SOLVED: ERR_CONNECTION_RESET

ERR_CONNECTION_RESET is an error that usually occurs when the site you are trying to visit cannot establish a connection with the destination site. Your other sites may work, but certain sites won’t. Several causes can be at the root of this issue, “ERR_CONNECTION_RESET,” As there are several causes to this problem, you will have to find the root cause of the issue. So, follow each method and stop at the one that works for you. In my experience, this issue most commonly occurs when a program configures your registry settings incorrectly. This problem can also be triggered as a false positive by your antivirus software or firewall software. To fix this issue, we will have to follow some methods and configure our network settings correctly. This can be a challenging task for non-tech-savvy users. We have tried our best to make every method easy by creating commands for some methods to minimize the work done by users.

  • Network Issue — This issue can also be triggered if your network settings are incorrect. You will have to reset your network settings to resolve this issue.
  • AV Conflict – The problem may also occur if your antivirus engine is attempting to block the website you are trying to access. To resolve this issue, you will need to temporarily disable it.
  • Firewall Issue — Third-party firewalls, such as Avast’s firewall, can sometimes be problematic because they block ports and addresses that they don’t trust. To fix this issue, you will need to temporarily disable it.

These are the potential causes for the “ERROR_CONNECTION_RESET” in Google Chrome. We have plenty of solutions for you to implement. However, before applying any of these fixes, keep in mind that we highly recommend you stop once you find a suitable method that works for you, as it can cause issues to other programs and hurt your system’s stability. Follow the methods below.

Method 1: Changing Your DNS Server

We can try to resolve your issue by using a public DNS, such as Google’s DNS or Cloudflare’s DNS. Follow these steps:

  1. Press and hold the Windows Key, then press I. This shortcut should open the Windows Settings app.
  2. Once Windows Settings are opened, navigate to “Network & Internet“.
  3. Press the option named “Change Adaptor Settings”
  4. Now, right-click on your Network Adapter and select ‘Properties.’
  5. Double-click on “Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4).
  6. Select option “Use the following DNS server addresses”
  7. Now, simply put “8.8.8.8” in the preferred DNS server and “8.8.4.4” in the alternate DNS server.
    Changing the DNS Server 
  8. Hold the Windows Key and Press X. Choose Command Prompt (Admin) or PowerShell (Admin)

 Type the following command to refresh DNS servers:

ipconfig /flushdns

Check if the issue persists.

Method 2: Resetting LAN Proxy Settings.

Your Windows LAN proxy settings can also be the culprit. You can follow these steps to remove any possible proxy settings applied to your adapter/driver:

  1. Press and hold the Windows key, then press the R key. This should open the Run program.
  2. Type ‘inetcpl.cpl‘ and press the Enter key to open the Internet Properties.
  3. Once the Internet Properties window pops up, head over to the “Connections” tab and press “LAN Settings.
  4. Now, make sure to uncheck all the options and press ‘OK.
    Unchecking Proxy Settings
  5. Restart your computer and check if the issue persists. If the issue continues, you will have to follow Method 3, which will reset all your incorrect network settings.

Method 3: Resetting Your Network Configuration.

In this method, we will reset all of our network settings to remove any incorrect configurations possibly caused by third-party programs, and to clear any corrupted DNS data or cache. You will need to reset your network settings and obtain a new IP address assigned from your router. This method will ensure that you have the default network settings set on your PC. It will help narrow down the problem or potentially fix it. To reset your network settings properly, follow these steps below:

  1. Hold the Windows Key and press X. Choose Command Prompt (Admin) or PowerShell (Admin).
  2. Type the following commands one by one to reset your network settings.
    netsh winsock reset
    netsh int ip reset
    ipconfig /release
    ipconfig /renew
    netsh interface ipv4 reset
    netsh interface ipv6 reset
    reset ipconfig /flushdns
  3. Restart your computer.

Check to see if the issue persists.

Method 4: Changing Your MTU (Maximum Transmission Unit)

An incorrect MTU can really be a culprit for some users; you will need to set up your MTU as some routers limit MTU. To fix this, you must set up the optimal MTU on your computers so that it can pass through your router without any problems. Follow the steps below:

  1. First of all, you will need to find the correct name of your network.
  2. Press the “Windows + R” keys together to open Run, then type “ncpa.cpl” and press Enter.
    Finding your Network Name
  3. If you are using an Ethernet connection, use the following command (replace “Local Area Connection” with your network name):
    netsh interface ipv4 set subinterface "Local Area Connection" mtu=1472 store=persistent
    If you are using a wireless connection, use the following command (replace “Wireless Network Connection” with your network name):
    netsh interface ipv4 set subinterface "Wireless Network Connection" mtu=1472 store=persistent
  4. Restart your computer and your router as well.

Method 5: Disabling Antivirus Protection and Firewall.

You can try disabling your firewall and antivirus temporarily, as well as real-time scanning, if that’s supported by your antivirus engine. Most antivirus software allows you to disable protection by right-clicking on the antivirus icon in the tray menu near the clock. After it has been disabled, restart your browser and test. If disabling your antivirus and firewall fixes the issue, you will need to uninstall your antivirus and reinstall it. The same goes for your firewall.

Method 6: Use a VPN as a workaround.

