In this article, we will walk you through some best methods to fix 502 bad gateway errors and help you understand why it takes place in the first place. Online web browsing activity is increasing daily, with more users jumping on board to consume or deliver website content. An average user spends more than three hours daily surfing the web.

They will encounter some frustrating errors that destroy their flow. One might face normal errors related to database connection and display screen. The one connected to websites and popular services like Gmail is 502 bad gateway errors. Users face such errors when the servers receive invalid responses.

They also have different variations based on operating systems and web servers. Some web browsers can be a "502 proxy error", while others show "HTTP 502." Even though they have different names, the fundamental reason why they occur remains the same.

These errors may occur in multiple teams in a row, so it is important to know how to solve them and prevent this from happening again. Stay tuned till the end, as some solutions may not work for every Internet user. 

What is a 502 Bad Gateway Error?

What is the 502 bad gateway meaning? A 502 bad gateway error is an error that takes place when a website server sends an inadequate response to other servers. When the error occurs, the web browser displays a temporary error that cannot process. The servers communicate this with the web browser by showing the HTTP status code (502 status code). 

This is the server's way of alerting the user that something unusual has disrupted the Internet database connection. The bad or inadequate responses received at the end of a server can happen when the server is overloaded or if the network connection between two servers is not present. 

These are some of the main issues that result in 502 bad gateway errors. While addressing these issues, you should also look at the configured firewall to check for any coding errors. 

Can 502 Bad Gateway Errors Reduce the Performance of your Website?

We know that these errors can be temporary and can be solved with simple steps. Still, when these occur repeatedly, they will ruin the performance of your website. It can also have a significant impact on the search engine. With the impact on search engines, SEO for your website will also experience a downfall. 

Such an impact is only applicable when the website is facing site-level issues. So, if these errors occur multiple times for an extended period, the search engine interprets this as a site-level issue and reduces rankings accordingly. This affects your website rankings and disappoints customers and daily users. 

If your customers and audience face such issues, they will not return to your site, and slowly, they will start using your competitors' products. To ensure you are not in that position, you must follow some methods to solve every error. This applies to both users and developers. 

Things You Can Try to Solve 502 Bad Gateway Errors 

A 502 gateway error is related to server and Internet networks, but it also can be an issue raised by your client. In any case, you should figure out a way to solve these errors and ensure they never happen again. 

We identified some major solutions that consistently work for users and developers. So, make sure to give them a try and check if they solved the problem or not. 

Restart your Device 

Our mobile phones and tablets run on high-end hardware and operating systems, which always work in the background. In some cases, 502 bad gateway errors can be caused by these background processes, and the best way to stop them is by restarting your mobile or tablet.

Try Reloading the Website 

This is probably the most common fix for 502 bad gateway errors, mainly for users, not developers. Reloading pages and websites reduce the load on the server, and after a couple of seconds, the site will come back. 

You should try using a different browser to resolve the issue if this does not work. If the problem persists, you need to check whether the site is down permanently or just for you. 

Reset Internet Configuration 

Your internet modem can also be a problem when facing such errors, so it is better to reset internet configurations and check if the page loads or not. You can either switch off the router or disconnect your computer from that network and connect it again. 

Clear your browser's cookies 

When your browser is outdated or filled with corrupt files, you will face such errors, and they will keep coming back if you don't remove cached files and cookies. You can clear them by selecting the advanced option from the settings and pressing "clear data." 

Check your Plugins 

Plugins and extensions associated with your website can be one of the reasons causing this problem. If you see some unusual activity taking place when some extensions are enabled, you need to turn them off one by one and find the culprit responsible for these constant errors. 

Try Changing your DNS Servers 

DNS problems are not likely to cause 502 errors, but it is still a possibility. Setting up DNS servers allows you to make some adjustments without needing third-party software. On the other hand, if your ISP installs your DNS servers, you will need OpenDNS or Google DNS to solve the problem. 

Scan for Viruses 

If something malicious has infected your computer, your files get corrupted, and error messages keep popping on the screen. Using robust anti-virus software, you can effortlessly detect and remove malware. However, this still doesn't solve the entire problem because you still can get infected if you don't follow certain precautions while using the web. 

Using verified websites and scanning every email you receive is recommended only. They may contain malicious links that redirect users to malware-containing sites. One final tip to avoid malware and prevent such error messages is not to install anything that is not a developer's website. 

Use Airplane Mode 

One can enable and disable the airplane mode to observe changes in the web page. This process solves the internal problem with network components. If any program is stuck, it gets activated again to operate smoothly. The airplane mode is visible on any device under network settings. 

Update the Network Driver 

Network drivers have unique functionality that enables the operating system to communicate with the Wi-Fi module. However, these drivers tend to function incorrectly when it is not updated, which can be why you are repeatedly experiencing such 502 errors. 

To fix outdated network drivers, you should go to the device manager and select storage controllers. Once you find Intel drivers, you should right-click and select Update Driver Software. 

Check Firewall Settings 

If you cannot access a website, it is probably because your firewall is blocking it. So, make sure to open firewall settings and check websites that are blacklisted. If you remove your desired website from the list, your problem will be solved. 

An important thing to consider here is that these websites are blocked for a reason, which can be due to malware, so make sure to research the website before removing it from the list. 

Conclusion

If you want a seamless web browsing experience, you must avoid 502 errors and take proper security precautions. Both users and developers need to follow some of the abovementioned solutions to resolve 502 bad gateway errors. You should deploy some solutions because your computer will become vulnerable to malware if it happens repeatedly. 

In most cases, these errors go away with a refresh, but we should not take any chance of exploiting our details. So, understand why these errors occur in your system and narrow down the perfect solution.

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