Troubleshoot 408 errors

The server timed out waiting for the request to complete.

# 408 error behavior

• 408 errors will usually be shown on screen after a delay
• 408 errors can occur when the client connection is slow or unstable
• 408 errors can be rendered using a fortrabbit error page template

In most cases this is not a server issue, but a problem with the client connection or request handling. Please check the following common issues first.

# Slow client connections

A common cause of 408 errors is when the client takes too long to send the complete request. This can happen with:

• Slow internet connections
• Large file uploads that exceed timeout limits
• Mobile connections with poor signal quality
• Network interruptions during the request

# Large request payloads

When uploading large files or sending requests with substantial data:

• Check if your upload exceeds the maximum allowed size
• Consider breaking large uploads into smaller chunks
• Verify that your application properly handles multipart uploads
• Review PHP settings like max_execution_time and upload_max_filesize

# Client-side timeout configuration

Sometimes the issue is with how the client application handles requests:

• Check your application's HTTP client timeout settings
• Ensure your JavaScript fetch or AJAX calls have appropriate timeout values
• Review any proxy or CDN timeout configurations
• Consider implementing retry logic for important requests

# Check the logs

Examine the logs. See here. The logs may show patterns of when these timeouts occur and help identify the root cause.

# Network troubleshooting

• Test your connection speed and stability
• Try the same request from a different network
• Check if the issue occurs consistently or only sporadically
• Monitor your application during peak traffic times

# It could also be something on our side

It is also possible — although less likely - that this error is caused by a network, hardware or configuration issue on our side, your hosting provider. Please check our status page under status.fortrabbit.com if there are any ongoing maintenance windows or service issues known.