Encountering the “ERR_CONNECTION_RESET” error message can be incredibly frustrating for internet users. This ambiguous error typically appears when your browser unexpectedly loses connection to a website server before a transfer finishes or even starts properly. While cryptic, clearing up this error usually requires following some standard troubleshooting methods to identify what’s interrupting the connection.
The ERR_CONNECTION_RESET bug can strike in a variety of different browsers, including Chrome, Firefox, Edge, and Safari among others. Some common triggers include website server errors, internet connectivity issues on the user’s end, problems with browser settings, or using VPN connections that interrupt transfers. Thankfully, there are a number of ways you can attempt to resolve this error on your end through browser tools and settings adjustments.
In this brief tutorial, we’ll outline the main causes of the ERR_CONNECTION_RESET message along with the steps you can take to eliminate this connectivity error when trying to access web pages. We’ll cover refreshing pages, flushing DNS settings, clearing browser caches, disabling extensions, checking firewalls/proxy settings, resetting routers, and more. Whether the issue stems from your browser, ISP, internet equipment, or a remote website’s server configuration, following structured troubleshooting can get web pages loading again. Read on for how to thoroughly diagnose what’s resetting connections and maintain access.
What is ERR_CONNECTION_RESET Error in Chrome?
Seeing the “ERR_CONNECTION_RESET” appear when using Google Chrome can be exceptionally frustrating as a user. This ambiguous error message indicates that Chrome was unable to complete a connection attempt to a website server. More specifically, the connection was unexpectedly severed mid-transfer before any data could be sent or received within the browser. As soon as a Chrome process attempts to communicate with a website’s server only to have the connection unpredictably reset, this error will be triggered.
The main causes stem from connectivity issues that disrupt Chrome’s transfer requests to servers before anything is loaded. Unstable internet connections, VPN or firewall interference, problems with routers, or even website server outages can all be potential triggers resulting in failed connections displaying the ERR_CONNECTION_RESET message. Essentially Chrome requires steady end-to-end connectivity without points of failure between the browser itself, your network equipment, ISP hookups, and remote servers in order to properly transfer website data. If connections are dropping mid-transfer, it immediately halts all loading processes. Diagnosing what exactly caused the abrupt connection reset is key to resolving the problem. Check your internet equipment, browsing extensions/settings that may disrupt transfers, clear caches, or reach out to sites directly if the issue seems server-related. With the right troubleshooting, you can nail down the point of interruption causing ERR_CONNECTION_RESET errors in Chrome.
What Causes the ERR_CONNECTION_RESET Error?
There are a few potential causes of the ERR_CONNECTION_RESET error:
Server-Side Issues
- The website’s server abruptly closed the connection before sending a response. This could be due to the server crashing, restarting, or having another issue.
- The server’s firewall settings are blocking connections from your IP address or location.
- There are too many users connecting to the server at once, overloading it.
Client-Side Issues
- Your internet connection dropped before the data transfer was complete.
- There are problems with your browser, extensions, antivirus software, or other settings that are interfering with connections.
- Your router or other network equipment has a misconfiguration, firmware bug, or other issue.
- The request timed out after not receiving a response from the server within the expected time frame.
Network Issues
- There is network congestion or latency causing packets to be dropped.
- Your ISP is having an outage or other connectivity disruption.
- There is a poor WiFi signal or interference from other devices.
- Problems with the routing and switching equipment between your device and the server.
So in summary, connection resets can stem from server overload, browser conflicts, network errors, or other transient glitches that disrupt the communication between a client and server.
Troubleshooting Steps for ERR_CONNECTION_RESET
Here are some general troubleshooting steps to resolve the ERR_CONNECTION_RESET error.
1. Check Downdetector
First, check sites like Downdetector to see if others are reporting connection issues with the website or service you’re trying to access. If there are widespread reports of outages, it may be a temporary problem on the company’s end.
2. Try Different Browsers and Devices
Open the site in different browsers and devices to see if the error persists. If the error only occurs in one browser, there may be an extension, setting, or performance problem with that particular browser. Trying on a different device can determine if the issue stems from your PC configuration.
3. Flush DNS and Renew IP
Flush your DNS cache and renew your IP address to eliminate any browser or device-level caching issues:
- Windows: Open Command Prompt and run
ipconfig /flushdnsandipconfig /renew - Mac: Open Terminal and run
dscacheutil -flushcacheandsudo killall -HUP mDNSResponder - Linux: Open Terminal and run
sudo /etc/init.d/nscd restart
This will flush out any corrupted DNS records and grab a new IP that can re-establish connections.
4. Reset Network Devices
If the issue occurs on multiple devices on your network, restart your router, modem, access points, and other network equipment. This will clear any stuck processes or memory leaks that could be disrupting connectivity.
5. Disable Extensions and VPNs
Browser extensions and VPN clients can sometimes interfere with connections to certain sites. Temporarily disable any extensions and VPN software to see if that resolves the issue.
6. Clear Browser Cache and Cookies
Clear your browser cache and cookies to eliminate any possible corrupted files:
- Chrome: Go to Settings > Privacy and security > Clear browsing data or 3 dots > more tools > Clear browsing data
- Firefox: Go to Options > Privacy & Security > Cookies and Site Data > Clear Data
- Safari: Go to Preferences > Privacy > Manage Website Data > Remove All
This will force your browser to redownload fresh copies of site resources and re-establish a new connection.
