Could not connect to the Steam network [Fixed]

The Steam connection error is one of the frustrating things experienced by Steam users that have jostled them to the verge of abandoning the service. This fault pops on the screen with a note reading, ‘Could not connect to the Steam network’. In this article, we are going to see fixes that can tackle this error and allow Steam users to access Steam affluently.

Why am I seeing ‘Could not connect to the Steam Network’?

The program is not accessible as users cannot connect and this error usually does not allow users to log in to their Steam account. So, a possible reason could be a slow Internet connection. However, there are other network-related errors that we will be talking about and how you can fix them to resolve the Steam network error. For your information, you can find this error on Windows 11 as well as Windows 10.

Connection Error: Could not connect to the Steam network

You can try these fixes to make sure that you won’t be facing this problem again.

Change the Internet protocol that Steam uses
Troubleshoot your network
Reinstall your Steam client
Update, rollback, reinstall drivers

1] Change the Internet protocol that Steam uses

The first step to make sure that this Steam network error is resolved is to change its UDP to TCP.

To do so follow the steps.

Select Properties after right-clicking on the Steam Shortcut. Note: If you can’t find the Steam shortcut on your desktop then go to its location.
Now append ‘-tcp’ in the Target text box. And then press the OK button.
Launch Steam by double right-clicking the shortcut.

It will surely fix the error but if still, it continues then the next solution is there.

2] Troubleshoot your network

Many times internet connection status can be down and that can cause this error. You should check the Internet connection as well as take a look at the Internet hardware, namely Adapter, Router, Modem.

You can call your ISP if your network is now working, or fix the slow Internet connection if yours is the only device facing the issue

Before doing any of this, it is better to restart your router as well as your computer. Sometimes, that can fix the issue.

3] Reinstall Steam

Corrupted files are one of the main reasons that do not allow Steam to connect and cause network errors. Uninstalling the program and then reinstalling always do the work.

Backing up the game file is a must if you have downloaded games and applications via Steam clients. Go to the Steam app, copy all the content, and then keep it at a different location.

Now, follow the given steps to uninstall the program

Click Win + R simultaneously to open the Run box. Type ‘Control’ in the open text box and then click OK.
Press Programs and Features.
Right-click on Steams from the programs list, and then select the Uninstall option.

Now, go to their official website and download the latest Steam App. Now you can move the backup Steamapps folder to the Steam directory and launch Steam again to remove this error.

4] Update, rollback, or reinstall drivers

The network drivers can cause this issue. So you should open Device Manager, expand Network Adapters. Then right-click on your Network driver to update or uninstall the driver. If the issue still persists, rollback your Network driver to resolve the issue

Finally, check if the issue persists.

How to check if Steam is down or not?

Sometimes, the issue is temporary and you can do nothing about it other than wait for the engineers to get the service back on track. So, check the Steam Server’s status and see if it’s down. If that’s the case, keep checking and once the Server status is up, start gaming. That said, there are some online tools that you can use to verify the online status of the Steam server.