Loosing your internet access or having general network connectivity issues is not much fun, especially these days because most of the things you do on your computer will probably require some form of internet access. If the system has recently been infected by malicious software, this often causes at least some damage to Windows, and one of the most common problems after cleaning is that the network or internet connection doesn’t work properly. There are also other reasons why this could happen such as network related or Firewall / Antivirus software not behaving during removal.
There are many parts of Windows that deal with the internet and what connects to it, so finding out yourself what’s wrong could prove an impossible task. DNS settings, IP address conflicts, DHCP service issues, TCP/IP protocol corruption, and a problem HOSTS file are just some of the things you could be trying to repair. Trying to restore your internet connection by running an internet connection repair when given the chance from within Windows might cure some problems but it’s definitely not a fix all solution..
Downloads offered by Select Hub: The first thing you need to do is the one action many people bypass: run the integrated Windows 10 network diagnostic troubleshooter. Right-click the network link icon in your System Tray and after that click the Troubleshoot problem. Remove unnecessary registry entries and repair missing file and ActiveX extensions using a registry cleaner. Elsie is a technology writer and editor with a special focus on Windows, Android and iOS. She writes about software, electronics and other tech subjects, her ultimate goal being to help people out with useful solutions to their daily. If the registry settings are corrupted or one or more files are missing from the registry then you might come across errors like “Windows sockets registry entries required for network connectivity are missing” on your computer. Registry settings for configuring USB driver stack behavior. The registry entries described in this topic are found under this key: HKEYLOCALMACHINE SYSTEM CurrentControlSet Control usbflags registry entry In the vvvvpppprrrrr key.
One of the common causes of a problematic internet connection is the Windows Sockets API (Winsock) has been corrupted in the Windows registry. This service provides a communication layer between software that wants to use the internet and the traffic coming from the internet itself. And if there’s any type of problem with it, software cannot access the internet properly.
Here’s a list of 7 tools that can help repair Winsock and also perform a number of other internet related repairs if the issues aren’t completely related to Winsock.
1. ![Registry Registry](/uploads/1/1/8/6/118657378/346351236.jpg)
Complete Internet Repair is able to fix a number of common issues that can cause anything from problems accessing certain websites or Windows Update, to a complete connection failure. Repairs include; resetting and renewing the connection, flushing DNS, Winsock repair, repairing Internet Explorer, repairing Windows Update, setting Windows Firewall back to defaults and restoring the default Hosts file.
There is a brief description of what each repair does by hovering over the related icon. Simply tick the boxes to undertake multiple repairs or click the arrow icon next to the option to perform an individual repair. For best results and to hopefully not break something that isn’t broken, try only those fixes which are the same as, or what you believe to be closely related to the problem.
Complete Internet Repair is a highly useful tool for a number of internet related problems and is also a portable executable. It’s compatible with Windows XP, Vista, 7 and Server 2003 / 2008
Download Complete Internet Repair
2. Winsock Fix
A lot of experienced users will remember Winsock Fix because it’s one of the most effective repair tools around for some of Windows XP’s connectivity issues. It’s been a part of a lot of people’s USB toolkits for many years.
If your Internet connectivity has been corrupted due to removed or invalid registry entries after the removal of malware or a problem uninstall of an application that has modified the XP network and Winsock settings, then this tool can help. What is does is reset the TCP stack, replaces all Winsock registry entries with the defaults and then replaces the Hosts file with a standard one.
Winsock Fix can create a registry backup using Erunt of your current settings, which is recommended to be safe. This program is completely portable and meant for Windows 95 up to Windows XP and should NOT be used on Vista, Windows 7 or 8.
Download Winsock Fix
3. WinsockReset
WinsockReset is a valuable utility because during testing it was the only tool that could repair the Winsock if the original registry entries were completely missing by restoring the default values for whichever version of Window you’re using. Windows XP will restore these missing values with a reboot, Vista and 7 will not. Other tools or using the command line would produce an error trying to repair a non existent Winsock in the registry.
