ERR_CONNECTION_REFUSED means your browser found an IP address for the domain but got no response from it: no server answered on that port. This is different from a DNS failure or a timeout. It usually means one of three things: the domain's DNS record points at the wrong IP, the hosting service behind the correct IP is suspended or down, or something on your end (firewall, VPN, antivirus) is blocking the outbound connection. Work through these in order.
Check where the domain actually points
Start by confirming the A record. If it's pointing at an old server, a placeholder IP, or nothing sensible, that alone explains the refusal.
- Run
ping yourdomain.comornslookup yourdomain.comfrom a terminal and note the IP it resolves to. - Compare that IP against the one listed for your hosting service in the portal (Services → your hosting service).
- If they don't match, the domain's DNS is wrong. See DNS records and how to manage them for how to fix the A record. If you're using our nameservers (
ns1.flashcloud.com/ns2.flashcloud.com), edit it from Domains → your domain → DNS. If you're on custom nameservers, you'll need to fix it at whatever DNS provider actually holds the record.
Keep in mind DNS changes take effect within a minute or two on our nameservers, but longer for visitors whose ISPs cached the old value. If you just fixed a wrong A record, give it time before assuming the fix didn't work.
A record points correctly but still refused
If the IP matches your hosting service and you're still getting refused, the problem isn't DNS anymore. It's what's happening (or not happening) at that IP.
Check whether the service is actually running
A refused connection at the right IP almost always means nothing is listening on the port your browser tried (usually 443 for HTTPS or 80 for HTTP). Common causes:
- Suspended service. If your hosting is suspended for billing, the underlying server may not accept connections for that domain at all. Sign in to the portal and check Billing for unpaid invoices. See I can't sign in to the portal if you're also locked out, since suspension often shows up as a sign-in message too.
- Wrong port or protocol. If you're testing a non-standard port (a custom app, a staging service), confirm it's actually configured to listen there. Standard shared and WordPress hosting serves on 80/443 automatically.
- Domain not yet pointed at any live service. A freshly registered or freshly transferred domain with no hosting attached yet will refuse connections on any IP you happen to have set, since there's nothing behind it.
If the service is active and billing is current but you're still refused, open a ticket. Include the exact domain, the IP it resolves to on your end, and when you first saw the error. Support can check server-side whether anything is actually listening.
Rule out your own network
ERR_CONNECTION_REFUSED can also come from your side, especially if the same domain loads fine for other people or on another network.
- VPN or proxy. Disconnect it and retry. Some VPNs route traffic through nodes that get blocked or misroute certain IP ranges.
- Local firewall or antivirus. Security software sometimes blocks outbound connections to specific IPs or ports. Temporarily disable it to test, or check its blocked-connections log.
- Router or ISP-level blocking. Rare, but some ISPs or corporate networks block ports or ranges. Try mobile data or a different network to isolate this.
- Hosts file overrides. If you've ever manually edited your system's hosts file to point the domain somewhere for testing, an old entry can override real DNS. Check it and remove stale entries.
If the site loads on another device or network but not yours, it's almost certainly local. If it's refused everywhere, it's server-side or DNS.
When it looks like something else
If you're instead seeing a browser security warning rather than a flat refusal, that's a different problem: see my site shows a security warning. And if the connection succeeds but the page itself errors out, that's a server-side issue: see fixing a 500 internal server error.
When to contact support
Contact support if you've confirmed the A record is correct, ruled out your local network, and the service still refuses connections. Open a ticket from the portal (Support → New ticket) or use live chat. A real person will check server status and whatever's listening on that IP. Include the domain, the resolved IP from your terminal, and roughly when the error started.