service. Once your site is connected, you can use the CDN to speed it up, secure it with SSL, and add additional features like bot protection. However, this configuration may lead to an error 521. Best known for its Content Delivery Network (CDN), Cloudflare (CDN).
Since then, it has grown to offer a wide range of services, the majority of which are concerned with networking and security. The vast server network at the centre of Cloudflare is its lifeblood. The network, which spans 93 different countries, provides coverage for more than 200 locations. These serve as a firewall and data cache servers on a large scale. Technically, if you have a hosted website, all you need to do is sign up with Cloudflare. then add your website from their control panel. Then, it’s essentially hands-free. A portion of the data from your website is cached by Cloudflare servers in several locations around the globe.
Ways to Fix Cloudflare Error 521
Check Encryption Settings
The CDN and your web origin server can be connected using Cloudflare’s encryption modes. Incorrect encryption mode selection can result in the connection refused error. To use this technique, log into your Cloudflare dashboard and click the SSL/TLS button. The encryption techniques include:
Flexible: all connections between Cloudflare and your origin are made over HTTP. If you cannot set up an SSL certificate for your domain, use this Flexible SSL.
Full: Cloudflare will connect to the origin server using either HTTP or HTTPS, depending on the visitor’s request. if you have an SSL certificate, choose Full SSL mode.
Strict: as with Full, the visitor can decide which protocol to use. However, this mode has more requirements for the origin certificate.
Check Whether the Origin Server Is Running
Another way to figure out what’s causing the error 521 is to check the status of your server. Your server will be blocking IP requests if there is ongoing maintenance going on or if the hosting company is having problems. Check the connection to your origin web server in addition to the server status.
Use the Packet Internet Groper (PING) command for Linux or Traceroute for Windows if you are familiar with using the Terminal. Checking your order usage is another way to make sure the origin server is up and running. Websites exceeding their memory and Central Processing Unit (CPU) usage limits are one of the reasons for this Cloudflare-specific error message.
When it is overloaded, the server is unable to respond to HTTPS requests from Cloudflare. Go to hPanel -> Order Usage view the limits. As the maximum threshold, the purple lines on the memory card and CPU usage graphs shouldn’t cross the red lines. Upgrade your web hosting package or choose a different type of hosting if you are on the verge of exceeding the maximum limit.
We advise removing pointless plugins for WordPress users who are experiencing the error 521. The web origin server may experience a significant load from some plugins. The WordPress site’s server may be preventing requests from Cloudflare because it is utilizing too many resources. Last but not least, if you cannot access your server connectivity, get in touch with your host’s support.
Test the Connection to the Server
The message “Error 521: Web server is down” will appear if the firewall software on your server blocks Cloudflare IP addresses. Making sure your hosting company has not enabled rate-limiting IP requests from Cloudflare’s IP ranges is another way to resolve the error 521. All connections to your server come from Cloudflare’s IP address rather than your visitor’s actual IP address because this CDN functions as a reverse proxy. To check the URL’s connectivity and server, issue a client Uniform Resource Locator (cURL) command. In mac, Linux, and Windows 10 or later by default, the cURL command is installed.
This method uses the .htaccess file in the file manager. Then add the code for allow from, Cloudflare’s IP address. To allow access or block certain addresses without writing code, there is an IP Manager. hPanel -> Other -> Head to IP Manager, include Cloudflare’s IP under the Allow an IP Address section, and click Add Click Add.
To fix error 521 in WordPress, use a plugin such as Secure Admin IP to help manage access to the Cloudflare IP range. This method will also test if the WordPress site’s server is denying connection to the CDN due to IP filtering.
Check for Website Issues
To get rid of the connection refused error message if none of the earlier solutions work, temporarily turn off Cloudflare. Before reusing the CDN, make sure your website is free of any additional issues.
What is Error 512 in Cloudflare?
A CDN, like Cloudflare, maintains cached versions of your website on a vast server network. When a visitor tries to access your website, Cloudflare “intercepts” the request and loads a cached version from the server closest to their location. This approach typically results in noticeably quicker loading times as well as a lighter load on your main server.
For Cloudflare to work, it needs to be able to connect to the server hosting your website. You’ll see an error 521 if the server refuses to connect for some reason. When Cloudflare cannot connect to your website’s server because it is unavailable, it will let you know. The CDN might be unable to connect to your website for a variety of other reasons, though.
What causes the Error 521?
Cloudflare encounters error 521 when attempting to connect to the server hosting your website. There are three possible causes for this to occur:
Final Words
You might come across Error 521, a Cloudflare error code, while working on a WordPress website or using the internet. When you first integrate Cloudflare into your content distribution, Error 521 is most frequently encountered. Websites are protected from threats, kept online at all times, and made easy to deploy web apps with just one click thanks to Cloudflare. Regardless of their size or platform, Cloudflare accelerates websites without adding hardware, setting up software, or altering a single line of code. We hope our article on “How to Fix Cloudflare Error 521” will surely help you to do so.