You can go directly for the CurrentControlSet in the registry and set its Winsock to the defaults for your Windows version straight away, or try to restore whatever is found in the ControlSet backups. The second option is useful if you want to try and save any registry information in Winsock from 3rd party applications. If you look at the number of Protocol entries found for any ControlSet, the minimum should be 10 and anything showing less than that has missing or corrupt entries.
In XP it will also offer to replace mswsock.dll and winrnr.dl which is useful if a previous repair failed. For Vista and 7 it will use the System File Checker to replace the mswsock.dll, winrnr.dll, pnrpnsp.dll and napinsp.dll files if required. Winsockreset is a small portable tool and works on Windows XP, Vista and 7.
Download Winsockreset
4. Tweaking.com Repair Winsock and DNS Cache
This small tool is also part of the essential Windows Repair (All In One) tool and does the simple tasks of resetting the Winsock entries in the registry and also resetting the TCP/IP stack to try and restore your internet connection to default settings. Then the DNS cache will be cleared and re-registered which is a common problem when you can’t access some websites but others are working fine.
The program is small, portable and easy to use, simply press the button and in 5 seconds or so it’s done. The log window doesn’t really do much apart from show the start and finish time. Repair Winsock and DNS Cache is compatible with Windows XP, 2003, Vista, 2008 and 7.
Download Repair Winsock and DNS Cache
5. Speedguide TCP Optimizer
Although TCP Optimizer is primarily a tool to tweak a number of your internet connection’s settings to try and eek out that little bit more speed, it also has a couple of options to reset the Winsock and also the TCP/IP stack. Simply go to the File menu and select Reset Winsock and after accepting the warning, do the same with the Reset TCP/IP option. Then reboot the computer.
Obviously it’s not recommended to play with any of the other settings in this program until the connectivity problems have been sorted out first, and then make sure to make a backup beforehand using the File menu. TCP Optimizer is a portable executable and works on Windows XP, Vista and Windows 7.
Download TCP Optimizer
6. Microsoft Fixit
Microsoft also have their own tool for repairing a corrupted Winsock and it comes in the form of one of their Fixit tools from the Solution Center. Simply run the tool and tick the box to agree to the terms and then click next. Reboot once it’s finished.
There is a Microsoft support page where you can find out more about how to manually check for Winsock corruption and also how to fix the problem the manual way as well. Although Only XP and Vista are listed in the article, Windows 7 will work as well because it behaves the same way as Vista regarding Winsock repair.
Download Microsoft Fixit 50203
7. Connectivity Fixer
This last utility is a bit different from the others in that it does need to be installed and in addition to actually fixing a number of problems, Connectivity Fixer can also actively monitor your internet connection for potential errors. If an error is detected the program will ask if you want it repaired. If you don’t want to use the monitoring function, then use the “Fix Now” button to try and repair any problems immediately.
Connectivity Fixer can repair your IP, fix the Winsock, repair the DNS, repair various Internet Explorer problems and try to solve various disconnect issues. It’s not really a program you would have running all the time but is handy to use if the problems are slightly more frequent than you would like them to be.
This is the free version and there is a Pro version for $10 that claims to be more advanced with better fixing capabilities. Connectivity Fixer works on Windows XP, Vista and Windows 7.
Download Connectivity Fixer
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Stop BitTorrent from Killing Your Internet Connection5 Tools to Manage Multiple Network Connection ProfilesDetect Packet Errors in Your Network LAN Connection StatusChange the Listening Port for Microsoft Remote Desktop ConnectionRestore Deleted Services and Reset to Default Services Settings 21 Comments - Write a Comment
Thanks Al ought for your infomation
Ur’s
Ven.Ray@INDIA
ReplyVen.Ray@INDIA
thanks really helped………….awesome
ReplyHuge thanks. After struggling for almost one day to solve my fu**ing internet problem by reading and applying instructions of articles which none of them worked, I found your article with the incredible software. The first one is worked for me. Thanks 1 million times.
Replywonderful … I have no comment to say thanks to you .. due to your tips and software information .. now my laptop is free from bad virus that hack and use my laptop and information ..
I was suffering last week this issue but now I am easy to use this site thanks dear
ReplyI was suffering last week this issue but now I am easy to use this site thanks dear
YOU ARE THE BEST !
