Why do I get a connection error when I export?

Clicking Export To Dashboard opens a new browser tab straight to your PostSnag dashboard, and a connection error on that tab, something like "this site can't be reached," almost always means your network is blocking or delaying that connection. It doesn't mean your capture failed or that anything you collected was lost.

Why this happens

Sending your captured posts to the dashboard happens in the background first, then the new tab opens to show you the result. A few kinds of networks commonly interfere with that tab loading, even when the send itself went through fine:

1. Restrictive Wi-Fi, like a hotel, hospital, school, or office network that filters or blocks sites it doesn't recognize.

2. VPNs, especially ones with strict filtering or split-tunneling rules that don't expect a brand-new site to open mid-session.

3. Firewalls, personal or company-managed, that only allow traffic to an approved list of sites.

4. A brief ISP or DNS hiccup, which is less common but can produce the exact same "can't be reached" error for a moment before clearing on its own.

Under the hood, PostSnag also sends a large capture up to your dashboard in batches rather than all at once, so an unusually big profile doesn't time out as a single oversized request. If one batch hits a temporary connection issue, PostSnag retries it automatically before giving up. A connection error you actually see in the browser tab is typically your network blocking the dashboard itself, not this background sending step.

What to do

1. Try a different network if you can. A phone hotspot is the fastest way to test whether your current network is the cause. If the dashboard loads there, you've confirmed it.

2. Check whether a VPN or firewall is blocking app.postsnag.com and api.postsnag.com. The dashboard tab opens against the first domain; sending your captured posts happens against the second. Turn off a VPN temporarily, or ask whoever manages your network to allow both.

3. On a work or school device, ask IT to allow PostSnag's domains if you suspect a managed firewall is the cause. This is a common situation on locked-down office or campus networks.

4. Export again once you're on a working connection. Your captured posts stay saved locally on your device the entire time, so nothing is lost while you sort out the network.

5. Contact support if the error keeps happening on a network you know is otherwise fine, since that points to something worth looking into on your specific setup.

If you're often on a restricted network

If you regularly capture from somewhere with strict Wi-Fi, an office, a coworking space, a school, capture as usual and save the actual export for when you're on a personal connection or a hotspot. Your local captures don't expire or need to be redone; Export To Dashboard just needs one clean connection whenever you're ready to use it.

Not the same as a failed download export

This article is about the browser tab that opens right after Export To Dashboard, in the extension panel. It's a different thing from a Couldn't start the export. Please try again. message inside the dashboard itself, which can appear if a media download (Download media for AI or Download Data & Media for AI) fails to start. That's a dashboard-side error on an already-synced profile, not a network connection issue with the extension. If a download job does start and then fails, the dashboard's export card says Export failed and confirms nothing was charged against your plan; start that export again from the profile or group page.

Common questions

Did I lose the posts I captured because the export failed?

No. Captured posts stay saved locally on your device regardless of whether the export tab connects. Export again once your connection works and nothing needs to be recaptured.

Is this different from downloading data for AI?

Yes. Export To Dashboard sends your local captures up to your account; it's a sync, not a download. The Export menu has three options: Download data for AI (a Markdown file and a CSV file together), Download media for AI (a .zip of the images and videos), and Download Data & Media for AI (a .zip with both). That's a separate step you take afterward, inside the dashboard.

How do I know if a VPN or firewall is the actual cause?

Try a different network, like a phone hotspot. If the dashboard tab loads there but not on your usual network, your VPN or that network's firewall is very likely the cause.

Does a slow connection cause this, or only a blocked one?

A slow connection is more likely to cause a delay than this specific error. A hard block from a firewall, VPN, or filtered Wi-Fi is the more common cause of an outright "can't be reached" message.

Who do I contact if this keeps happening on a normal home network?

Email support@postsnag.com with details about your network and browser, so support can look into what's specific to your setup.

Related articles

• How do I send my captured posts to the dashboard? (Export To Dashboard)

• Which export option should I choose? (data, media, or both)

• How do big exports and export notifications work?

• How do I contact PostSnag support?

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