Error Fixes

How to Fix Puppeteer Connection Error: “ProtocolError: Network.enable Timed Out” in Docker

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Running Puppeteer in a Docker container can sometimes lead to unexpected errors, especially when interacting with the headless browser. One such error is the “ProtocolError: Network.enable timed out” message, which occurs when trying to get a new browser page using Puppeteer in a Docker environment. This issue can be particularly frustrating, but it’s often related to the browser’s inability to start properly within the container.

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Error Description

The exact error message you may encounter looks like this:

Plaintext
ProtocolError: Network.enable timed out. Increase the 'protocolTimeout' setting in launch/connect calls for a higher timeout if needed.

This error typically occurs during the execution of await browser.newPage() in your Puppeteer script, preventing you from successfully launching a new page in the browser.

Cause of the Error

The root cause of this error is likely that the Chrome executable is not starting properly within the Docker container. This can be due to a variety of factors, including resource constraints, missing dependencies, or the specific configuration of the Docker environment.

Solution

The solution that worked for me involved adding the --disable-gpu flag to the Puppeteer launch options. Disabling GPU acceleration in a Docker environment can resolve issues related to Chrome’s startup, particularly when GPU resources are unavailable or unnecessary.

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Here’s a step-by-step guide to resolving this error:

  1. Modify Your Puppeteer Launch Configuration: In your TypeScript Puppeteer script, update the launch configuration to include the --disable-gpu flag:
TypeScript
   import puppeteer, { Browser } from 'puppeteer';

   async function runPuppeteer(): Promise<void> {
     const browser: Browser = await puppeteer.launch({
       executablePath: process.env.PUPPETEER_EXECUTABLE_PATH || '/usr/bin/chromium-browser',
       args: [
         '--no-sandbox', 
         '--disable-setuid-sandbox',
         '--disable-gpu', // Disable GPU acceleration
       ],
       protocolTimeout: 120000, // Optional: Increase the protocol timeout if needed
     });

     const page = await browser.newPage();
     await page.goto('https://example.com');
     // Your code here

     await browser.close();
   }

   runPuppeteer().catch(error => {
     console.error('Error running Puppeteer:', error);
   });
  1. Rebuild and Run Your Docker Container: Make sure to rebuild your Docker image and rerun the container to apply the changes:
ShellScript
   docker build -t my-puppeteer-app .
   docker run my-puppeteer-app
  1. Alternative Fixes:
    While the --disable-gpu flag resolved the issue in this case, there could be other potential fixes, such as:
  • Increasing the container’s CPU and memory limits.
  • Ensuring all necessary dependencies for Chromium are installed.
  • Using the --no-sandbox and --disable-setuid-sandbox flags, which are commonly required in Docker environments.

Verification

After applying the fix, you can verify that the error has been resolved by running your Puppeteer script again. If successful, Puppeteer should no longer time out when opening a new page, and the script will proceed as expected.

Conclusion

Disabling GPU acceleration with the --disable-gpu flag is a practical solution when running Puppeteer inside a Docker container. This fix addresses issues related to the browser’s startup and can prevent the frustrating “ProtocolError: Network.enable timed out” error. It’s a simple yet effective way to ensure that your Puppeteer scripts run smoothly in a containerized environment.

Tags/Keywords: Puppeteer, Docker, ProtocolError, Network.enable timed out, Chromium, Puppeteer in Docker, Headless Browser, Node.js, TypeScript

This TypeScript-based blog post should help others facing similar issues with Puppeteer in Docker containers.

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