ReplyReviewing different programs to reset connectivity all for Windows 7 or earlier OS none pertain to Windows 10.
ReplyRaymond,
I’ve spent literally two days straight trying to recover from a trojan attack which had disabled all my internet connections except those used by Firefox. It wasn’t until I found your site and the wonderful WinsockReset that I found joy!
![Registry Registry](/uploads/1/1/8/6/118657378/218540821.png)
I am forever grateful, thank you.
ReplyThanks,
Work like a charm,made me Lol because it was silly stupid simple!!!!!
ReplyWork like a charm,made me Lol because it was silly stupid simple!!!!!
It’s working perfectly on my windows xp sp3. Just run it with Windows 2000 compatibility.
Replythank you friends
ReplyThanks for this info…
ReplyJust tested it on Vista Business with a working internet connection.. ICR reported no problems found, as should be..
ReplyTip to get this to run on XP SP3…..Right click icon, click properties, compatibility, Windows 2000. It runs. I have no idea why; I am not an IT Guru…more of a Zen Geek… :D
Replythanks
Replythank you very much
its very good
Replyits very good
Thanks, Raymond. Much appreciated.
I’ll try to play with this software and still stay away from (God forbid!) any harm that may need me to use it for its real purpose.
ReplyThanks
Replythanks friend
Replynice tool for me need this one to test my friends internet connection, thanks ray :)
ReplyThanks!Good utility for diagnose internet connection
ReplyThanks for the info, will keep it in mind in case I encounter some problems with internet connection.
ReplyLeave a Reply
[KB3544] How do I use ESET Installation Fixer?
Solution
What is an Installation Fixer?
ESET Installation Fixer (InstaFix, install fix) is a technical support tool for ESET products. ESET Installation Fixer is designed to fix several issues that can occur with services while installing ESET software. Before using ESET Installation Fixer, make sure that you have the latest version of the tool, shown here: ESET Installation Fixer 1.5.2.0
Before using ESET Installation Fixer
- The program must be run from an administrative account. Installation Fixer commands must be executed using a command prompt with elevated full admin privileges.
- The ESET Installation Fixer will not function in Safe Mode.
- When working on a 64-bit operating system, you must use a 64-bit version of ESET Installation Fixer.
- ESET Installation Fixer is intended for use on Windows XP SP3 and later versions of Windows.
This current version supports the following fixes:
How do I use ESET Installation Fixer?
- Click the appropriate link below to download the ESET Installation Fixer for your operating system (Click for steps to determine whether your OS is 32- or 64-bit):
Download ESET Installation Fixer (32-bit) or Download ESET Installation Fixer (64-bit) - After the tool has finished downloading, run the ESET Installation Fixer from an administrative command prompt using one of the commands detailed below. All commands should be added after the directory where the Installation Fixer is located, for example:
C:UsersOwnerDesktopESETInstallationFixer_64.exe -fix MRL
Users with the 32-bit version of Installation Fixer will type 'ESETInstallationFixer_32.exe' rather than 'ESETInstallationFixer_64.exe'
MSI Registry Leftovers
Issue
An attempt to upgrade an ESET product to a newer version fails. The installation log reports the error 'Error 2753: The File 'shellExt.dll' is not marked for installation.'
Cause
- The upgrade process is interrupted by a new installation of an older product that was already upgraded in the past. This happens right after the RunEngine section responsible for removal of the product currently being upgraded ends successfully.
- The group policy application management (AppMgmt) service is suspected to run the installation of the missing software.The reason for this may be a misconfiguration of some Group Policy Objects, where according to this policy the old product should still be installed on the system and the application upgrade process is not detected.
Solution
Command: C:UsersOwnerDesktopESETInstallationFixer_64.exe -fix MRL -b
InstFix enumerates all ESET security products with a specific MSI Upgrade Code from the Windows Installer Registry and tries to determine the installer version of the current product. Registry entries that do not match the installed version are deleted from the following locations:
- HKCRInstallerUpgradeCodes
- HKCRInstallerProducts
When using the -b switch with this command, each entry that is going to be deleted is backed up to a separate REG file.
