XAMPP’s Apache uses port 80 by default and this can clash with other internet applications such as web servers (TomCat, JBoss etc), Skype, JDownloader (which all happens to use port 80 as well by default).
Since windows allocate these ports to applications at a first come first serve basis, your Apache web server might not be responsive (as it was started later than the other internet applications) and give you this dreaded message quoting
…server is taking too long to respond
The easiest way to fix this is to change Apache server port settings:
1. Stop the XAMPP server if it is currently running.
2. Open the file [XAMPP Installation Folder]/apache/conf/httpd.conf
3. Search for the string “Listen 80” (assuming no one has changes this before, Apache defaults to using port 80). Change 80 to any other number, for example 8080
4. Search for the string “ServerName localhost:80”. Again, change 80 to something else such as 8080
5. Restart XAMPP.
6. IMPORTANT! Most people miss this part and wonder why XAMPP/Apache doesn’t work after changing apache’s port. In order to browse your local site, remember to append 8080 after your localhost or server’s IP (servername:port), for example
localhost:8080/wordpress
11.22.33.88:8080/drupal
gicel lila says
still, nothing has changed. xampp localhost still takes too much time to load after i changed the port :”( heeelp
David says
Not sure what else to be honest. So you’ve tried browsing to localhost:yournewportnumber and it’s still giving that message?
muhammed says
thank you for your priceless solution..
jumai says
hello david, my apache still doesnt work even after changing the port number…please have you got any other ideas?