If none of the methods and advice mentioned above work for you, you may have to try using a VPN. VPNs can bypass restrictions placed by your Internet Provider or by the site you are accessing, in case they have limited or blocked your access to their servers. Therefore, I suggest using a VPN as a first step; you can try out CyberGhost from (here). If using a VPN works for you and you can access the website just fine, your IP address might be blocked. This can happen when your ISP is using a DHCP server that dynamically sets your IP so that it won’t conflict with other IP addresses. You can try to restart your router to get a new IP address assigned. If that doesn’t work, contact your ISP and explain the situation to them. They might change your IP or check if there is anything wrong with the connection overall.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Muhammad Zubyan


Muhammad Zubyan is a certified Google IT Support Professional with over 7 years of extensive experience. He has worked on more than 1500 computers, gaining valuable insights that enable him to detect and troubleshoot any complicated root cause of Windows-related issues and errors. In addition to managing Appuals as a Senior Editor, he is currently developing his own Game Optimization program that caters to both gamers and casual users alike.

54 Comments

  1. Hi Kev. I tried the (correct win 7 syntax) set cmd but no luck. if i uninstall my wireless adapter and reboot i can launch browser immediately and get to site a few times but after 10-20 seconds if i try to load the URL i get ERR_CONNECTION_RESET. after that i cannot get to the site again. (in safe mode i can get to it every time) I did this with firewall and antivirus completely disabled so i think something is trying to attach/load later (during my browser session) that is corrupting the situation. any advice on how i can diagnose/see what is loading and then perform a step by step analysis of those programs/services/processes to see which one is causing the problem? thanks!

  2. Hello! and Thanks!!! You were absolutely correct!!! Now, I know how to use netsh to set the mtu to 1490 (it was 1500) which 1490 works fine. but, can you tell me where/how to have my system set it to 1490 every time? is this done in a batch file? or is there a place in windows or elsewhere that i can fix it permenanently? (i still cannot tell which program is making the change to 1500)…. thanks again!

  3. You can create a batch file and task it to run automatically but that is not the solution. Default windows defined mtu works, but since this is an issue caused by one of the programs, you need to find it and remove it. I suggest doing a clean boot.

  4. Thanks…Did that right before your reply. Will this help (you think) with trying to hook up with a good free antivirus (AVG, Avast…) used both in the past, but new PC is a refurbished DELL running Windows 7 and it will surf-but besides Chrome, every attempt to download shot back the ERR-CONNECTION error. Chrome worked okay, and I am reloading that right now on that DELL…but even dropping defender and firewall wouldn’t allow antivirus download-I even have my last AVG on USB drive and could start and update

  5. AVG Free is better then avast. This indicates that something else may be wrong with your PC so in my opinion rather then spending hours troubleshooting whats wrong, i would suggest simply re-installing Windows to get rid of all errors.

  6. Yeah-somethings up. Came closer that time, download page thought, blinked, stuttered, then wen to ERR message again

  7. Tried both and still running into the same issues. Tried uninstalling and reinstalling but still no fix

  8. User side and client side are same. It can be a user side and can also be a server side. If the site doesn’t open on any of your other devices on different networks; then it’s the server side but if it does open then it’s the client side.

  9. I tried the above advice and it did not work. Do I need to undo what I did since that obviously was not the issue?

  10. If you have changed the MTU settings; then you don’t need to undo it because what i have mentioned in this guide is what the default should be.

  11. Where do I do this? “Replace Local Area Connection with the name of your network adapter and hit Enter.”

  12. I still don’t understand. I typed the “netsh etc. in the cmd and hit enter. It then said “OK”. And what then? My Lan is called ” ethernet”. Where do I type that?

  13. It worked! Thanks! If it wasn’t for good people like you I wouldn’t know what to do. Sends love your way

  14. This worked perfectly. But you should make clear that netsh needs to be run as Administrator (Win+X, then select Command Prompt (Admin))

  15. Mine is “Ethernet
    Network 2
    Realtek PCEi GBE Family controller” and the command doesn’t work. I am not getting my default hot mail loaded.

  16. netsh interface ipv4 set subinterface “Ethernet Network 2 Realtek PCEi GBE Family controller” mtu=1472 store=persistent

    If the command doesn’t work, please send me a screen shot.

  17. could not load a screen shot as it exceeds 2 MB. I have copied the command and pasted it here.
    Been using “netsh winsock reset” command as an administrator and prompted to restart the system and after that the hot mail loads for a while and facing the same problem again. .

  18. Had this issue on 250 Server 2012/2016 systems.

    2012 and up – Issue: Cannot access NuGet repositories. Cannot access Bing.Com. Cannot access MSN.Com. Certain websites do not load properly such as TMobile W3Schools

    Cause – The TCP ECNCapability protocol is causing Windstream to drop the packets. Windstream will neither fix nor acknowledge the issue.

    Fix: From an elevated command prompt, type the following command and hit enter. Bing.Com should immediately begin working.

    netsh int tcp set global ecncapability=disabled

  19. Neither of the posted Solution works for me. I don’t have an Antivirus running, and evertime i try the second method, it works for a couple of minutes after the restart, and then without any specific reason it keeps going back to the err_connection_reset.

  20. Thanks…
    A combination of MTU reset, disabling antivirus & cleanboot worked for me….