How to Fix the HTTP NGINX 499 Error? [6 Best Methods]

Whether you’re browsing the internet as a user or maintaining and managing a website as a web admin, you’ll encounter certain common errors or HTTP error codes on a daily basis. Some error codes, such as HTTP 499, can cause downtime that can affect businesses of all sizes.

After all, websites are one of the primary ways customers access and interact with products or services.

When a user tries to access a website, but it’s not available due to any reason, they often receive an error message generally represented as an HTTP status code that indicates the type of error.

Like HTTP status codes 100-500, there are plenty of HTTP error codes out there, ranging from 100 to 500. However, for now, we’ll focus on the most frustrating, dreadful, and common HTTP error code – the 499 error.

In this blog, we’ll be explaining what HTTP error 499 actually means, its causes, tips to prevent it, and the best working methods to fix it. Let’s get started!



How to Fix the HTTP 499 Error?

Now that you understand the meaning of the HTTP 499 status code and some of the main reasons that cause it, let’s check out the top 5 methods that can help you fix it. Check out the list of fixes.

1. Purge your browser cache and Reload again

As we mentioned earlier, the HTTP 499 error is not a permanent issue and can sometimes be easily fixed by simply reloading or refreshing the web browser. It is also possible that your server or host may be overburdened with multiple requests, so you should clear your browser cache and try browsing the site again.

Note: Since Chrome has a major Browser market share, we will be using Chrome for this tutorial.

Step 1: Depending on your browser, navigate to the settings menu. In Google Chrome, you can click on the three vertical dots in the upper right corner of the window.

Step 2: Select “More tools” and Click on “Clear browsing data“.

Clear browsing data on Chrome
Clear browsing data on Chrome

Step 3: A pop-up window will open on which, you can select all three options under the “Basic” section or just select the “Cached images and files” as shown in the picture below.

Step 4: Click on “Clear data” to initiate the process.

Clearing data in Google Chrome
Clearing data in Google Chrome

2. Check on a Different Browser or Device

If the error still appears, you can try accessing the website on a different browser or even on a different device to see if the error is specific to the device or configuration.

3. Temporarily disable Plugins or Extensions

Some reports have shown that faulty plugins and extensions can also cause the HTTP status 499 error. Therefore, you should check whether a faulty plugin is the main culprit or not.

To do this, Go to your WordPress Dashboard > Plugins select all the plugins, and then click on Deactivate > Apply from the bulk action menu.

Fixing 499 Error by Disable WordPress Plugins
Fixing 499 Error by Disable WordPress Plugins

In case you are unable to log in to your WordPress dashboard for any reason, you can alternatively connect to your site via FTP or a file transfer protocol client such as FileZilla. Go to the wp_content folder > plugins and right-click on the plugin folder you want to edit and rename it to anything you like.

This method will help you deactivate all the installed plugins on your WordPress site. You can then check for the faulty plugins by activating them one by one and trying to access the site simultaneously to see if the error message still appears. Repeat the process until you find the faulty plugin.

4. Check Error Logs

If you have access to the Error logs, look out for the suspicious entries that correspond to the time that the HTTP 499 status error code appears.


Read: 🚩 If you do not have any idea about Error logs, Please check out our Comprehensive dedicated blog on “How to Set up and Use WordPress Error Log?


5. Disable Firewall or Antivirus Software

Certain firewalls or antivirus software may interfere with communication between the client and the server, resulting in 499 errors. Try disabling your firewall or antivirus software temporarily to see if it resolves the issue.

Therefore, you can try temporarily disabling them and check whether it fixes the issue or not.

For Windows users:

Step 1: First, you need to open your computer’s control panel. To do this, click on the “start” menu on your desktop and type in “control” in the search field.

Step 2: Next, select “System and Security” from the control panel options. This will take you to a new page.

Step 3: On the new page, you’ll see an option for “Windows Defender Firewall.” Click on “Allow an app or feature through Windows Firewall.”

Allowing an app through Windows Firewall
Allowing an app through Windows Firewall

Step 4: In the next window, you’ll see a list of apps and features that are allowed to communicate through your firewall. To change these settings, click on “Change settings.”

List of allowed apps in Windows Defender Firewall
List of allowed apps in Windows Defender Firewall

Step 5: If you don’t see your DNS client on the list, you can add it by clicking on the plus (+) icon.

Step 6: To temporarily disable your firewall, uncheck the box next to “Windows Defender Firewall” and click on “OK” to save your changes.

Step 7: Alternatively, you can adjust your firewall settings by finding the DNS client or any other application you want to configure and checking or unchecking the boxes next to the desired settings.

Step 8: Once you’re done adjusting your settings, click on “OK” to save your changes.


