The apache error 408 specifies that the server did not receive a complete request from the client within a specific timeout period.

Here at Bobcares, we have seen several such apache related errors as part of our Server Management Services for web hosts and online service providers.

Today we’ll take a look at the causes for this error and see how to fix it.

Why does apache error 408 occur

When the website connection times out this error occurs. To be simpler when we make a request to the web server, it takes too long for the request to complete when compared to the waiting time of the website’s server.

This means the client request time is higher greater than the server waiting time. So this error is known to be a client-side error.

The Apache 408 error appears with the text “404 Request Time-out” error. For instance, the error appears as shown below.

How we fix apache error 408

There are different ways to fix this error. Although this error is known to be a client-side error, it doesn’t mean that there is no issue with the server end. Now, let’s take a look at the different fixes our Support Engineers provide to our customers to tackle this error.

Client-Side troubleshooting

1. Check your internet connection.
Make sure that you have a good internet connection. In case, if the internet is slow then it could take too long for this request to complete. As a result, if the server timeout value exceeds then a 408 error will occur.

2. Check the URL
Entering an incorrect URL is one of the common causes of this error. So double-check your URL.

3. Revert recent upgrades
If you’ve recently updated the CMS then try reverting it to the previous version.

In case, if you have updated any other extension, modules, themes, or any plugins then this can also be a culprit of your error. So try reverting it to the previous version or you can even consider uninstalling it as well.

4. Reload the webpage
This one is the easiest method to fix this error. Sometimes, a temporary issue on the client or server-side can cause this error. So simply reloading the page can resolve the error.

Server-Side troubleshooting

1. Check the server configuration
Make sure that the web server’s timeout value is not less than that of the client request time.
Check your .htaccess file and the Apache configuration file. Find: KeepAliveTimeout or RequestReadTimeout directives and try increasing their values. Then reload the webserver and try again.

2. Check the logs
Look for the server error logs. This will provide you more information in order to fix this error.

[Need any further assistance in fixing Apache errors? – We are here to help you.]

Conclusion

In short, this error occurs if the server did not receive a complete request from the client within a specific timeout period. Today, we saw different ways to fix this error.