Did you ever encounter the 502 bad gateway error? Well, this is a common HTML status code that showcases a communication problem between the two servers. What happens is that the two servers- the proxy server and gateway server receive an invalid response from the upstream server, resulting in 502 bad gateway error. Such an error disrupts your website’s functionality and causes network problems. But the good news is they can be fixed easily. 

In this blog let us know more about 502 bad gateway meaning and how to fix it. 

What is a 502 Bad Gateway Error? 

A 502 bad gateway error can appear on any device with a message or just a plain white screen. You might have faced the 404 error that says page not found at least once in a while. A 404 error pops up when the server is not able to process a request made, while a 505 error appears when there is a communication breakdown between two servers. There is one server that acts as a gateway and the other as an inbound server. The communication gaps happen when the gateway server receives an invalid response from the inbound server. 

What Happens When You Get a 502 Bad Gateway? 

Usually what can happen is that you will receive an invalid response from another server due to its inability to fulfill a request because of server overload, network issues. This happens because the gateway server doesn’t know how to handle the invalid response and therefore fails to load the website for you. As a result, you see the error page with simple message like: “HTTP Error 502’ or ‘502 Proxy Error”. 

What Causes a 502 Bad Gateway Error? 

Now there might be many causes behind the 505 error such as server overload, an oversensitive firewall, network problems or even a meaningless response. Let us understand these causes in detail. 

• Server Overload 

 A server overload which means a sudden rise in traffic can cause that server to crash. This usually happens when your server is on a shared hosting plan as this lets the neighbor traffic to intrude easily. So, this way when one server is too busy to respond, it does not respond to the other that leads to communication failure between the two. 

• An Oversensitive Firewall 

In case your website has a firewall plugin that are restrictive enough to block IP addresses, then you can face the 505 error. The firewall perceives the server traffic as a threat resulting in a 505 error. 

• Network Problems 

A 505 error can also be caused due to glitches or network errors between the two servers. Other possible causes could be if the server software is outdated or any misconfigurations in the network. 

• Meaningless Response 

As the 505 error occurs in response to the communication failure between the web servers, it can happen if the web server sent back wrong data. The other server receives this wrong or incomplete data as a meaningless response. This meaningless response leads to the 505 error.  

How to Fix a 502 Bad Gateway Error- The Steps to Follow 

A 502 bad gateway error is usually nothing to worry about as it is temporary and might disappear in a few seconds. But if it doesn’t, try out the following steps: 

1. Try Refreshing the Webpage 

As the 502 error is usually temporary, a quick refresh can fix it in seconds. Just press F5 or CTRL + F5 (for Windows) and press CMD+R (for Mac).  

2. Check the Website Status

If even after refreshing the issues persist, there might be a possible reason that your site is down. In that case, check your site status to examine the issue. There are tools like Down for Everyone or Just Me that you can use. Just add the URL to check the site status. 

3. Clear Your Browser Cache

The gateway error can also pop up when your browser cache has outdated site data or corrupted files. It is critical that your browser cache to fix the error. Clear recent history and cache, then try reloading the page to see if the issues got fixed. 

4. Test Using Some Other Device

If you were using your computer to access the website, try switching to a cell phone but make sure to enable mobile data. You can also check internet connectivity on another computer with a different network. Try restarting your computer and see whether the error was in the network or elsewhere. 

5. Deactivate All Your Plugins

It is a good idea to have a check on the faulty or poorly coded plugins as they might be the reason for the 502 error. These plugins usually block communication between servers which is the main cause of the 502 gateway error. Check for such plugins and deactivate them. 

Conclusion 

Getting the 502 bad gateway error can be frustrating for someone who does not know what it is and how to fix it. But by just following the steps on how to fix it, you can save your time the next time it pops up!