HTTP 401 Unauthorized vs 522 Connection Timed Out
HTTP 401 (Unauthorized) is a 4xx Client Error response, while 522 (Connection Timed Out) is a 5xx Server Error response. 401 indicates that the request requires user authentication. The response includes a WWW-Authenticate header indicating the authentication scheme. In contrast, 522 means that cloudflare-specific. TCP connection to the origin server timed out.
Description
The request requires user authentication. The response includes a WWW-Authenticate header indicating the authentication scheme.
When You See It
When accessing a protected resource without credentials or with expired tokens.
How to Fix
Include valid authentication credentials (API key, Bearer token, Basic auth) in the Authorization header.
Description
Cloudflare-specific. TCP connection to the origin server timed out.
When You See It
When the origin server is overloaded or network issues prevent connection.
How to Fix
Check origin server health. Verify firewall rules. Check for network congestion.
Key Differences
401 is a 4xx Client Error response, while 522 is a 5xx Server Error response.
HTTP 401: The request requires user authentication. The response includes a WWW-Authenticate header indicating the authentication scheme.
HTTP 522: Cloudflare-specific. TCP connection to the origin server timed out.
You encounter 401 when when accessing a protected resource without credentials or with expired tokens.
You encounter 522 when when the origin server is overloaded or network issues prevent connection.
When to Use Which
For 401 (Unauthorized): Include valid authentication credentials (API key, Bearer token, Basic auth) in the Authorization header. For 522 (Connection Timed Out): Check origin server health. Verify firewall rules. Check for network congestion.