How to fix ERR_CONNECTION_REFUSED error in Google Chrome

What is ERR_CONNECTION_REFUSED error

ERR_CONNECTION_REFUSED is quite a popular error related to accessing websites in Chrome. The issue prevents users from loading pages and respectively browsing content on them. It is often accompanied by messages like “This site can’t be reached” or “This webpage is not available” in focus on the error page. If the domain is entered correctly and this is the only page you are unable to access, then it is likely the problem is server-related and there is nothing you can do about it yourself. Otherwise, it is a user’s problem that can be potentially solved using manual steps. Due to a lot of attention drawn by the community, this error has gained a wide database of working solutions that one can apply to fix it eventually. You can use our guidebook below to do it.

1. Restart router

The first thing you can try to make sure nothing is wrong with your internet connection is rebooting your router (modem). Hold the power button at the back of the router for a couple of seconds until it turns off. Then, push the same button to power it back. I had this problem myself when I could not open a single website in my browser bookmark. The issue got resolved immediately after I restarted the router. Thus, make sure you try it yourself before moving on to further solutions below.

2. Check the status of the problematic website

You can check if it is a website’s problem that it is inaccessible at the moment. There are many pages allowing you to check the status of any website you struggle to open. You can go to https://downforeveryoneorjustme.com/ and copy-paste the URL address of the page to see its status. The service will tell if there is anything wrong with its server. If yes, then the only thing you are able to do is to wait until website owners address the issue.

3. Disable third-party antivirus

If you have a third-party antivirus installed on your PC, try to disable it and check whether you can visit the page. Antimalware software often has its own firewall that makes access to certain websites harder or totally unreachable. In case everything works fine after disabling the antivirus, you have found the problem. If you plan to visit the website on a regular basis and do not want to be annoyed by the error, you should try and add the website to the antivirus whitelist. Otherwise, you may consider trying another less conflicting antivirus. Our advice is MalwareBytes – a trusted and talented group of experts constantly maintaining their software to combat both minor and global threats. It is now available for Windows 11 as well. You can download it now using the link below and try a 14-day trial of the ultimate antimalware experience for free.

Malwarebytes main window

Malwarebytes settings

Malwarebytes scan results

4. Disable Chrome Extensions

Some extensions may cause frictions with certain websites preventing access to them. We advise you to try and disable them for the time being to check the difference. You can do it using the following steps:

1. Open Chrome and click on three-dot icon in the top right corner.
2. Hover your mouse over More tools and select Extensions.
3. Disable all the third-party extensions by clicking on the blue toggle.

After performing these steps, open the same domain you experienced problems with and confirm if something has changed.

5. Clear browser data

The ERR_CONNECTION_REFUSED error can also be caused due to accumulated files like cache. Some browser elements memorized by Chrome after browsing various pages may cause incompatibility problems while opening certain pages. Clearing up your browser data may not only resolve the issue but also increase browser performance and free up some space. Do it via the instructions below:

1. Click on three-dot icon in the top right corner as we did above.
2. Got to More tools and choose Clear browsing data….
3. At the top, choose a time range. To delete everything, select All time.
4. Check the boxes next to Cookies and other site data and Cached images and files.
5. Then click on Clear data.

Restart your browser and try to open the website again.

6. Reset TCP/IP

TCP/IP is a set of fundamental protocols used to set up proper communication for the Internet and similar computer networks. Resetting these protocols may help you get back to normal internet configuration and circumvent the error. Here is how:

1. Find Command Prompt by typing cmd into the searching box. Then right-click on it and choose Run as administrator.
2. In the opened window, you should paste these commands one by one by clicking Enter after each.

netsh winsock reset
netsh int ip reset

3. Close the console and the problem should disappear itself. If not, try to paste the following commands according to the same algorithm.

ipconfig /release
ipconfig /flushdns
ipconfig /renew

Hopefully, this option will solve the problem and help you regain access to the website you need.

7. Change address in DNS settings

Improper DNS settings can lead some browsers to face errors like ERR_CONNECTION_REFUSED. This configuration can sometimes be accidentally changed after some manipulations. It may also be set to finding the server automatically, but not find the right one eventually. Whatever the reason for that, follow our instructions below in order to set up DNS settings the right way:

To change DNS and IP:

1. Go to Control Panel > Network and Internet > Network Connections.
2. Double click on your connection name.
3. Click on Properties.
4. Double click on Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4).
5. Mark Use the following IP address and Use the following DNS server addresses.
6. Change IP address, Subnet mask, Default gateway, and DNS according to the underneath image

8. Reset Google Chrome

If you are facing connection difficulties only in Chrome, but no other browsers, then there might be a problem with the browser itself. The best way to ensure no third-party extension or data is causing the conflict is to reset your Google Chrome to factory settings. This means everything gathered and kept by your browser like cookies, passwords, accounts, configuration, and other aspects will be deleted and rolled back to their starting point. Please note what accounts and passwords have been used in Chrome to log in them after performing a reset. Here is how you can reset Google Chrome:

1. Open Chrome browser.
2. At the top right corner, click More (three vertical dots) and then Settings.
3. Look at the left panel and expand Advanced.
4. Click Reset and clean up, and choose Restore settings to their original defaults. Confirm the action by clicking Reset Settings.
5. Wait until Chrome ends up restored and try to open the same web-page again.

Summary

These 8 solutions listed above should be enough to get you rid of the problem. Let us know how it went and share your insight about this problem. Also, if there is anything more bothering your PC experiences like malware or system error, use our website to find articles related to it. We have separate sections dedicated to each issue segment users tend to come across while using the system.