How to Fix Test Connection Button Fails for OpenRouter in FreshRank
This article walks through the common causes of a failing Test Connection button in FreshRank when OpenRouter is selected as the AI provider, including firewall blocks, insufficient credits, and new-account edge cases.
Test Connection Button Shows an Error
Problem: The test connection fails even though you've entered a valid key.
Possible causes and solutions:
- Network/Firewall Issue
- Your hosting provider may be blocking connections to OpenRouter
- Contact your host and ask them to allow connections to openrouter.ai
- Insufficient Credits
- Make sure you have credits added to your OpenRouter account
- Check your balance at openrouter.ai/credits
- PHP cURL Not Enabled
- FreshRank needs the PHP cURL extension to connect to OpenRouter
- Contact your hosting provider to enable cURL if it's disabled
- Connection test failed
- If you just created a new OpenRouter account, the 'Test Connection' button might show a 'Connection test failed' error. Try running any AI-powered action in FreshRank (like running an analysis on a single article). If you don't get an error and analysis completes, then you're all set and your API key is working. After some time the 'Test Connection' button will show a success message.