Note: It’s important to disable your firewall temporarily if you need to troubleshoot a connectivity issue. Leaving your computer without a firewall can expose it to potential security threats.


6. Contact Your Web Host

If none of the above methods can fix Error 499, the final option is to contact your web host. Sometimes, the request may be canceled due to taking too long to process, causing Error 499. To prevent server overload, web hosts generally use a kill script to forcibly terminate such requests.

The server may be configured to have a response timeout period, and exceeding the set limit may result in a connection being closed and a 499 error occurring. For instance, suppose you have a request that is expected to take 15 seconds to complete, but the server timeout value is set to 10 seconds. This will result in a timeout before completing the request.

Therefore, it is highly recommended to check with your web host about the timeout values set on the server, and if possible, request an extension of the timeout value.

If you are a WPOven user, you don’t need to worry about this issue. Each site is hosted on managed WordPress SSD VPS hosting, and all resources are allocated dedicatedly.


What is an HTTP 499 Status Code Error?

The HTTP 499 error status code is a unique and special case of the 502 Bad Gateway error that is caused by the client side. The 499 error indicates that a client closed the connection before the server could send a response, and the server is still processing the request.

Error 499 is unique because it doesn’t occur from the server end, unlike most errors where the server is often the main culprit due to misconfiguration or some software bug.

But in this particular type of error, the main culprit is the client (web browser or a user agent) that closed the connection before the server could send a response. This means the server was doing its job correctly – processing the request – but the client didn’t wait for the response to be sent back.

This error has not been listed or a part of the official HTTP/1.1 standard, hence it is not well recognized by all web servers.

Similarly, we have two more common errors that fall into the same category: HTTP 404 Not Found error and HTTP 400 Bad Request error, which you must also check out.


Why does the HTTP 499 Status code Occur?

Http 499 status code is specific to only Nginx web servers only and there can be multiple reasons why it can happen. But some of the most common are:

  • Network Issues: Network problems can cause lost connections between client and server due to issues like dropped connections or high latency.
  • Server-side issue: Server issues like high load or misconfiguration can cause delayed response or failure to respond to client requests.
  • Client Side issue: Termination of connection before response due to canceled request or navigating away from the page during loading of the page by the client.
  • Firewalls and Anti-virus software: Firewall or Anti-virus software interference can lead to lost connections or blocking of communication between client and server.
  • Misconfigured Server: If the server is not properly configured, it won’t be able to handle incoming requests from clients correctly, which may result in Error 499.

To better understand what is triggering error 499, you need to have a basic understanding of how modern web applications work.

In a general web application, a client or your browser sends a request to a web server. Then the web server processes the request and sends a response back to the client.

During the entire communication process between the client and the web server, there are usually security devices installed, such as firewalls or load balancers. These devices play an important role in distributing traffic across multiple servers and filtering out malicious requests.

However, sometimes these devices can be misconfigured and can cause 499 errors to occur. Another common cause for triggering 499 errors is on the client side.

For example, a user may close the browser or switch to another page before the server sends back the response to the browser.

Alternatively, any installed extensions or proxy servers used may also interfere with the communication between the client and the server, causing the 499 error.

These are some of the general and common reasons that might trigger Error 499. However, to determine the exact cause of the error, further investigation is needed, along with trying different troubleshooting methods discussed below.


Conclusion

In this blog, we have discussed the 499 error, a frustrating and common error that can cause downtime for websites. We have explained how this error is caused by the client, such as a web browser, closing the connection before the server can send a response.

However, with the right precautions, you can prevent the 499 error from occurring. This includes optimizing your website’s code and configuration, as well as regularly monitoring your server logs for any errors. Additionally, having a reliable web host and a backup plan can also help minimize downtime.

If you do encounter the 499 error, don’t panic! There are several effective methods to fix it, including tweaking your website’s settings or contacting your web host for assistance. By taking these steps, you can quickly resolve the issue and get your website back up and running.

In conclusion, website availability is critical for any business that wants to succeed in today’s digital world. By understanding the causes and solutions of the 499 error, you can ensure that your website is always accessible to your customers. So take the necessary precautions and always stay vigilant to keep your website running smoothly!


Frequently Asked Questions

What is Cloudflare 499 error?

The 499 error code is a specific code used by Nginx, indicating that the client has closed the connection while the server is still processing the request.

What is Nginx 499 error code?

The Nginx 499 error code is an HTTP status code exclusive to Nginx web servers, which means the client has closed the connection while the server is still processing the request. Hence it is considered a client-side error.

What is AWS load balancer 499 error?

If the server is unable to respond to the request within the load balancer’s timeout limit, the connection will be terminated, resulting in an error 499 being displayed.


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