Title: External connection error
Last modified: December 4, 2019

---

# External connection error

 *  Resolved [kitchin](https://wordpress.org/support/users/kitchin/)
 * (@kitchin)
 * [6 years, 6 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/external-connection-error/)
 * After clicking submit, the user sees “Sorry, there was an error. External connection
   error REFID:2…”
 * Turning on Debug in `/wp-admin/admin.php?page=wc-settings&tab=checkout&section
   =inspire` I see this the logs.
 * As you can see our server connects to `secure.inspiregateway.net/api` which then
   returns HTTP/200 with the error message. So the connection error seems to be 
   within Inspire’s system??
 *     ```
       response=3&responsetext=External connection error REFID:2...&authcode=&transactionid=5...&avsresponse=&cvvresponse=&orderid=7...&type=sale&response_code=300
                           [headers] => Requests_Response_Headers Object
                               (
                                   [data:protected] => Array
                                       (
                                           [date] => Array
                                               (
                                                   [0] => Wed, 04 Dec 2019 14:34:00 GMT
                                               )
   
                                           [server] => Array
                                               (
                                                   [0] => Apache
                                               )
   
                                           [content-length] => Array
                                               (
                                                   [0] => 167
                                               )
   
                                           [content-type] => Array
                                               (
                                                   [0] => text/html; charset=UTF-8
                                               )
   
                                       )
   
                               )
   
                           [status_code] => 200
                           [protocol_version] => 1.1
                           [success] => 1
                           [redirects] => 0
                           [url] => https://secure.inspiregateway.net/api/transact.php
                           [history] => Array
                               (
                               )
   
                           [cookies] => Requests_Cookie_Jar Object
                               (
                                   [cookies:protected] => Array
                                       (
                                       )
   
                               )
   
                       )
   
                   [filename:protected] => 
                   [data] => 
                   [headers] => 
                   [status] => 
               )
   
       )
       ```
   

Viewing 1 replies (of 1 total)

 *  Thread Starter [kitchin](https://wordpress.org/support/users/kitchin/)
 * (@kitchin)
 * [6 years, 6 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/external-connection-error/#post-12206290)
 * You can close this. Turns out it’s a problem with the merchant account. I verified
   that by logging directly into the Inspire portal and trying to charge a card 
   there, as well as contacting support at Inspire. They were super helpful.
 * All I can say as a suggestion is that the error message “External connection 
   error” is confusing. (The connection actually was fine, HTTP/200.) Perhaps if
   Inspire is going to continue to issue that error text, the plugin should suggest
   what the real problem may be (merchant account not current).

Viewing 1 replies (of 1 total)

The topic ‘External connection error’ is closed to new replies.

 * ![](https://s.w.org/plugins/geopattern-icon/woocommerce-payment-gateway.svg)
 * [WooCommerce Payment Gateway - Inspire](https://wordpress.org/plugins/woocommerce-payment-gateway/)
 * [Frequently Asked Questions](https://wordpress.org/plugins/woocommerce-payment-gateway/#faq)
 * [Support Threads](https://wordpress.org/support/plugin/woocommerce-payment-gateway/)
 * [Active Topics](https://wordpress.org/support/plugin/woocommerce-payment-gateway/active/)
 * [Unresolved Topics](https://wordpress.org/support/plugin/woocommerce-payment-gateway/unresolved/)
 * [Reviews](https://wordpress.org/support/plugin/woocommerce-payment-gateway/reviews/)

 * 1 reply
 * 1 participant
 * Last reply from: [kitchin](https://wordpress.org/support/users/kitchin/)
 * Last activity: [6 years, 6 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/external-connection-error/#post-12206290)
 * Status: resolved