What is the meaning of a 502 bad gateway error, and how can you fix it? This article will cover several types of HTTP errors.

Do you know what it means to get a 502 bad gateway error on a web page? Do you know how to fix it?

This article will tell you what a 502 bad gateway error is, how to troubleshoot a 502 bad gateway error, and all about other common HTTP server responses. Keep reading to learn more about the 502 bad gateway error!

What Does 502 Bad Gateway Mean?

A 502 bad gateway error is an HTTP response that you might see when the webserver you are connected to cannot get a good response from the other DNS server. You might see this error represented in different ways depending on the design of the website or browser windows, like Microsoft Internet Explorer, Google Chrome, or Safari on Mac:

HTTP 502
HTTP Error 502 Bad Gateway
502 Server Error: The server has encountered a temporary error and was unable to complete your request
Temporary Error (502)
502 Service Temporarily Overloaded
502 Bad Gateway Nginx
502 Proxy Error

There are various reasons why you might receive this type of HTTP error code. The 502 error means that the other server (not your own) cannot process the request for the web page.

Sometimes this can mean that the client-side server is overloaded or your server and the other server have network issues. In more serious cases, that could be a firewall issue or a coding error. You can look at your error log to check for 502 bad gateway errors from your IP address.

How to Fix a 502 Bad Gateway Error: Troubleshooting

Since a 502 error is a client-side error, there may be nothing you can do about it if it is a larger problem. However, if it is a temporary error, you might be able to try one of the below strategies to get connected.

Below, this article will help you troubleshoot common causes of the 502 error. There are also many tutorials online that will help you troubleshoot this error.

Refresh and Clear Your Cache

One of the easiest ways to troubleshoot this proxy server error is to try refreshing the page. Since this can be a temporary error due to system overload, reloading the page might solve it. You can often refresh by clicking Ctrl-R or Cmd-R, but it depends on your operating system and browser.

You can also try a different browser. If that works, it might mean your main browser cache may need to be cleared.

Check Your Networking Equipment

If your router or modem is down, you might not be able to connect to a website at all. Always make sure that you are connected to your router and modem and that your internet is up and running when you see an error. If it is a client server-side error, this may not work — but it’s always worth a shot.

Disable Your CDN or Firewall

If your firewall is improperly configured, it can make your computer think that visiting a certain website is an attack on your server, therefore rejecting it. If this is the case, you may need to adjust your firewall settings to fix the issue.

What Are Other HTTP Status Codes?

There are numerous other HTTP response status codes that you might see. These responses are grouped into five different classes: the 100s, 200s, 300s, 400s, and 500s. Keep reading to learn all about the standard responses in this list.

100 Status Codes

100 HTTP status response codes indicate an informational response:

101 Switching Protocols
103 Early Hints
100 Continue
102 Processing

200 Status Codes

Status codes in the 200 range indicate a successful response:

200 OK
207 Multi-Status
203 Non-authoritative Information
204 No Content
226 IM Used
202 Accepted
208 Already Reported
206 Partial Content
201 Created
205 Reset Content

300 Status Codes

HTTP status response codes beginning with the number 3 are all types of redirection messages:

303 See Other
305 Use Proxy
301 Moved Permanently
302 Found
307 Temporary Redirect
308 Permanent Redirect
300 Multiple Choices
304 Not Modified

400 Status Codes

Uh oh! If you get an HTTP status response in the 400 range, this indicates a client error:

428 Precondition Required
411 Length Required
416 Requested Range Not Satisfiable
499 Client Closed Request
451 Unavailable For Legal Reasons
408 Request Timeout
429 Too Many Requests
415 Unsupported Media Type
413 Payload Too Large
407 Proxy Authentication Required
418 I’m a teapot
402 Payment Required
417 Expectation Failed
400 Bad Request
409 Conflict
405 Method Not Allowed
423 Locked
403 Forbidden
431 Request Header Fields Too Large
406 Not Acceptable
424 Failed Dependency
422 Unprocessable Entity
401 Unauthorized
410 Gone
414 Request-URI Too Long
404 Not Found
421 Misdirected Request
426 Upgrade Required
444 Connection Closed Without Response
412 Precondition Failed

500 Status Codes

Finally, status codes beginning with the number 5 indicate server errors:

511 Network Authentication Required
503 Service Unavailable
501 Not Implemented
504 Gateway Timeout
508 Loop Detected
510 Not Extended
500 Internal Server Error
505 HTTP Version Not Supported
599 Network Connect Timeout Error
507 Insufficient Storage
506 Variant Also Negotiates

Conclusion

A 502 Bad Gateway error is an invalid response that you might see on a web page. This occurs when your server cannot contact the hosting provider or upstream server. If this error occurs, the website’s functionality will be temporarily down.

Sources:

Kevin Miller is a growth marketer with an extensive background in Search Engine Optimization, paid acquisition and email marketing. He is also an online editor and writer based out of Los Angeles, CA. He studied at Georgetown University, worked at Google and became infatuated with English Grammar and for years has been diving into the language, demystifying the do's and don'ts for all who share the same passion! He can be found online here.

The Meaning of 502 Bad Gateway: What It Is and How To Use It

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