Claude Code API connection error: timeouts and fixes

The error text

API Error (Connection error.) · Unable to connect to API (ECONNREFUSED) · Request timed out

Step-by-step fix

1. 1. Check the address

   Run /status. The endpoint must be api.aicodewith.ai over https, without /v1 or typos.

   ~/.claude/settings.json

   {
     "env": {
       "ANTHROPIC_AUTH_TOKEN": "YOUR_API_KEY",
       "ANTHROPIC_API_KEY": "",
       "ANTHROPIC_BASE_URL": "https://api.aicodewith.ai"
     }
   }

2. 2. Test the network

   Run curl -I https://api.aicodewith.ai in the same terminal. If it hangs or fails, the problem is the network, not Claude Code.

3. 3. Proxy and firewall

   If you use a proxy, export HTTPS_PROXY in that terminal (or add it to the env block). Corporate firewalls may need api.aicodewith.ai allowed.

4. 4. Raise the timeout

   On slow or long requests, add "API_TIMEOUT_MS": "600000" to the env block and restart.

Common causes

Are failed requests charged?

Failed requests (4xx/5xx, timeouts, dropped connections) are not charged — you're only billed for requests that complete successfully. If an upstream failure is automatically retried and succeeds, you're billed once.

Still failing?

• •Check the model's page on aicodewith: it shows recent health for each channel.
• •Look up the request in your dashboard usage records to see its model, status and cost.
• •Email support@aicodewith.com with the time of the error, the model and the error text (never your full API key).

Model status and pricesContact supportDocs

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