If you are a gamer, you probably have encountered unexpected problems on steam. This article explains how to fix Could not connect to the Steam Network.
Steam is definitely the most popular platform and market place for gamers. For excellent features and performance, Millions of gamers around the world have been using it. But, Sometimes, Users may encounter unexpected steam desktop app-related problems. Especially, Connection errors related to steam may make you suffer if you prefer multiplayer PC games.
Due to the connectivity problem, some users often have to play games in offline mode. However, If you have encountered an error like “Could not connect to the steam network,” you are at the right place. In this post, You will get some effective troubleshooting methods to resolve this issue.
Table of Contents
How to Fix Could Not Connect to the Steam Network on Windows 10
There are multiple solutions for this error. Which one will fix this problem depends on why you are facing this issue. However, Here are methods you can follow to troubleshoot this problem.
1. End Steam Client Processes
When steam encounters an internal crash that doesn’t reflect any immediately visible error, you may get this error. Relaunching this app would fix the connectivity problem. But, It may not help as some processes may remain active after exiting steam. So, To fix could not connect to the steam network, you can end those processes. You can do it from the Windows task manager. In this case, follow these instructions.
- At first, Right-click on the taskbar and click on Task Manager. Or you also can press CTRL+SHIFT+ESC to open the Windows task manager.
- Now, Make sure it is on extended view. If not, you would see a small button called “more details.” Just, Click on it. If you are already in this view, ignore this step.
- Now, Find and kill all of the steam processes. These include the following processes-
- Steam Client Service
- Steam Client Web Helper
- Steam Client Bootstrapper
- Then, Open the steam app again.
It should solve this steam error. It is the right solution for most users in most cases. If it fails to work, follow the next methods.
2. Change Internet Transmission Protocol for Steam
It is a very old solution to solve could not connect to the steam network error. By default steam use UDP. It is indeed a faster protocol. But, for any reason, it may fail on your PC. In that case, Steam may be unable to connect to the network. In this case, Changing the transmission protocol may solve your problem. You can do it by following these steps.
- At first, Go to the folder where the steam app is installed. It is usually C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam
- Now, Right-click on the steam.exe and choose “Create Shortcut.”
- After that, Right-click on the newly created shortcut and go to its properties.
- Then, Go to the shortcut tab.
- Now, In the target box, add –tcp at the end of the existing line. So, The whole line should be like this: “C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\Steam.exe”–tcp
- Apply the changes and save the settings.
- At last, Launch the steam app from this shortcut.
Now, You should no longer encounter the problem. Because It should fix couldn’t connect to the steam network.
3. Update Network Driver
Sometimes, Extremely old, incompatible or buggy network driver software can cause internet connectivity problem. You may not notice it instantly. However, You may face problems in various moments. It is possible that it is causing the steam connectivity issue too. In this case, It will be wise to update the network driver on your PC. It may fix could not connect to the steam network. If you don’t know how to do it, follow these instructions.
- At first, Open the start menu, type devmgmt.msc and press enter. It will open the Windows device manager.
- From there, expand the Network Adapter.
- Now, Right-click on the network drivers and choose update driver.
- Then, Follow your preferred method to update.
However, If you want to update drivers more conveniently, you can use Driver Booster or Driver Easy. These tools can help you update these drivers automatically.
However, after updating, you should no longer encounter the steam connectivity errors.
4. Reset Your Connection Settings
Another well-known fix for this steam error is resetting connection settings. If there exists any connectivity misconfiguration, the users may get the error steam could not connect to the network. In this case, It will be wise to reset the connection settings to troubleshoot this problem. In this case, follow these steps.
- At first, Open the start menu, type cmd, right-click on the command prompt and choose run as administrator.
- Now, Run these commands one by one.
ipconfig/release
ipconfig/all
ipconfig/flushdns
ipconfig/renew
netsh int ip set dns
netsh winsock resetIt should resolve your problem. If not, follow the next methods.
5. Rename ClientRegistry.blob
It is a very well known solution to troubleshoot could not connect to the steam network. Sometimes, For any reason, the clientregistry.blob becomes corrupted. As a result, users may problems with steam. So, You should bring back its default state. To do it, you can do the following things.
- At first, Go to the Steam installation folder like method 2.
- Then, Find the clientregistry.blob file and rename it to something like clientregistry.blob.old.
- Now, Launch the steam app.
Hopefully, You won’t encounter the problem again.
6. Re-Install Completely
Still getting the error? You may need to re-install the steam. In this case, I suggest you to backup your games. Then, You can uninstall the steam completely. You can do it without any software. But, You also can consider using Revo Uninstaller or IObit Uninstaller or even Ashampoo Uninstaller. These tools can uninstall any software completely from your PC. As a result, there will be no leftovers. However, After uninstalling, install the steam app again. It should resolve couldn’t connect to the steam network error.
If the problem still exists, I suggest you to troubleshoot your internet connection and also find if anything or your ISP is blocking steam or not.
These are the most effective methods to get rid of could not connect to the steam network error. However, there might be any other working methods. If you know any, you can include it in the comment box.
