Quick And Most Applicable Solutions To Fix “ Could Not Connect To Steam Network ” Issue

A lot of Steam users usually face Steam connection error while connecting to the Steam network. The error comes up with an error message which says “could not connect to Steam network”. Mainly the error message appears when the users try to log in their Steam account. Due to this, users cannot use the program in a normal way.

If you are unable to log into your Steam account, then this article is helpful for you. Re-installing the Steam is the last resort. But before that, you should try some troubleshooting techniques. Here, in this article, we are going to mention some effective steps that are helpful for you in order to fix the issue.

Possible Ways to Resolve “Could not Connect to Steam Network” Issue

In this section, you will get to know the effective ways to resolve “could not connect to the Steam network” issue. Hence, follow the ways one after the other until you fix the problem. The methods are explained through simple language, so that, you can understand them properly without the need for an expert opinion.

Way 1: Changing Steam’s Internet Protocol

For the transmission of data, Steam mainly uses the User Datagram Protocol (UDP). To fix the issue, you need to change it to Transmission Control Protocol (TCP). We all know that the UDP is faster than TCP but TCP is more reliable than UDP. To change it, follow the steps that are mentioned in the section below:

1. At first, press the Windows key + R together, to open the Run dialog box. In the Run box, type ‘taskmgr’ and press the Enter button to open the Task Manager tab on your device.
2. After that, from the Steam Client BootStrapper, end-all Steam related process that is running.
3. Thereafter, in your Steam folder, create a shortcut of Steam. There will be a default location of the Steam folder, called “C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam”. Next, re-open the Run dialog box and type the default folder address in the Run box.
4. Now, you need to make a shortcut of Steam file and save the files in the Steam folder as “steam.exe file”.
5. Meanwhile, move to the shortcut file and right-click on it.
6. To end the process, type “-tcp” in the target box. The entire line looks like:

          “C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\Steam.exe” –tcp

Finally, click OK to apply the changes and close the tab. Now, open the Steam with the help of the shortcut and check if it works fine.

Way 2: Deleting or Altering ClientRegistry.blob

Sometimes, ClientRegistry.blob might be responsible for the Steam connection error. Hence, you need to delete it to fix the issue. Follow the steps, to perform the action.

• To proceed further, first, you need to exit from the Steam completely. After that, move to the Steam directory. The default folder is saved with the name: C:\Program Files\Steam.
• After that, search for the ‘ClientRegistry.blob’’ and rename the file as ‘ClientRegistryold.blob’.
• Finally, restart the Steam and recreated the file.

With this, the client associated files will run without any error. If this does not help you to resolve the issue, then move to the next process.

Way 3: Troubleshooting the Internet Connection

If you can’t connect to Steam, this might occur due to an unstable internet connection.  Hence, at first, you need to check the internet connection that you are using, whether it works properly or not. To verify and check, you can apply the steps that are described underneath.

Step 1

First, click the Start button and type ‘device manager’ in the search bar to open the Device Manager.

Step 2

A list of option with some different entities will appear. Form the list, find out the Network Adapter option and expand it. In the Network Adapter section, you will find WiFi/LAN adapter along with the official name.

• Check WiFi/LAN is enabled or not. If enabled, then it is working properly. If not, then you need to enable it manually.

Step 3

Then, you need to check the Network Adapter is working properly or not, right-click on the Network Adapter option. After that select Properties option. A box will appear on the system screen which says “This device is working properly”. But, if the problem is still there then, you need to revert back the changes that you make in the network or WiFi settings.

Step 4

To revert back the settings, open the Run dialog box by pressing the Windows key + R at the same time. Type ‘cmd’ in the Run box to launch the Command Prompt in your device.

Step 5

Type the following command and hit the Enter button each time.

• First command: ipconfig/release
• Second Command: ipconfig/all
• Third Command: ipconfig/flushdns
• Fourth Command: ipconfig/renew
• Fifth Command: netsh int ip set dns
• Sixth Command: netsh winsock reset

Step 6

After executing the above commands, try to restart your device and check whether the Steam not a connecting problem is resolved or not.

Way 4: Reinstall Steam after Deleting the Files

Can’t connect to Steam network problem might get resolved after reinstalling the Steam application. You need to make sure that you do not delete the gameplay data. To perform the action, follow the steps that are mentioned in the section below.

1. At first, launch the Task Manager in your device by pressing the Windows key and R together. It will launch the Run dialog box. After that, type ‘taskmgr’ in the Run box.
2. From the Steam Client BootStrapper, try to end all the Steam related process that is running.
3. Now, re-open the Run dialog box and write “C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam” in the box.
4. After that, delete all the files from the Steam launcher folder and download the Steam and update it.
5. After completing the downloading process, install it on your device and login to your account.

Once done, check if the problem associated with “could not connect to the Steam network” gets resolved.

Way 5: Update the Network Driver

Steam network connection error might occur due to the outdated network driver. Sometimes, updating the wireless network adapter driver with the Windows Device Manager can resolve such kind of issue. To update the network driver, follow the steps mentioned underneath.

1. At first click the Start button. After that, type ‘Device Manager’ in the search bar, and then select it from the results.
2. Now, double-click on the Network Adapters to expand the section.
3. Meanwhile, right-click your wireless adapter and select Update Driver option. After that, press on the ‘Search Automatically for updated driver software’ option. If an updated driver is found, it installs automatically.
4. Follow any instructions to complete the driver installation. Next, restart your device. Windows boots using the updated driver. After that, test your wireless and internet connection and check whether the problem still persists or not.

Summing up

From this article, you will be able to know how to solve “could not connect to Steam network” problem. This guide provides full solutions that will help you to eradicate the problem. The solutions will be beneficial, especially for the people who are from a non-technical background.