How To Fix ERR_CONNECTION

The ERR_CONNECTION_RESET issue occurs when the TCP Session between your computer and the website is abruptly closed. This error can affect a specific website, browser, device, or multiple ones at the same time as well.

The way to resolve this error is to fix whatever underlying issue (usually packet drop, proxy, or cache/cookie store) is leading the TCP connection to end in the first place.

We’ve detailed other possible causes, as well as all the solutions, in the article below.

Table of Contents

What causes ERR_CONNECTION_RESET?

You’ll encounter this error if your computer receives a TCP RST (reset) packet, leading the TCP connection to close. As for why this happens, the main reason is often a poor internet connection, but it can also happen if the port is closed or the server is down.

In addition to these, this error can also occur due to the following reasons:

Corrupt browser cache or cookie store
Antivirus blacklist
Proxy
Problematic network configurations
Outdated network drivers

How to Fix This Error?

Let’s start with some general fixes first. Press F5, or click on the reload button to refresh the page. Many users have reported that the page loaded after multiple refreshes, so don’t hold back.

Next, power off your device, router, and modem. Wait for about a minute, and then turn them back on.

These few steps alone can fix the ERR_CONNECTION_RESET error in a lot of cases, so please try them before moving on to the solutions below.

Check Internet Connection

Try loading a few other sites. If they don’t load either, your internet connection is likely the issue. You can confirm this by performing a ping test and checking the packet loss.

If there’s a lot of packet loss, a line of TCP connection can end up transmitting the same packet multiple times. But if the server has already sent all the packets, it sends a FIN packet to end the session, thus closing the connection.

To remedy this, you can either move closer to the router to get a stronger signal or, even better, use an Ethernet cable.

But if the connection seems fine, try the solutions below instead.

Use Windows Network Diagnostic Tools

Windows has built-in troubleshooters for dealing with network adapter and connection-related issues such as ERR_CONNECTION_RESET. You can use these tools with the following steps:

Right-click the Network icon from the taskbar and select Troubleshoot problems.
Select All Network Adapters and press Next.
Follow the on-screen instructions to resolve any issues found.
Alternatively, press Windows + I, and select Update and Security > Troubleshooters > Additional Troubleshooters.
Run the Internet Connections troubleshooter.
Select Help me connect to a specific web page.
Enter the site’s address and follow the on-screen instructions.

Clear Cookies and Cache

Often, a corrupt cache and cookie store is what leads to this error. So, clearing them is a common fix for this issue. Do note that it may be wise to back them up before you do so.

Alternatively, if you don’t want to clear the cookies/cache, you can achieve the same end result by using Incognito/InPrivate mode or using a different browser altogether.

Check Antivirus Blacklist

A very common scenario is that the site you’re trying to visit is blacklisted by your antivirus. According to user reports, AVAST and AVG are particularly notorious for this. So, here’s how you can check and whitelist the site:

Launch your Antivirus app.
In the Settings section, go to Firewall or Exceptions or a similar option and check if the domain is blacklisted. If so, add or remove it from the list and save the changes.
Try loading the website; it should load properly now.

Temporarily Disable Proxy

If you’re using a proxy server, we recommend temporarily disabling it to ensure it’s not what’s causing the ERR_CONNECTION_RESET error. Additionally, if you’re using any plugins or extensions in your browser that uses a proxy, you should disable them as well. Here are the steps to do so:

Press Win + R, type inetcpl.cpl, and press Enter.
Switch to the Connections tab and click on LAN Settings.
Deselect all the options and press OK.
Launch Chrome and enter chrome://extensions/ into the address bar.
Turn off or uninstall extensions that use proxies.

Disable IPv6

Many users have reported that they resolved this error by disabling IPv6. So, we recommend you try this quick fix before modifying the other network configurations below. Here are the steps to do so:

Press Win + R, type ncpa.cpl, and press Enter.
Right-click the active Network Connection and select Properties.
Uncheck the box next to Internet Protocol Version 6 (TCP/IPv6).
Press OK, then check if the page loads after the changes.

Reset Network Configuration

As your current network configuration could be the reason behind this error, we recommend resetting the settings with the following steps:

Press Win + R, type cmd, and press CTRL + Shift + Enter.
Type the following commands and press Enter after each:
ipconfig /flushdns netsh winsock reset
Reboot your PC and check if the error is resolved.

Update / Reinstall Network Adapter

Just as with any other driver, it’s a good idea to update your network adapter drivers regularly, as an outdated one often results in various connection issues. You can update or, if need be, reinstall the network adapter with the following steps:

Press Win + R, typedevmgmt.msc, and press Enter.
Expand the Network Adapters section.
Right-click the Network Adapter, select Update Driver and follow the on-screen instructions.
If this doesn’t help, try the Uninstall Device option instead. The device will be reinstalled the next time you boot.

Contact ISP for Support

One user reported that his PC was having difficulty getting the certificate from the website to validate for HTTPS. The reason behind the authentication issue was that his modem was set up behind double NAT. The ISP was able to resolve this by simply setting the modem into bridge state.

There are other similar cases where you may not be able to diagnose the actual issue by yourself. As such, if the ERR_CONNECTION_RESET error is still not resolved, we recommend contacting your ISP for support.