MySQL Error 1158 (ER_NET_READ_ERROR) occurs when the server or client cannot read data from the TCP/IP stream while exchanging packets.
MySQL Error 1158: ER_NET_READ_ERROR signals a dropped or stalled network read during packet exchange. Check network stability, raise net_read_timeout, and verify max_allowed_packet to fix the issue.
Got an error reading communication packets
Error 1158 happens when MySQL fails to read a packet over the network link. The server returns SQLSTATE 08S01 with the message "Got an error reading communication packets."
The problem usually emerges during large result transfers, long-running queries, or unstable connections.
Fixing it is essential because data operations are interrupted and applications may crash or hang.
Network latency, intermittent drops, or firewall interference often break the TCP stream, so the server logs ER_NET_READ_ERROR.
Low net_read_timeout or net_write_timeout values can expire before a big result finishes transmitting, triggering the read failure.
First, verify the physical network path.
If pings or traceroutes show packet loss, work with your DevOps team or cloud provider to stabilize the route.
Next, increase MySQL timeout and packet size parameters, then retry the query. Most incidents disappear after boosting net_read_timeout and max_allowed_packet.
Bulk SELECTs on large tables often exceed default packet limits. Set max_allowed_packet to 64M and re-run the statement.
On AWS RDS, bursty traffic sometimes drops idle connections.
Enable TCP keepalive and raise net_read_timeout to 120 seconds.
Keep server and client on the same availability zone to reduce hops. Use VPN or private links for production traffic.
Monitor the MySQL error log for ER_NET_READ_ERROR entries and alert when counts spike. Early detection prevents downtime.
Error 1159 (ER_NET_READ_INTERRUPTED) occurs when the read is intentionally aborted. Error 2013 (Lost connection to MySQL server) is a generic network disconnect.
The troubleshooting steps overlap: check network, raise timeouts, and examine packet sizes.
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Yes, raising the timeout gives MySQL more time to read large packets, eliminating many 1158 incidents.
Values up to 1G are supported, but 64M to 256M balances performance and memory on most systems.
Galaxy’s query timeout indicators warn you when a statement nears the server read limit, prompting early optimization and timeout tuning.
The error stops the current statement but does not corrupt data. Re-run the query after fixing the network issue.
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