[Resolved] cURL error 28: Connection timed out after 10000 milliseconds

[James]

Hey Tom,

I have been having trouble updating since I got the premium plugin pack, but since 1.2.91 it has become a real burden. I have the theme and plugin on about 40 sites. About a week ago the server started having painfully long page loads on the backend.

EVERY link you click inside the admin takes about 40 seconds to load as the server tries to verify the license via cURL. Instead of checking once per day, it checks on every page load.

My hosting company confirmed this and said:
The issue is being caused by the gp-premium plugin, its communicating with their API but it appears that their API is offline or unresponsive hence why it takes 40+ seconds to load anything in the backend since its waiting for the API call to timeout before it proceeds.

I have tried removing the license, saving, and replacing to no avail. This is a real problem with a large number of sites because every click takes forever now.

HELP

[Tom]

Hi there,

That’s very strange – the API talks directly to https://generatepress.com which obviously isn’t unresponsive (we’re on it talking right now).

I wonder if the IP of your server has somehow triggered something on my server to block it. This server has pretty aggressive security and blocks out any IP it thinks is trying to attack it.

Can you let me know the IP address of your server so I can take a look? Feel free to use the contact form: https://generatepress.com/contact/

[James]

Hi Tom,

Sure. it’s 199.101.184.254.
I’m using cloudflare which hides the server IP so yes, maybe that’s causing the issue? All website are on the same server, and all of them are unable to update either the theme or the plugin. I’m dead in the water right now …

Thanks,
James

[Tom]

Any chance you can install the Query Monitor plugin (https://en-ca.wordpress.org/plugins/query-monitor/) and show the results from the HTTP Requests area?

[James]

HTTP Request Response
Call Stack Component
TimeoutTime
1 POST
(Certificate verification disabled: sslverify=false)
https://generatepress.com/ cURL error 28: Connection timed out after 10000 milliseconds WP_Http->post()
wp-includes/class-http.php:576
wp_remote_post()
wp-includes/http.php:187
EDD_SL_Plugin_Updater->api_request()
wp-content/plugins/gp-premium/inc/EDD_SL_Plugin_Updater.php:326
EDD_SL_Plugin_Updater->check_update()
wp-content/plugins/gp-premium/inc/EDD_SL_Plugin_Updater.php:98
apply_filters(‘pre_set_site_transient_update_plugins’)
wp-includes/plugin.php:235
set_site_transient()
wp-includes/option.php:1628
wp_update_plugins()
wp-includes/update.php:261
_maybe_update_plugins()
wp-includes/update.php:631
do_action(‘admin_init’)
wp-includes/plugin.php:524 Plugin: gp-premium 15 10.0044
2 POST
https://api.wordpress.org/plugins/update-check/1.1/ 200 OK WP_Http->post()
wp-includes/class-http.php:576
wp_remote_post()
wp-includes/http.php:187
wp_update_plugins()
wp-includes/update.php:304
_maybe_update_plugins()
wp-includes/update.php:631
do_action(‘admin_init’)
wp-includes/plugin.php:524 Core 4 0.3414