7. Check for Malware and Interference
Run malware scans using antivirus software and check for any unauthorized programs that could be interfering with your network activity, browser, or internet connections. Remove anything suspicious.
8. Update Network and Browser Software
Make sure all your network drivers, firmware, and browser software are fully updated:
- Update router and modem firmware
- Update network adapter drivers
- Update Windows, MacOS, or Linux
- Update browsers
Outdated software can sometimes cause connection issues that updates may resolve.
9. Configure Proxy Settings
If you connect using proxy servers, try removing or reconfiguring the proxy settings in your browser or network settings:
- Chrome: Go to Settings > System > Open proxy settings
- Firefox: Go to Options > General > Network Proxy
- Edge: Go to Settings > Use a proxy server
This will rule out any proxy misconfigurations.
10. Reset TCP/IP Stack
As a last resort, reset the TCP/IP stack on your OS:
- Windows: Open Command Prompt as admin and run
netsh int ip resetand restart - Mac: Open Terminal and run
sudo killall -HUP mDNSResponder - Linux: Open Terminal and run
sudo systemctl restart network-manager
Resetting TCP/IP can clear any corrupted networking components that are disrupting browser connectivity.
If the error persists after trying these troubleshooting steps, contact your ISP or network administrator to have them investigate for configuration issues, outages, or other problems on the network.
Common ERR_CONNECTION_RESET Causes and Solutions
Here are some of the most common specific causes of the ERR_CONNECTION_RESET error and their solutions:
Server Outage or Maintenance
If the website or server is down for maintenance or an outage, wait for them to resolve the issue. Check their social media accounts or status sites for updates.
Browser Extensions
Disable any browser extensions one by one until the issue stops occurring. Then the last extension disabled is likely causing the conflict. Update or remove that particular extension.
Antivirus Conflicts
Add the affected site to the antivirus whitelist to exclude it from scanning. Or temporarily disable the antivirus to see if that resolves the issue. You may need to switch to a different antivirus if problems persist.
Website Blocked by Firewall
Adjust firewall, security, or parental control settings to allow access to the website domain. You may need to add an exception for that site’s IP address and traffic.
High Website Traffic
If the website is getting a surge in traffic, try waiting a while and refreshing at a later time when traffic has lowered. This will avoid overloading the server.
WiFi Interference
If on WiFi, make sure the router has strong signal and is away from other household electronics that could cause interference. Or connect via wired ethernet instead.
Network Address Conflict
Scan for devices on the network that have the same IP address assigned, which will cause conflicts. Change one device to use a different IP address.
VPN Software
Some VPN clients can interfere with browser traffic. Disable the VPN client as a test. You may also need to change VPN protocols to resolve conflicts.
Bad Router Firmware
Check the router admin interface for any available firmware updates from the manufacturer and apply them. Old firmware can have unpatched bugs.
DNS Server Failure
Your ISP’s DNS servers could be having issues. Change the DNS server settings in your router and devices to use alternate DNS providers like Google (8.8.8.8), Cloudflare (1.1.1.1), etc.
Advanced Troubleshooting Tips
For advanced users, here are some other troubleshooting techniques to pinpoint ERR_CONNECTION_RESET causes:
Check Error Logs
Look in Event Viewer on Windows or Console on Mac for any connection reset error messages that may provide clues. Browsers like Chrome also maintain an error console.
Run Network Diagnostics
Do a traceroute to the website server to check for network issues. Use ping tests to check for latency. Try direct IP connections instead of DNS.
Analyze Traffic with Packet Capture
Use a packet sniffer like Wireshark to analyze traffic between your computer and the website. This allows checking for errors, resets, timeouts, and other issues at the packet level.
Monitor with Browser DevTools
Open browser DevTools to monitor network requests, errors, timeouts, and other issues as they occur. This can provide troubleshooting details not available in normal browsing.
Test Alternate Protocols
Try using alternate protocols like HTTP instead of HTTPS or IPv6 instead of IPv4. That can determine if the issue is protocol-specific.
Analyze MTU Size
Use the ping command with different packet sizes to test MTU issues between your computer and the server that could cause intermittent reset errors.
Renew TLS Certificates
If you see TLS or certificate errors, renew any expired certificates on the server side. Outdated certificates can prevent secure browser connections.
Check Server Logs
If you have access to the server for the website, look for connection reset entries in server logs around the time of your errors. The server logs may contain error details not reported by the browser.
Preventing Future ERR_CONNECTION_RESET Errors
To prevent frequent ERR_CONNECTION_RESET errors in the future:
- Keep your router firmware up to date
- Maintain your DNS cache by periodically flushing and renewing it
- Use wired connections instead of WiFi whenever possible
- Disable unused browser extensions and plugins
- Make sure your browser, OS, and security software stay updated
- Clean out cookies, caches, and site data periodically
- Switch antivirus or VPN software if they cause conflicts
- Use an alternate DNS provider if you have issues with your ISP’s DNS
- Connect through a VPN or proxy for greater stability if you have an unreliable ISP
Also try to avoid excessive loading of problem websites during peak traffic periods.
Conclusion
The ERR_CONNECTION_RESET error can arise from various browser, network, or server-side conditions. But using a systematic troubleshooting approach can help narrow down the culprit. The most common fixes involve flushing DNS, renewing IP, disabling extensions, clearing caches, updating software, and changing DNS servers. For persistent issues, you may need to troubleshoot at the network or server level to pinpoint the root cause. With the right corrections, you can eliminate frustrating ERR_CONNECTION_RESET errors and maintain smooth browsing.