Missing MSI Registry
Issue
An attempt to upgrade an ESET product to a newer version fails when stopping the ESET Service (ekrn). The installation log contains RunEngine sections that reference only the MSI package that is currently installed.
Cause
- Windows Installer is missing registry entries for the currently installed application. During an upgrade, the old MSI package must be called in a separate RunEngine section with its GUID listed as the product name. After a successful uninstallation of the old MSI package, a new RunEngine section starts and the main installation of the newer version begins. The main reason why the Registry entries are missing is unknown.
Solution
Command:C:UsersOwnerDesktopESETInstallationFixer_64.exe -fix MMR
InstFix checks if the problem is present and then tries to restore all known mandatory Windows Installer Registry keys and values.
- Manually copy the original MSI package (same product, version, platform and language) of the currently installed product into the hidden system directory %SystemRoot%Installer!
- InstFix will gather all required information about the currently installed product and search for the original MSI package in the Windows Installer MSI Cache. If the MSI package is found, a list of mandatory registry keys and values is restored in the following locations:
- HKCRInstallerUpgradeCodes
- HKCRInstallerProducts
- HKLMSOFTWAREMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionInstallerUserDataS-1-5-18Products
Search Service Index
Issue
Installation of an ESET product fails in CA EpfwInst!FinalizeInstall on EpfwWfpRegisterCallouts with error code ERROR_RM_NOT_ACTIVE (0x1a91 = 6801).
Cause
- Some system files related to the Windows Search service are corrupted or left in an inconsistent state. One reason for this may be that a System Restore was performed.
Solution
Command:C:UsersOwnerDesktopESETInstallationFixer_64.exe -fix SSI
InstFix deletes all *.blf and *.regtrans-ms files in the following locations:
- %SystemRoot%system32configTxR
- %SystemRoot%system32SMIStoreMachine
InstFix first tries to stop the Windows Search Service if it is running. Then main fix is applied and the service is started again. A reboot may still be required if unsuccessful.
This solution is based on Knowledgebase article http://support.microsoft.com/kb/948252.
Expect higher CPU and HDD load while rebuilding the search index
Registry Value Types
Issue
Installation of an ESET Security product fails in CA InstSupp!InstallDriverPackages for EDEVMON on SetupInstallFromInfSection with error code 13.
The Setup API APP log reports '[SetupInstallFromInfSection - DefaultInstall]' related to the error time and EDEVMON ('inf: AddReg=EDEVMON') the issue '!!! inf: Error setting registry value HKLM...'.
Cause
Some third party applications write values to the Registry using the wrong Registry type as declared in the Windows Registry documentation. This causes driver installation failures when the next driver is installed because Windows is expecting to read a different Registry type.
Solution
Command:C:UsersOwnerDesktopESETInstallationFixer_64.exe -fix RVT -b
Registry Entries Windows
InstFix iterates over a list of known registry values and checks its types. If a type does not match the expected type, InstFix converts the value appropriately and stores it as the correct and expected registry type. The list currently contains only EDEVMON registry values located under the registry key HKLMSystemCurrentControlSetControlClass. Each registry value that needs to be converted will first be backed-up to a separate REG file when using the -b switch.
Note: Third-party software that sets registry values using the wrong registry types and then tries to read the fixed values may stop working properly. This issue needs to be reported as a software bug to the third-party application vendor.
MaxNumFilters
Issue
Installation of an ESET Security product fails in CA InstSupp!InstallDriverPackages for EPFWLWF on HrInstallComponent with error code NETCFG_E_MAX_FILTER_LIMIT (0x8004a029).
Windows has a restriction for the maximum number of network filter drivers that can be loaded at a time. If the maximum value is reached, then the next filter driver installation will fail. Each version of Windows has this maximum value hardcoded and also defined in the Registry. The value in the Registry is typically set to a much smaller value then the hardcoded one. If the Registry value is not defined, then the hardcoded value is used.
Location
HKLMSYSTEMCurrentControlSetControlNetworkMaxNumFilters:dword
Solution
Command:C:UsersOwnerDesktopESETInstallationFixer_64.exe -fix MNF
InstFix deletes the MaxNumFilters registry value which enables Windows to use the internal hardcoded value.
Last Updated: May 21, 2020