3 POST
(Certificate verification disabled: sslverify=false)
https://generatepress.com/ cURL error 28: Connection timed out after 10001 milliseconds WP_Http->post()
wp-includes/class-http.php:576
wp_remote_post()
wp-includes/http.php:187
EDD_SL_Plugin_Updater->api_request()
wp-content/plugins/gp-premium/inc/EDD_SL_Plugin_Updater.php:326
EDD_SL_Plugin_Updater->check_update()
wp-content/plugins/gp-premium/inc/EDD_SL_Plugin_Updater.php:98
apply_filters(‘pre_set_site_transient_update_plugins’)
wp-includes/plugin.php:235
set_site_transient()
wp-includes/option.php:1628
wp_update_plugins()
wp-includes/update.php:341
_maybe_update_plugins()
wp-includes/update.php:631
do_action(‘admin_init’)
wp-includes/plugin.php:524 Plugin: gp-premium 15 10.0023
4 POST
(Certificate verification disabled: sslverify=false)
https://generatepress.com/ cURL error 28: Connection timed out after 10001 milliseconds WP_Http->post()
wp-includes/class-http.php:576
wp_remote_post()
wp-includes/http.php:187
EDD_SL_Plugin_Updater->api_request()
wp-content/plugins/gp-premium/inc/EDD_SL_Plugin_Updater.php:326
EDD_SL_Plugin_Updater->check_update()
wp-content/plugins/gp-premium/inc/EDD_SL_Plugin_Updater.php:98
apply_filters(‘pre_set_site_transient_update_plugins’)
wp-includes/plugin.php:235
set_site_transient()
wp-includes/option.php:1628
wp_update_plugins()
wp-includes/update.php:261
do_action(‘load-update-core.php’)
wp-includes/plugin.php:524 Plugin: gp-premium 15 10.0020
5 POST
https://api.wordpress.org/plugins/update-check/1.1/ 200 OK WP_Http->post()
wp-includes/class-http.php:576
wp_remote_post()
wp-includes/http.php:187
wp_update_plugins()
wp-includes/update.php:304
do_action(‘load-update-core.php’)
wp-includes/plugin.php:524 Core 4 0.3375
6 POST
(Certificate verification disabled: sslverify=false)
https://generatepress.com/ cURL error 28: Connection timed out after 10001 milliseconds WP_Http->post()
wp-includes/class-http.php:576
wp_remote_post()
wp-includes/http.php:187
EDD_SL_Plugin_Updater->api_request()
wp-content/plugins/gp-premium/inc/EDD_SL_Plugin_Updater.php:326
EDD_SL_Plugin_Updater->check_update()
wp-content/plugins/gp-premium/inc/EDD_SL_Plugin_Updater.php:98
apply_filters(‘pre_set_site_transient_update_plugins’)
wp-includes/plugin.php:235
set_site_transient()
wp-includes/option.php:1628
wp_update_plugins()
wp-includes/update.php:341
do_action(‘load-update-core.php’)
wp-includes/plugin.php:524 Plugin: gp-premium 15 10.0020
7 POST
https://api.wordpress.org/themes/update-check/1.1/ 200 OK WP_Http->post()
wp-includes/class-http.php:576
wp_remote_post()
wp-includes/http.php:187
wp_update_themes()
wp-includes/update.php:477
do_action(‘load-update-core.php’)
wp-includes/plugin.php:524 Core 3 0.3240
9 POST
https://api.wordpress.org/core/version-check/1.7/
?version=4.6.1
&php=5.4.45
&locale=en_US
&mysql=5.7.16
&local_package=
&blogs=1
&users=1
&multisite_enabled=0
&initial_db_version=36686 200 OK WP_Http->post()
wp-includes/class-http.php:576
wp_remote_post()
wp-includes/http.php:187
wp_version_check()
wp-includes/update.php:121 Core 3 0.2610
41.7129

