Web browsers are our portals to the online world, and being unable to use them as such due to an unknown error can be a frustrating experience.
This guide covers the ERR_CONNECTION_REFUSED error in depth, so if you’ve recently encountered it and are seeking a solution, you’ve come to the right place.
Without further ado, let’s get right into it.
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What Is The ERR_CONNECTION_REFUSED Error?
This error occurs without any previous signs when a user attempts to open a specific website.
The way users described it mentions a gradual increase in the chances of seeing it on other websites after experiencing it on one for the first time.
“The error had started with Dropbox, where nothing on its site can be accessed, and recently, I’ve discovered that Pastebin is also being blocked as well. I’m honestly more worried that this issue will “spread” to more important sites so I’ve been debugging non-stop to no avail.”
Based on our tests and what some community members who tried solving this issue had to say about it, we concluded that the issue’s not directly related to the browser. If you experience this problem on Chrome, you’ll likely experience it on Firefox and Edge too.
The error is quite vague, as you can see from the screenshot provided above. It doesn’t say much about what the problem could be, and it’s a difficult one to solve if you’re a beginner user.
Luckily, we’ve prepared a few tested, working methods that should help you overcome the ERR_CONNECTION_REFUSED error without much hassle, so keep reading the following sections below for more information on how to do that.
Preliminary Fixes
When dealing with network-related issues, there are some preliminary things to try before diving deeper into the more complex fixes. These may help you solve the problem immediately without spending too much time.
Restart Your Internet Router
To achieve this, locate the power button on the device. It’s typically positioned on the rear. Utilize it to switch off the device and wait approximately five minutes before switching it on again. During the wait, you can restart your PC.
If using a wired connection, unplug the cord, wait for about a minute, and then plug it back in.
Check The Website Status
Even some of the most popular websites are prone to issues and outages, and so when you cannot access one of them, it may be because the website is temporarily down, either for maintenance or due to a problem.
You can check the status of websites at DownForEveryoneOrJustMe.
Temporarily Disable Antivirus Online Protection
Antivirus programs are helpful, but sometimes, they are a tad bit more aggressive than they need to be, blocking access to sites that aren’t harmful.
If you have antivirus software installed on your PC, open the settings panel and try disabling the online protection feature to see if that changes anything. Keep in mind that Windows Security (Windows’ Built-In Antivirus) and all its features are more than enough to keep your PC safe. There’s no need to install third-party antivirus programs.
Deactivate Your VPN Service
Though privacy is very important to many users, temporarily disabling your VPN as a part of the troubleshooting process may help you find the problem’s root.
Sometimes, the VPN can cause common network errors, and the only way to find out if that’s your case is by temporarily disabling the client, or the browser extension, depending on what type of VPN you use.
Ensure The Website(s) Aren’t Blocked
Most users who managed to solve this issue reported that the websites they tried accessing were blocked on the PC. Whether this happened accidentally, or a previous user/owner added them to a block list, it’s worth checking out as that seems to be the main cause of this problem.
Please note that the websites could be blocked through the Wi-Fi router, so if you’re using a shared network, communicating with the owner or the person that set it up may be helpful.
Method 1: Change The DNS Settings
For this method, we recommend switching over to Google’s DNS. It’s easy to do, and you can configure it correctly by following the steps below:
- Windows + S on your keyboard to open the Search Box.
- Type in Settings, then press Enter.
- Click Network & Internet.
- In the Advanced Network Settings section, click on Change Adapter Options.
- Right-click your adapter and choose Properties.
- Select Internet Protocol Version 4 by clicking on it, then click Properties in the bottom-right corner.
- Select “Use the following DNS server addresses” and type in 8.8.8.8 in the first field, then 8.8.4.4 in the second field.
- Press OK to save the changes.
You should now be able to load the websites you previously couldn’t.
Method 2: Turn Off Google Synchronization
Though it’s not too clear why this method helped so many users solve the ERR_CONNECTION_REFUSED problem, its success rate makes trying it worthwhile.
After all, disabling Google Synchronization in Chrome takes just a few clicks.
Here’s how to do it:
- Open Chrome and click on the three vertical lines in the upper-right corner. Choose Settings from the list of options.
- In the “You and Google” section, which should be first on the list in the left sidebar menu, find the Sync option and disable it.
- Restart Chrome.
The problem should now be solved.
Method 3: Flush Your DNS Resolver Cache
One of the most useful tools when troubleshooting network issues is flushing the DNS cache. It can fix many internet-related problems yet takes just a few moments to do.
If you have not cleared your DNS cache before, here is how you can do it:
- Open the Windows Search box by pressing Windows + S simultaneously on your keyboard.
- Type in Command Prompt, then right-click the first result and choose Run as administrator to launch an elevated panel.
- In the panel, type in the following commands one by one. Make sure not to type the next command before the previous one is fully executed.
- netsh int ip reset
- netsh winsock reset
- ipconfig /release
- ipconfig /renew
- ipconfig /flushdns
- Close the Command Prompt panel and try loading one of the websites you previously couldn’t.
Hopefully, this should solve the problem.
Method 4: Configure The Proxy Settings
Proxies are helpful for privacy, and many users rely on them to feel safer while browsing the internet. However, if the IP address associated with the proxy is rejected by the web server, you won’t be able to access the website, and will see the ERR_CONNECTION_REFUSED error as a result.
The proxy you’re using may also be incorrectly configured or offline, which will result in the same thing, seeing the error when trying to access a website.
So, we recommend disabling or reconfiguring/changing the proxy settings on your PC, as this can fix the problem.
Conclusion
The ERR_CONNECTION_REFUSED error can be concerning as it blocks your access to specific, if not all websites.
Luckily, there are ways to fix it, and since the methods listed in this guide were useful to many users, we believe they will help you too.
