Currency exchange rates timeout error via Webservicex and Google Finance

Question

My exchange rates are not updating. Cron is set to run it daily. Initially received email error report with several lines relating to failed updates of currency pairs, eg

Currency update warnings: WARNING: Cannot retrieve rate from http://www.webservicex.net/CurrencyConvertor.asmx/ConversionRate?FromCurrency=NZD&ToCurrency=BAM

However other currency pairs not noted in the email were failing to update too. I used Magento Connect to install the Google Finance alternative, but still getting an error emailed after cron runs.

Currency update warnings: WARNING: Cannot retrieve rate from [Google finance URL]

Checked the Github repo and xml files do not differ from the Connect version.

When manually attempting to update via either service in admin System > Manage Currency > Rates

I receive a 500 error:

Request Timeout

This request takes too long to process, it is timed out by the server. If it >should not be timed out, please contact administrator of this web site to >increase 'Connection Timeout'.

php.ini in htdocs root had

max_execution_time = 260

which I changed to

max_execution_time = 18000

But no improvement. I've tried searching here and elsewhere, can't find reference to the same error. I'm using CE 1.9.3

Answer 1

Seems webservicex is down at the moment. We have the same error since three days. Try to contact them cause the asp.net makes trouble. You will see it if you open this link in the browser

Maybe wait a little bit :)

Answer 2

Solved. It appeared to be a Google quota thing, once I reduced the number of currency pairs I was trying to fetch (now under 100, it was over 120 previously), the timeout error stopped and retrieval was possible.