Steam disconnects whenever a game launches

[Yelsekura]

I can connect to Steam just fine and use the Friends features, store etc. However, the second I start any game I get immediately disconnected from all Steam services. The second I exit, my connection is restored! Has anyone encountered this before? I've tried disabling my firewall, port forwarding, reinstalling Steam, but nothing seems to work.

[crunchyfrog]

The most common things with this problem are either some of the steam files have been corupted. So first you should try clearing your web browser cache and your download cache, then restart steam and see if it persists.

If it does, then making sure you keep the game data from your steam apps folder, uninstall then reinstall steam. Restart your PC. Move the steamapps folder data back. Start Steam.

If it still persists after that check your antivirus (unlikely but you should at least check) and your firewall again. If there's nothing there, disabling usually doesn't work as there's always legacy files doing stuff.

What you would need to do is start Windows in Safe mode with networking then run steam. If it all works OK, you can rest assured it's to do with your firewall, anitvirus or soe other similar software on your system

[Yelsekura]

OK so thought I should post a reply to this in case anyone else ever encounters the problem. Thanks for your suggestions, but these and many more besides didn't work. Finally figured out the dropouts were being caused by WiFi connecting over 5ghz band. Once I forced my PC to only connect over 2.4ghz the problem resolved instantly. Ethernet connection achieves the same. Dont really understand the 5ghz problem, as the router was sat directly next to the PC at the time as a test. Either way, hope this helps anyone else who encounters this problem in future.

[crunchyfrog]

Originally posted by Yelsekura:

OK so thought I should post a reply to this in case anyone else ever encounters the problem. Thanks for your suggestions, but these and many more besides didn't work. Finally figured out the dropouts were being caused by WiFi connecting over 5ghz band. Once I forced my PC to only connect over 2.4ghz the problem resolved instantly. Ethernet connection achieves the same. Dont really understand the 5ghz problem, as the router was sat directly next to the PC at the time as a test. Either way, hope this helps anyone else who encounters this problem in future.

THat's simple. Interference.

Wifi is awful but it's the best we have. The simple fact is that much of your home electrics puts out RF that screws with wifi, especiialy large items like fridges and heaters and the like.

As for it being the 5gig band, if something puts out frequencies where the harmonics interfere, then surely it does this. It could also be that there's a lot of devices in your close vicinity also using that band - especially relelvant if you live in a town or a city. The 5 GHz band though operates on a shorter distance too - generally speaking, the higher the frequency, the closer the transmitter (router) has to be to you.

This is precisely why aerials for the 5G mobile standard have to be every block or few houses.

You can also fiddle with the channels in your router as well to give you a bit more granularity in getting the best signal possible.

Your router should be able to tell you which channels are well populated and which are clear.


Normally, what we suggest on here is if you have problem with connection, you should ALWAYS jump to using a cable to see if it persists anyway. I should have picked up on that and suggested it sooner.

[Yelsekura]

Thanks for taking the time to reply again. I guess I was more trying to understand why the dropouts only occurred when I started a game, but worked flawlessly otherwise. I get that if there's interference the signal will be patchy at best, but this was an almost binary thing. Perfect connection for downloading entire games wirelessly, browsing the store, voice chatting through steam friends, then I boot a game and it all disconnects instantly. That just seems odd to me, unless it's some kind of packet loss tolerance that changes when you launch a game?

[crunchyfrog]

Originally posted by Yelsekura:

Thanks for taking the time to reply again. I guess I was more trying to understand why the dropouts only occurred when I started a game, but worked flawlessly otherwise. I get that if there's interference the signal will be patchy at best, but this was an almost binary thing. Perfect connection for downloading entire games wirelessly, browsing the store, voice chatting through steam friends, then I boot a game and it all disconnects instantly. That just seems odd to me, unless it's some kind of packet loss tolerance that changes when you launch a game?

Doubtful it's packet loss, as that would just present lag in an online game or total dropout. It wouldn't cause everything else to disconnect.

The thing is to remember never to discount ANYTHING. I've seen weirder examples than yours and it can be down to something innocuous triggering it.

Have you checkde the ports are configured correctly for Steam too?

Lastly, though, it's not so much trying to guess things out either. Process of elimination is the best way forward, so switching to a cabled connection purely for testing is ideal b will immediately tell you where you should look next.

If it solves the issue, then it would clearly be something with the wifi. If it doesn't then it's clearly not wifi related.

[Iceira]

Contact own Brand router and ISP, because you already discover the issue.
its known as Poisen Revesed, you get booted from network ( its work as intended , something dont work from your end into next jump )

this can be wifi router in itself to its update software to reset it to default configuration. and do check own netcard driver also .

ps.
then you have update drivers and ruleout own issue ( check with cable also ) then you have only those 2 support places. dont bother contact steam. unless Brand router support say so or ISP.

best chance this is your equipment , but it can happend its between you and own ISP.

do not ruleout wifi router hardware failiur. ( seen so many wifi lost strength in signal to antenna to brand new router go down ) and they all lie like crap as never seen this before, yeah so funny worst piece of crap ever made in IT. or product is made so cheap that gum seem to hold it together. product, it dont live up to its operating procedur

i cant be the only tech person notice this.

[AFOЯCE]

I have the same problem with a PC I recently purchased, I had an old pc which had a wireless USB adapter and I took it and used it on the new one, never encountered any problems with it and the old pc before but this new pc gave me a headache

In the beginning it wouldn't even want to connect and says "Unable to connect to this network" and other times it connects but says that there's infact Internet access but the browser can't show any websites and says that there's no Internet access.

The day after I somehow manaaged to fix this by removing all th accessories from the front case to the back of the case and leaving the adapter alone and it connected but with low speeed, and after some more retries and reboots it worked fine

However when I launch a game from Steam for example CSGO shows "Connecting to CSGO servers" which means it can't access Internet and when I tab out of it i can see that infact there's no Internet access although my PC is connected to the router

After updating all the drivers including the wireless adapter's drivers, I launched the game from GeForce Experience and everthing surprisengly went fine, no wifi coutouts nothing, I even tried to launch it from Steam and it worked this time

But after that it got back to the same problem again, even launching Steam in Offline mode doesn't help it, the wifi will cut off by launching a game from Steam onilne or offline mode.

Im wondering if the problem is from Windows 10, Network Adapter or Steam, I really need help because it's annoying that I spent 750$ on a rig that can't connect to wifi while playing games

[Iceira]

i wish i had time to explan ,but im out of the door.

there are some rules or step you forget here, network into isp or or other webpage is not same as get DC then game is up and runing or get DC and get network back after 3 minute then you can start over try connect and it should DC you again. ( this is not same senarios if i read it right with the way you explan it.

dont forghet test with other spare pc to ruleout own router and maybe get lucky its own main pc.
there is a reason ppl have laptop as technicin to test possibilities as (m is it my my router , cable or isap or steam in other end.

ps.
ISP partner is still your ISP problem. ( you are custom at own ISP mot all the others. )
pleaty of other netsh winsock reset, and other things like that. (see steam network guide and other user made some ) even Dr shadow.


cya. later if other dont try to help you.