I loved The Discovery Channel growing up.
As an adult, nothing changed, except I swapped out cable for a streaming device, and watched documentaries on Discovery Plus on the weekend.
There was a special on Sharks last week, but I couldn’t watch it cause I kept getting an error flashing on my screen.
Error 504? Sounded pretty familiar.
I couldn’t find it on Discovery Plus’s Support website, but I was sure I’d come across it elsewhere, so I set it to work.
I spent maybe 3 hours browsing the internet to learn how to fix it and get back to watching Discovery Plus.
Here’s how to fix Discovery Plus Error 504 (and why it isn’t actually unique to Discovery Plus).
Error Code 504 on Discovery Plus indicates a gateway timeout (server taking too long to respond). Uninstall and reinstall the app, and restart your streaming device to resolve it.
What is Discovery Plus Error Code 504?
A 504 Error isn’t actually unique to Discovery Plus.
It’s a Gateway Timeout error.
This means that Discovery Plus Servers took too long to respond to your device trying to request the show, and so your streaming device stopped asking.
You might have seen it when trying to browse the web on an unstable internet connection, or if the website you’re trying to visit is down.
Uninstall and Reinstall the Discovery Plus App
Error 504 is a network connectivity issue that isn’t unique to Discovery Plus, but if your internet is fine, then uninstall and reinstall the Discovery Plus App.
Something may have gone wrong with the way the app handles network connectivity, so uninstalling and reinstalling the app should get you a fresh install of the latest app, and that should take care of it.
Restart Your Streaming Device
If reinstalling the app didn’t work, then there could be something wrong with your streaming device.
It might be your device that’s handling network connectivity poorly.
Resetting it will get it to work the way it should by refreshing its state back to factory settings.
- iOS – Go to the ‘Assistive Touch’ -> Click on Device Tab -> Tap on More and Restart
- macOS – Go to ‘Apple Menu’ -> Choose and click on the restart.
- Android – Press and hold the ‘Power Button’ till the options show up -> Click on Restart
- Windows – Click on ‘Windows Key’ to open the start menu -> tap on ‘Power Options’ and click on restart.
Check if Discovery Plus Servers are Down
When servers are down, you can experience a Gateway Timeout, and you’ll find Error Code 504 flashing on Discovery Plus.
It doesn’t happen often, but when it does, they usually notify you through the app or on their social media, like Twitter.
To check the status of Discovery Plus servers, you can utilize third-party websites like Downdetector.
The servers being down could lead to the Discovery plus Error 0C-C009, which is easy to get rid of.
If the servers are really down and you have tried to fix it yourself already, then there isn’t much you can do except wait until it is resolved from the other end.
Unstable or Slow Internet Connection
An unstable internet connection can be a reason why Discovery Plus is showing an error code 504.
Having reliable internet is essential to prevent playback and buffering issues.
To check the internet’s download/upload bandwidth, you can perform a test utilizing Fast.com
If there is indeed a problem with the internet, then restart your router/modem to re-establish the link with ISP’s servers.
Make sure to wait for at least 5 to 10 seconds before restarting the router.
Check the internet bandwidth again to see if the problem has been resolved.
If not, then it may be time to contact the provider to fix the speed.
Clearing cookies
While browsing, you will leave a trail in the form of cookies and cached data which helps the browser to improve the speed and loading time.
But over time, they can accumulate, get corrupted, and interfere with the streaming.
So, it is essential to clear the browsing data regularly.
If you are not aware of the process, then here’s how you do it
- Open the browser and click on the three dots present at the top right corner
- From the drop down, go to ‘History’ and then click on the history
- At the list down from the left side, tap on the ‘clear browsing data’
- Change the time range to ‘All Time’
- Make sure to select download history, browsing history, site data, cached images, files, and cookies.
- And finally, tap on ‘Clear Data’
Disable VPN
VPN (Virtual private networks) are third-party applications that protect the network from activity tracking by websites, as well as let you access geo-restricted content.
Though they are helpful, VPNs can sometimes interfere with network stability.
So, when you face error code 504, you must turn off the VPN.
Or else, you can switch to more stable providers such as PureVPN for fast and reliable connections that work well with high-speed servers.
Changing Proxy Settings
Incorrect proxy settings can sometimes cause a 504 error because as a standard practice, Discovery Plus, rejects requests sent from unexpected sources, or routed through suspicious proxy servers.
You can disable the proxy server and reload the page to see if the error is fixed.
Here is the step-by-step process for disabling proxy settings:
- Go to the control panel and click on the internet settings.
- Select the proxy settings and switch off the ‘manual proxy setup.’
- Now go to the Discovery Plus app and restart it.
Contacting Customer Service
If nothing else works or you still get error 504 code even after trying all the methods mentioned here, then you contact the customer service of Discovery Plus.
To contact them, visit the Discovery Plus help center and report a problem.
You may have to provide the necessary details to help them access the situation and resolve the issue at the earliest.
Error 504 is not really a Discovery Plus Error
As the 504 error is a Gateway Timeout Error that isn’t unique to Discovery Plus itself, you can mostly troubleshoot it by yourself with a hard reset.
If that doesn’t work, then clear cookies and cached data
Also, make sure to turn off your VPN and ensure you’re not routing your traffic through strange proxy servers.
If nothing works, contact their customer support/submit a support ticket to let them know something’s wrong, and they’ll help you get back to streaming content on Discovery Plus.
Frequently Asked Questions
I have been experiencing 504 errors frequently. What could be the reason?
This error occurs when there is an issue or disruption in the connection between the server and the application.
In simple terms, your browser or application has been trying to reach Discovery Plus servers, but it couldn’t do it within a certain amount of time.
Hence, this timeout error (504) happens.
If it happens frequently, you may have an unstable internet connection or lower bandwidth than necessary.
So, upgrading the internet speed and bandwidth should resolve the issue.
How can I troubleshoot discovery+ on Roku OS?
A quick restart should help you resolve the issue.
For that, you have to follow the process mentioned here. Go to Roku Device home screen ->select ‘restart channel’ from the home menu.
This should reset any temporary bugs or glitches and let you get back to streaming.
If you are not able to control the continuous crashing, then contact customer service for help.