[Tom]

Is this your real host IP address, or cloudflares IP address?: 199.101.184.254 – if it’s CF’s, can you send me the actual server IP address?

You mentioned theme updates not working either? Those are all done through WordPress.org – nothing comes from this server when it comes to theme updates. Can you ask your hosting what PHP version your server is running, and if your curl PHP extension is up to date?

[James]

That is the actual IP. The one I use to FTP files.

[Tom]

Hmm, looked into this and that IP address isn’t banned by my server.

Can you confirm that theme updates aren’t working as well? That would point to an issue with your WordPress install/server configuration as it has nothing to do with generatepress.com.

For now what you can do to stop the crazy load times is remove the check for updates completely:

add_action( 'wp','tu_disable_premium_update_checks' );
function tu_disable_premium_update_checks() {
    remove_action( 'admin_init', 'generate_premium_updater', 0 );
}

[James]

Hi Tom,

Sorry for the delay, I had to go out of town.
I can confirm that 2 unrelated sites were able to update the theme, but the plugin can’t check if there is a newer version so it reports that it is up-to-date when it isn’t.

I checked several sites that had Version 1.2.89 of the plugin, but were reporting that it is up-to-date. Previously, it would say that the plugin activation code failed (or something similar but it gave an error – not now).

I’m getting one other error under the Query Monitor Plugin that looks like it is related to the SSL verification:

Broken Dependencies: wp-auth-check
 /wp-includes/js/wp-auth-check.min.js	
Error: heartbeat (missing)

All other errors are https://generatepress.com:

POST
(Certificate verification disabled: sslverify=false)
https://generatepress.com/
cURL error 28: Connection timed out after 10001 milliseconds	

WP_Http->request()
 wp-includes/class-http.php:223
WP_Http->post()
 wp-includes/class-http.php:575
wp_remote_post()
 wp-includes/http.php:187
EDD_SL_Plugin_Updater->api_request()
 wp-content/plugins/gp-premium/inc/EDD_SL_Plugin_Updater.php:326
EDD_SL_Plugin_Updater->check_update()
 wp-content/plugins/gp-premium/inc/EDD_SL_Plugin_Updater.php:98
apply_filters('pre_set_site_transient_update_plugins')
 wp-includes/plugin.php:203
set_site_transient()
 wp-includes/option.php:1653
wp_update_plugins()
 wp-includes/update.php:268
_maybe_update_plugins()
 wp-includes/update.php:659
do_action('admin_init')
 wp-includes/plugin.php:453

I tried the code you provided in my functions.php file and it made no difference. However, if I disable the GP Premium plugin the server returns to normal page load times?

Thanks for your help,
James

[James]

On a side note, this is a dedicated server so I have root access if you’d like me to try something …

Server Specs might also be helpful:

OS Ubuntu 16.04.1 LTS
Kernel version 4.4.0-47-generic

[Tom]

Just asked my server guy if he has any ideas (he’s way smarter than me). I’ll update when I hear back.

[Tom]

Ok, I’ve added your server IP to my firewall whitelist. Any change?

If not, it’s likely something in your server config as it wouldn’t be my firewall and there’s no other reports of issues coming in.

Let me know – fingers crossed 🙂

[James]

YES! I am now able to check for updates, and can see there is a newer version, but it fails to download. The error message is: “Update Failed: Download failed. Unauthorized”

I believe that also is connected to your firewall.
My server Admin said:

Hello James,
I didn't see any sort of curl errors however there must be some block on his side since any sort of connection is timing out:
root@fivehappyhounds:/# curl https://generatepress.com
curl: (7) Failed to connect to generatepress.com port 443: Connection timed out
root@fivehappyhounds:/#
root@fivehappyhounds:~# ping generatepress.com
PING generatepress.com (104.236.212.100) 56(84) bytes of data.
^C
--- generatepress.com ping statistics ---
6 packets transmitted, 0 received, 100% packet loss, time 4999ms
root@fivehappyhounds:~# traceroute generatepress.com
traceroute to generatepress.com (104.236.212.100), 30 hops max, 60 byte packets
1 192.254.73.105 (192.254.73.105) 0.392 ms 0.464 ms 0.529 ms
2 172.16.228.14 (172.16.228.14) 0.244 ms 0.286 ms 0.371 ms
3 dct-cr03--v55.dacentec.com (199.255.156.129) 0.244 ms 0.241 ms 0.237 ms
4 cha-b1-link.telia.net (62.115.40.229) 2.931 ms 2.930 ms 2.924 ms
5 ash-bb4-link.telia.net (213.155.132.178) 12.142 ms ash-bb4-link.telia.net (213.155.132.166) 12.118 ms ash-bb3-link.telia.net (62.115.138.42) 9.371 ms
6 nyk-bb4-link.telia.net (62.115.138.28) 21.045 ms nyk-bb4-link.telia.net (62.115.120.211) 21.193 ms adm-bb3-link.telia.net (62.115.120.18) 15.354 ms
7 nyk-b3-link.telia.net (80.91.245.82) 15.315 ms nyk-b3-link.telia.net (80.91.248.178) 18.904 ms nyk-b3-link.telia.net (62.115.123.5) 15.870 ms
8 digitalocean-ic-306498-nyk-b3.c.telia.net (62.115.45.10) 23.009 ms 22.974 ms 22.947 ms
9 138.197.248.33 (138.197.248.33) 21.055 ms * *
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root@fivehappyhounds:~#

They need to check their firewall to see for any blocks there, if they can't find any blocks a simple way of trying to find out more information about this issue is for them to try pinging and try performing a traceroute from their server to your own server IP of 199.101.184.254 - this should hopefully assist in locating the issue.

As seen with the traceroute above the request leaves your server, it leaves our network and reaches his provider and then times out which would mean there is a IP block on his own VPS

We are almost there! Thanks for your help.
James

[Tom]

Unauthorized is a much easier solution! https://generatepress.com/knowledgebase/trouble-updating/

Glad we got that figured out 🙂

[James]

Removing the activation code, saving, adding it back and saving again did the trick!

I really appreciate the support. All is working well 🙂
Merry Christmas!

[Author]

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