Normally, a simple restart of your PC and router will fix this issue. But if you’ve already done that and are still facing the problem, there may be something wrong with Steam or Windows itself. In that case, you may need to do a little more than just restart and change some settings to fix the error.
How to Fix “Could Not Connect to Steam Network” Error
Here are the most effective fixes for this error, as explained by the majority of the users.
Reinstall Steam
You may be facing this error due to some corrupted or missing Steam files on your PC. Furthermore, this error can also occur if you’ve closed Steam by force in the past. In that case, reinstalling Steam will help you solve both missing and corrupted files and also fix this error. To reinstall Steam, follow these steps: Steam will now download and install all the necessary files on your computer, getting rid of all unnecessary files while also fixing missing and corrupted files. After the reinstallation is complete, launch Steam and see if you still have the error. If you’re still seeing the error, try the next method.
Reset Winsock Configuration
If the rest of your programs are running well, and the problem only seems to be with Steam, then there is a chance that some malware is interfering with your network settings. For that reason, Steam cannot communicate with its servers, and as a result, it fails to open on your PC. In such cases, resetting your Winsock configuration to its default might fix your problem. To reset the Winsock configuration on your PC: See if you can open Steam without facing any errors. If you can still see the error, you may need to try another method.
Add ‘-tcp’ on the Target Address of Steam Properties
Changing the Internet Protocol that Steam uses can also fix your error. Steam mainly uses UDP protocol to send and receive data from its server, and while UPD ensures a faster speed of data transmission, it can be unreliable at times. In that case, switching to TCP can possibly fix the error. To change the protocol from UDP to TCP: Now, open Task Manager and close all tasks related to Steam. After doing that, launch Steam again and see if it opens without any issues.
Turn Off Windows Proxy Settings
If you’re using proxy servers to connect to the internet, they may sometimes cause errors within some programs. If the error is caused by proxy servers or settings, turning them off will fix it. To turn off your proxy settings: See if it opens without any error. If it still shows errors, try the next method.
Allow Steam Through Windows Defender Firewall
Windows Firewall is responsible for filtering and blocking potential malware that is coming from the internet to your PC. Since Steam constantly needs to send and receive information from its servers through the internet, it cannot run if it’s blocked by your Firewall. So it is important that you allow it through your Windows Firewall. To let Steam pass through your Windows Firewall:
