how to correct ERR connection time out error

Question

i receive an ERR connection timed out error in reaching certain web sites

Answer 1

Hi michael barnard,

I can see that Q&A Assist has already shared the initial troubleshooting guidance and I recommend trying those steps first if you haven’t already. I understand, however, that connection timeout issues may still persist even after completing the basic checks.

In addition to what was already suggested, please try the following steps to help further narrow down the cause, especially if the issue only affects certain websites:

1. Test using a new browser profile

Sometimes a browser profile can become corrupted and cause connection issues.

• Open your browser (Edge or Chrome)
• Create a new browser profile or user
• Sign in without installing extensions or syncing settings
• Try accessing the affected websites from the new profile

2. Temporarily disable all browser extensions

Extensions related to privacy, security, VPNs, or traffic filtering can interfere with connections.

• Open the browser’s Extensions page
• Disable all extensions
• Restart the browser
• Test the affected websites again If the sites load correctly, re‑enable extensions one at a time to identify the cause.

3. Clear the Windows SSL cache

Corrupted SSL sessions can cause timeouts without showing certificate warnings.

• Press Windows + R, type inetcpl.cpl, and press Enter
• Go to the Content tab
• Select Clear SSL state
• Close all browser windows and reopen the browser

4. Test in Safe Mode with Networking

This helps determine whether a background service, driver, VPN, or security software is interfering.

• Open Settings > System > Recovery
• Under Advanced startup, select Restart now
• Choose Troubleshoot > Advanced options > Startup Settings > Restart
• Select Safe Mode with Networking
• Test the affected websites If the sites work in Safe Mode, the issue is likely caused by third‑party software loading during normal startup.

5. Test using a different network

If the issue does not occur when connected to another network (for example, a mobile hotspot), this usually indicates the problem is related to the local network or ISP rather than the Windows device itself.

Please let me know which of these steps you’re able to try and what the results are. This information will help me better determine the root cause and advise on the most appropriate next steps.

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Answer 2

Follow these steps in order and test the problem sites after each step:

1. Check if the sites are really down

• Try opening the same sites from another device or network (for example, mobile data). If they fail everywhere, the issue is likely with the sites themselves.

2. Clear browser cache and temporary Internet files

• In the browser, clear cache/temporary files. For Internet Explorer:
  1. Start Internet Explorer.
  2. Select Tools > Internet Options.
  3. On the General tab, select Delete Files (or Delete… > Temporary Internet files), then OK.

3. Temporarily disable or uninstall third‑party security software

• Third‑party firewalls, antivirus, or security suites (for example, Norton, ZoneAlarm) can block or interfere with connections.
• Temporarily disable them completely. If disabling is not enough, uninstall them temporarily (ensure installation media or download is available to reinstall later).
• Before removing a third‑party firewall, make sure the built‑in Windows firewall is enabled.

4. Reset Winsock and TCP/IP

• This repairs many network stack issues that cause timeouts.
• Open Command Prompt as Administrator and run:
  • netsh winsock reset
• Restart the PC after the command completes.
• Note: Programs that access or monitor the Internet (antivirus, firewall, proxy clients) may stop working correctly after this reset and may need to be reinstalled.

5. Check for proxy or security software blocking

• If using a corporate or custom proxy, or security software that inspects HTTPS traffic, it may cause timeouts or blocked sites.
• Disable any manually configured proxy in Settings > Network & Internet > Proxy and test again.
• If on a corporate network, contact the network administrator to review proxy and TLS inspection settings.

6. Adjust connection timeouts only if needed

• If timeouts occur mainly when loading complex web apps (for example, Access web apps) and the pages partially load then fail, the browser’s receive timeout may be too low.
• For Internet Explorer/WinINet-based apps, the timeout can be increased via the registry:
  1. Open Registry Editor.
  2. Go to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings.
  3. Add a DWORD value named ReceiveTimeout and set it to <seconds>*1000 (for example, 300000 for 5 minutes).
  4. Restart the PC.
• This becomes a global timeout for Internet Explorer and WinINet applications. Only change it if shorter timeouts are clearly the cause.

7. If using a proxy server or slow/latent connection

• On slow or congested links, Winsock timeouts can occur when using a proxy server.
• A system administrator can increase TCP retransmissions on the proxy or gateway machine by adding the TcpMaxDataRetransmissions value under:
  • HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\Tcpip\Parameters
  • Type: REG_DWORD, set to 10 (decimal) initially, and if timeouts persist, increase to 20.
• This should be done carefully and only by someone comfortable editing the registry.

If the issue persists after these steps, capture the exact error text, browser used, and whether it happens on all networks, then provide that information to support or a network administrator for deeper diagnosis.

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References:

• Windows XP SP2 causes Error 678 or Error 769 when you try to surf the Internet
• 10060 Connection timed out error with proxy server or ISA Server on slow link
• "An error has occurred" message when you load an Access web app in Internet Explorer