Sometimes, you get home from work, and all you want to do is play a few games of Counter-Strike with your friends. Everyone is ready and waiting in the party, but you guys cannot queue for a game due to the “Connecting To CS:GO Network” error.
This issue is faced by thousands of players worldwide and can be extremely frustrating. Fortunately, you can do a few things to fix the issue from your side. Here are eight effective solutions to the “Connecting to CS:GO Network” problem!
Restart Your Internet Connection
The most common reason players are unable to connect to the CS:GO server network is their own internet connection. After all, it is a network issue, and your internet connection is directly related to it.
As a result, the easiest solution to fixing the “Connecting to CS:GO Network” issue is to quickly restart your internet router. This restart can be done by simply turning your router off and on again.
Disable VPN
Another quick and simple solution to the issue is checking if your VPN is causing any issues when connecting to the Steam network. Usually, Steam does not tolerate players playing on their servers while using a VPN. Though it is pretty annoying, it is the reality that your VPN could be causing the issue.
If you are connected to your VPN, try turning it off to see if it fixes the issue. Alternatively, you can try connecting to a different VPN server instead. However, not all “Connecting to CS:GO Network” problems were fixed by turning off a VPN, so you might need to try another solution on the list.
Verify Integrity of Game Files
Interestingly enough, many players have reported that the “Connecting to CS:GO Network” issue can also be caused by corrupted game files. These corrupted game files can cause a mismatch between your CS:GO files and those required to enter a Valve matchmaking server.
Though this may sound like a major problem, the solution to fixing these corrupted files is extremely straightforward: verify the integrity of your game files.
Follow these steps below to verify the integrity of CS:GO game files:
- Exit CS:GO, then open your Steam Client.
- Go to your Steam Library and look for CS:GO.
- Right-click CS:GO and click Properties.
- In the Properties menu, head over to the Installed Files section.
- Next to “Verify this game’s files are installed correctly,” click the “Verify integrity of game files” button.
Steam and CS:GO will quickly check your game files, clearing any corrupted ones and replacing them with fixed files. This process may take 2 to 10 minutes, so you must patiently wait until it is completed before launching CS:GO again.
Check The Status Of CSGO Servers
Though most of the time, the “Connecting to CS:GO Network” arises from your side, sometimes the issue persists because Valve’s servers are down. Occasionally, Valve tends to perform maintenance, which results in the CS:GO servers being down.
If you don’t think the issue is coming from your end, you can always check the status of Steam servers. You can head over to the steamstat.us website, which is a community-made website that tracks the activity of Steam servers and its games.
On the website, you will see a list of all other games and CS:GO servers, with each server status displayed. If the servers are in a “Normal” state, there is nothing wrong with Steam’s end. However, if servers are experiencing “Full load” or other unfavorable states, the issue comes from Steam.
Enable Data Execution Prevention
If you’ve tried the four previous solutions, none of them were effective, we have no choice but to start getting technical.
“Data execution prevention” is a Windows feature that will allow you to protect your computer from malicious malware. To enable data execution prevention, follow the procedure below:
- Open your Windows Settings Menu, or press the Windows + I key at the same time.
- Next, go to the “Systems” section, then press “About” at the bottom of the menu.
- Under “Device Specifications,” go to “Advanced System Settings”.
- Under the “Advanced” system properties, click on “Settings” under the “Performance” section.
- Next, go to “Data Execution Prevention” and click the dot next to “Turn on DEP for all programs and services except those I select”.
- Finally, click “OK” and “Apply” to save your changes.
This method has been proven to be an effective solution to the “Connecting to CS:GO Network” issue, as many players have reported it to work.
Change DNS Server Address To Google Address
The next potential solution to the issue is to change your DNS server address, a network-related setting that can help you tackle the problem.
To change your DNS address, specifically to Google’s DNS address, follow the procedure below:
- Open the Run window by holding Windows + R.
- Under “Network Connections”, select your network adapter.
- Right-click the correct network and go to its Properties.
- Next, select “Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4)”, then go to its Properties.
- Then, check the “Use the following DNS server addresses” option.
- Next to the “Preferred DNS server,” input 8.8.8.8 as the number values.
- Next to the “Alternate DNS server,” input 8.8.4.4 as the number values.
- Finally, click “OK” to apply the changes.
You must restart your computer to ensure your DNS server has been changed. If this solution fails to succeed, you can follow the same procedure and check “Obtain DNS server automatically” to revert your changes.
Disable Antivirus or Windows Defender
Another reason why you might fail to connect to CS:GO servers is that your antivirus or Windows Defender is causing issues.
You must figure out how to disable your antivirus software on your own, as each provider will have different procedures.
However, we can help you with disabling Windows Defender. Here’s how:
- Open your Windows Settings Menu, or press the Windows + I key at the same time.
- Go to the “Privacy & Security” section and click on “Windows Security”.
- Then, click on “Virus & Threat Protection Settings”, then head over to “Manage Settings.”
- Finally, disable “Real-Time Protection” to disable Windows Defender.
Launch CS:GO to check if turning off Windows Defender resolves the issue. If not, repeat the procedures and enable Real-Time Protection to ensure Windows Defender is turned on again.
If it works, you can re-enable your antivirus and Windows Defender after your CS:GO sessions to ensure you can browse the internet safely.
Reset Your Network Settings
The final solution we can offer is resetting your network settings on Windows.
To reset your network settings, follow the steps below:
- Open your Windows Settings Menu, or press the Windows + I key at the same time.
- Head over to the “Network & Internet” section, click on “Advanced Network Settings”, and then go to “Network Reset”.
- Finally, click “Reset Now”.
Doing this will force you to restart your computer and reinstall all the network adapters attached to it. If you are willing to proceed with this solution, comply and wait for your computer to automatically do this for you.