10 Quick Ways to Fix HTTP Error 502

By: Orson Fletcher - Updated: February 27, 2019 8:26 am

With millions of webpages served my different servers across the world, it’s not surprising if one encounters with the server errors once in a long time. Amongst all, HTTP error 502 is the most common server error experienced by users.

When the HTTP 502 Bad Gateway error occurs, you won’t be able to access the website you’ve entered in your browsers address bar. So what is this HTTP 502 error and what does it mean?

In this guide, we’re going to discuss 502 bad gateway error, what it means to you and how you could fix it.

Quick Links:

What is HTTP or HTTPS Error 502?

The 502 lousy gateway error is an https status code which means that a particular server on the internet is receiving an invalid response from another server. In most cases, the issue is with the website itself, and you can’t do much about it.

It can also be caused if the server is overloaded or due to some network problems between the two servers. 502 error can also occur if there’s incorrect firewall settings or an incorrect coding error.

However, there are possibilities that the issue might be with your network equipment to your PC. One of the most common errors in Twitter is the “fail whale” error which says that Twitter is over capacity. It is actually a 502 Bad Gateway error.

The error 502 Bad Gateway error might come in different forms. Some of the standard messages of this error are-

HTTP 502
502 Bad Gateway Nginx
502 Server Error. The Server encountered a temporary error and could not complete your request
HTTP Error 502 Bad Gateway
Temporary Error (502)
502 Service Temporarily Overloaded

As discussed above, these errors are mostly caused due to server issues. However, we can try out these methods to solve the problem.

How to Fix 502 Error Bad Gateway Error?

Now that we know about these error codes and the reasons behind these codes let’s get to solve them. We’ve listed some of the best solutions that’ll work for you to fix HTTP error 502.

1. Refresh the Page

It sounds like a very general quick fix, but it has somehow worked for many users to fix this error.

As discussed above, 502 error is a temporary error where a simple refresh can do the trick. You’ll have to press the F5 key on your browser or tap on the Refresh icon on your browser.

2 . Restart Your Browser Program

You can try to close all the open browser windows and then open a new one. Once you’ve done that, try to open the web page again.

If this has fixed your error issue, the problem might have been in your PC. A simple restart of your browser program might solve your issue.

3. Try a Different Browser

It is possible that 502 Bad Gateway might occur in a particular browser. In this case, you should try out a different browser and see if the error persists. You can choose from browsing through Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge, Apple Safari or Mozilla Firefox.

Still facing the same issue? The error is not with your browser

4. Clear Browser’s Cache and Cookies

It can be possible that your browser has been cached or has outdated or corrupt files. The cached browser can be one of the most common reasons causing 502 error. Try to clear your browser cache files and try to revisit the page.

5. Start your Browser in Safe Mode

This method will work if you’re using extensions on your browser. It is possible that one or more extensions can cause this error issue. Running your browser in Safe mode allows you to run the browser with default settings and no add-ons or extensions.

You can simply disable your extensions and check if the error has disappeared.

6. Restart Your Networking devices

The problem might be with your router, modem or switches or the networking device you’re using. You should try to restart your networking device and check if the issue persists.

7. Change Your DNS Servers

Incorrect DNS servers can cause the 502 error. You’ll have to change your DNS servers either on your router or your PC. you can even change these DNS servers to a third-party DNS server like OpenDNS or Google DNS.

Changing your DNS server can also increase the speed and reliability of your browser.

8. Download Software Update 1 for Microsoft Forefront Threat Management Gateway TMG 2010 Service Pack 1

This solution works for a particular situation only that is if MS Forefront is installed on your PC and it receives this error message.

9. Restart Your PC

A simple restart can do the work for you to fix the issue. At times a temporary issue can do much harm to your system. We suggest you make a quick restart every once you try out any of the above solutions to save the changes.

10. Contact the Official Website

If none of the above solutions work well for you to fix the issue, we suggest you search for the websites contact information. Most of the websites have a help social networking site where you can try to explain to them the issues you are facing.

11. Contact Your ISP (Internet Service Provider)

Once you’ve ensured that your web browser, PC and networks are all working correctly and you’re still getting this error, the problem is with your network.

In this case, we suggest you talk to your ISP and report them about the issue

The last thing you can try is to be patient. As discussed above, this error occurs when there is an issue with your ISP or the website’s network.

You’ll have to wait until one of the parties confirms that the internal problem if fixed.

You’re not alone if you’re facing the 502 error issue in your browser. Some of the above solutions might help you fix the issue. Let us know which of the above solutions have worked the best for you.

Have any other issues while performing any of these solution steps mentioned above? Drop down your queries in the comments section below.

See Also:

How to Fix HTTP 502 Bad Gateway Error?