Docker Registry Connection Timeout Troubleshooting | Generated by AI

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The error you’re encountering, Error response from daemon: Get "https://registry-1.docker.io/v2/": net/http: request canceled while waiting for connection (Client.Timeout exceeded while awaiting headers), indicates that the Docker client failed to connect to the Docker Hub registry due to a timeout. This could be caused by network issues, authentication problems, or configuration errors. Since you’re attempting a web-based login, let’s troubleshoot and resolve the issue step-by-step.

Steps to Resolve the Issue

  1. Verify Network Connectivity
    • Ensure your internet connection is stable.
    • Test connectivity to Docker Hub by running: 
      ping registry-1.docker.io

      or

      curl -v https://registry-1.docker.io/v2/

      If these fail, you may have a network issue (e.g., firewall, proxy, or DNS problems).

  2. Check Web-Based Authentication
    • The message indicates you’re using a one-time device confirmation code (LVFK-KCQX). Ensure you:
      • Pressed ENTER to open the browser or manually visited https://login.docker.com/activate.
      • Entered the code correctly in the browser.
      • Completed the authentication process in the browser within the timeout period.
    • If the browser didn’t open automatically, manually visit the URL and input the code.
    • If authentication fails or times out, try restarting the process: 
      docker login
  3. Handle Timeout Issues
    • The timeout error suggests the Docker client couldn’t connect to the registry. Increase the timeout by setting the DOCKER_CLIENT_TIMEOUT environment variable: 
      export DOCKER_CLIENT_TIMEOUT=120
export COMPOSE_HTTP_TIMEOUT=120
docker login

      This extends the timeout to 120 seconds.

  4. Check for Proxy or Firewall Issues
    • If you’re behind a proxy, configure Docker to use it. Edit or create ~/.docker/config.json and add: 
      {
  "proxies": {
    "default": {
      "httpProxy": "http://<proxy-host>:<proxy-port>",
      "httpsProxy": "https://<proxy-host>:<proxy-port>",
      "noProxy": "localhost,127.0.0.1"
    }
  }
}

      Replace <proxy-host> and <proxy-port> with your proxy details.

    • If a firewall is blocking access, ensure registry-1.docker.io and login.docker.com are allowed.
  5. Use Credential Helper (Optional but Recommended)
    • The warning about unencrypted credentials in ~/.docker/config.json suggests setting up a credential helper. Install a credential helper like docker-credential-pass or docker-credential-secretservice:
      • For Linux with pass: 
        sudo apt-get install pass
curl -fsSL https://github.com/docker/docker-credential-helpers/releases/download/v0.7.0/docker-credential-pass-v0.7.0-amd64.tar.gz | tar -xz
sudo mv docker-credential-pass /usr/local/bin/

        Initialize pass:

        gpg2 --gen-key
pass init <your-gpg-key-id>

        Update ~/.docker/config.json to use the helper:

        {
  "credsStore": "pass"
}
      • Retry the login after configuring the credential helper.
  6. Fallback to Command-Line Login
    • If web-based login continues to fail, try the command-line login with your Docker Hub username and password: 
      docker login -u <your-username>

      Enter your password or a Personal Access Token (PAT) when prompted. You can generate a PAT from your Docker Hub account settings.

  7. Check Docker Daemon Status
    • Ensure the Docker daemon is running: 
      sudo systemctl status docker

      If it’s not running, start it:

      sudo systemctl start docker
  8. Clear Docker Configuration (Last Resort)
    • If the issue persists, clear the Docker configuration file and retry: 
      mv ~/.docker/config.json ~/.docker/config.json.bak
docker login

Additional Notes

References

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