psql: Could not Connect to Server: Connection Refused
Evan Hicks
—The Problem
When configuring Postgres initially, this error is quite common: psql: could not connect to server: Connection refused Is the server running on host "<your host>" and accepting TCP/IP connections on port 5432. It occurs because Postgres isn’t listening on the correct port (5432 is what psql expects by default) or there is an issue connecting from your computer to that port.
The Solution
First, double check that the Postgres process is running where you expect it to be. If you are trying to connect to a Postgres instance on the same host as your terminal, you can run lsof -p :5432 which will show which, if any, processes are listening on that port. The postgres process should be connected there.
You can also look at the listen_address and port value in your postgresql.conf to make sure Postgres is accepting connections on the address and port you expect. If the connection is still failing, then there might be a permission issue in the pg_hba.conf access configuration file. Make sure this is set up correctly to accept connections from your IP. Finally, ensure there are no firewalls or iptables on the Postgres server that are blocking connections.
Further Reading
- Syntax.fmListen to the Syntax Podcast
- ResourcesWhat is Distributed Tracing
- Listen to the Syntax Podcast
![Syntax.fm logo]()
Tasty treats for web developers brought to you by Sentry. Get tips and tricks from Wes Bos and Scott Tolinski.
SEE EPISODES
Considered “not bad” by 4 million developers and more than 100,000 organizations worldwide, Sentry provides code-level observability to many of the world’s best-known companies like Disney, Peloton, Cloudflare, Eventbrite, Slack, Supercell, and Rockstar Games. Each month we process billions of exceptions from the most popular products on the internet.
A peek at your privacy
Here’s a quick look at how Sentry handles your personal information (PII).
×Who we collect PII from
We collect PII about people browsing our website, users of the Sentry service, prospective customers, and people who otherwise interact with us.
What if my PII is included in data sent to Sentry by a Sentry customer (e.g., someone using Sentry to monitor their app)? In this case you have to contact the Sentry customer (e.g., the maker of the app). We do not control the data that is sent to us through the Sentry service for the purposes of application monitoring.
Am I included?PII we may collect about you
- PII provided by you and related to your
- Account, profile, and login
- Requests and inquiries
- Purchases
- PII collected from your device and usage
- PII collected from third parties (e.g., social media)
How we use your PII
- To operate our site and service
- To protect and improve our site and service
- To provide customer care and support
- To communicate with you
- For other purposes (that we inform you of at collection)
Third parties who receive your PII
We may disclose your PII to the following type of recipients:
- Subsidiaries and other affiliates
- Service providers
- Partners (go-to-market, analytics)
- Third-party platforms (when you connect them to our service)
- Governmental authorities (where necessary)
- An actual or potential buyer
We use cookies (but not for advertising)
- We do not use advertising or targeting cookies
- We use necessary cookies to run and improve our site and service
- You can disable cookies but this can impact your use or access to certain parts of our site and service
Know your rights
You may have the following rights related to your PII:
- Access, correct, and update
- Object to or restrict processing
- Port over
- Opt-out of marketing
- Be forgotten by Sentry
- Withdraw your consent
- Complain about us
If you have any questions or concerns about your privacy at Sentry, please email us at [email protected].
If you are a California resident, see our Supplemental notice.