How to Perform a Netsh Winsock Reset

This article explains how to execute the Winsock reset command. The directions work in all versions of Windows.

How to Perform a Netsh Winsock Reset

You must be logged in as an administrator or know the Windows admin password.

1. Open Command Prompt as an admin.

2. Type the following command and press Enter:

   netsh winsock reset
   

   What should return is a message like the following:
   

   Successfully reset the Winsock Catalog.
   You must restart the computer in order to complete the reset.
   

   If you see a different message after running the command, open Device Manager to enable any disabled network adapters and install any missing network drivers.

3. Restart your computer.

   To do so immediately, directly from Command Prompt, execute this shutdown command:
   

   shutdown /r /t 0
   

After restarting, open a website in Chrome or another browser to see if the problem has been resolved.

When to Perform a Winsock Reset

If you can't view any web pages despite having a stable Wi-Fi connection, resetting Winsock could fix the problem. This procedure can be helpful if you’re having internet connection problems in these situations:

• After removing malware
• When you’re seeing network-related pop-up errors
• When there are DNS lookup issues
• When you’ve just uninstalled network-related software like a firewall program or VPN
• When you see ”limited or no connectivity” errors
• When releasing and renewing the IP address doesn’t restore connectivity
• When the internet works on other devices on the same network but not on your Windows PC

What Does a Netsh Winsock Reset Do?

Resetting Winsock will undo configurations made to the Winsock Catalog. Changes can be made by networking programs like web browsers, email clients, and VPN programs. A reset reverts the wsock32 DLL file back to its default setting, giving such software a fresh start at connecting to TCP/IP traffic.

How Often Can You Reset Winsock?

There's nothing wrong with running the Winsock reset command as often as you need to, but you shouldn't have to do it more than just a few times throughout the entire life of your computer. Resetting more frequently than that suggests an underlying problem that needs to be addressed.

Take special note of the software you're installing and when you're experiencing network errors. Knowing when your PC encounters a problem will help you figure out the cause. It's also vital to keep an antivirus program running on your computer at all times to catch infections that could be causing Winsock related errors — there are lots of completely free antivirus programs we recommend for Windows users.

If all else fails, a full system reinstall should do the trick. However, a Windows reinstall should definitely be the last resort, as it will wipe all the files and software on your hard drive.