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Fix It: The Remote Device Won't Accept the Connection

If your browser won't connect to the internet, these fixes will help

By Ryan Dube Ryan Dube Writer University of Maine Ryan Dube is a freelance contributor to Lifewire and former Managing Editor of MakeUseOf, senior IT Analyst, and an automation engineer. lifewire's editorial guidelines Updated on September 11, 2020 Tweet Share Email Tweet Share Email Home Networking The Wireless Connection Routers & Firewalls Network Hubs ISP Broadband Ethernet Installing & Upgrading Wi-Fi & Wireless The error message that the remote device or resource won't accept the connection may be a temporary glitch, or it could be a sign of malware. If you've connected your laptop to your corporate network, the IT department might have modified your LAN settings to use the company's proxy server to access the internet. If this setting remains when you try to connect from home, you could see this error. The solution for this problem depends on what caused the error. daitoZen/Getty Images

Causes of Remote Devices Not Accepting Connections

The meaning behind this error message is related to how your internet traffic is routed whenever you use a browser. When your computer is configured to use a proxy server, all of your internet requests are routed to that proxy server. The proxy server then handles all traffic between the internet and your computer. On a corporate network, this is normal. IT administrators use proxy servers to protect corporate networks from malicious websites and protect corporate information. However, in some cases home users get infected by software that modifies the LAN settings in an attempt to route internet traffic through unwanted proxy servers. Thomas Jensen/Upsplash

How to Fix Remote Devices Not Accepting Connections

Run a malware scan. Especially in a home context, this error may indicate a specific kind of malware infection that tries to route outbound traffic through a proxy server. That redirection allows the people who control the proxy to read all the content of that traffic—including account passwords. Refresh your DNS server settings. Managed networks sometimes experience updates to DNS settings that don't effectively propagate to local machines. Releasing then refreshing your DNS server resets the DNS cache, clearing misaligned settings that block access to some remote assets. Obtain fresh groupware policies. it's possible that one of your group policy settings changed, which causes your computer to use the wrong proxy server for internet access. From a Command Prompt window, execute gpupdate /force. If Windows presents an error, someone with administrative access must execute the command, instead. Remove the proxy server from your LAN settings. Access Internet Connections > Internet Properties > Connections and verify that Automatically detect settings is enabled. Was this page helpful? Thanks for letting us know! Get the Latest Tech News Delivered Every Day Subscribe Tell us why! Other Not enough details Hard to understand Submit More from Lifewire Can a Router Get a Virus? How to Fix Netflix Error Code NW-2-5 on Any Device How to Fix an Authentication Error in Minecraft The Best Free and Public DNS Servers (October 2022) DNS Servers: What Are They and Why Are They Used? How to Make Your PS4 Download Faster 502 Bad Gateway: What It Is & How to Fix It 503 Service Unavailable Error Message: What It Is and How to Fix It How to Fix a Connection-Is-Not Private Error How to Fix a 404 Page Not Found Error How to Change DNS Servers in Windows How to Fix the 400 Bad Request Error How to Reset Network Settings in Windows 10 How to Fix the PS4 'Cannot Connect to the Wi-Fi Network' Error How to Change DNS Server Settings How to Fix It When Discord Won't Open Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. Cookies Settings Accept All Cookies