Hexnode API URL intermittently returns 504 Gateway TimeoutSolved

Hi @haniel,

A 504 Gateway Timeout usually means the request reached a gateway or proxy, but the upstream service did not respond in time. If the URL itself fails to load, this is different from an invalid API query.

For Hexnode API usage, rate limiting is handled separately. If the API request limit is exceeded, the expected response is typically a 429 Too Many Requests error.

So, in this case:

• 504 Gateway Timeout points to a temporary availability or connectivity issue.
• 429 Too Many Requests points to API rate limiting.
• If the same URL works again after a few minutes without any change from your side, it was most likely an intermittent service-side timeout.

For integrations, it is recommended to handle 5xx errors with retry logic rather than treating them as permanent API failures. A safe approach is to retry after a short delay and use exponential backoff to avoid sending repeated requests during a temporary outage.

Best Regards,
Isabel Lora
Hexnode UEM

That makes sense. In my case it was not a heavy API call or a loop from my script. I was just opening the link directly and it showed 504, then it started loading again a few minutes later.

If the direct URL returned 504 and later recovered, no policy, device, or API payload change is required from your side.

For future occurrences, the practical checks are:

1. Retry the same URL after a short interval.
2. Avoid rapid repeated retries during the outage window.
3. Check whether other Hexnode API endpoints are also affected.
4. If you are running an integration, log the timestamp and HTTP status code for failed requests.
5. Add retry handling for 5xx responses and separate handling for 429 rate-limit responses.

For 429, reduce the request frequency and keep the call volume within the allowed API limit. For 504, wait and retry since it usually indicates a temporary server-side timeout.

Best Regards,
Isabel Lora
Hexnode UEM