Windows OS

Fix Windows Can’t Communicate With the Device Or Resource Windows 10

The “Windows can’t communicate with the device or resource” error occurs whenever the system is not able to connect with the primary DNS server. You may usually encounter the specified error due to faulty drivers, wrongly configured network settings, or a problematic proxy server. This error can sometimes be annoying because it does not let the computer connect to the internet.

This write-up will overview the methods to solve the mentioned error.

How to Resolve the “Windows Can’t Communicate With the Device Or Resource” Problem?

These are the methods that can be adopted to rectify the stated error:

Fix 1: Run Network Troubleshooter

The stated error can be fixed by running a network troubleshooter. For that reason, go through the given steps.

Step 1: Launch Troubleshoot Settings

First of all, open the “Troubleshoot settings” via the Start menu:

Step 2: Launch Additional Troubleshooter

Click on “Additional troubleshooters”:

Step 3: Run the Troubleshooter

Find “Network Adapter” and click on the “Run the Troubleshooter” button:

Choose “Wi-Fi” and click the “Next” button:

Click on the “Next” button to start the network adapter’s troubleshooting:

When the troubleshooting process is complete, reboot the system and examine if the stated error has been resolved or not.

Fix 2: Reset Network

The second approach to fix the stated error is to reset the network. For that reason, follow the instructions given below.

Step 1: Launch Network Reset

First of all, launch “Network reset” via the Windows Start menu:

Step 2: Reset Network

Click on the “Reset now” button:

Reboot the system after resetting the network settings and check whether the issue has been resolved or not.

Fix 3: Update Network Drivers

Maybe the outdated drivers are causing the specified error. So, updating network drivers can also fix the error. For that reason, go through these instructions.

Step 1: Launch Device Manager

First of all, open the “Device Manager” via the Start menu:

Step 2: Update Drivers

Extend the “Network adapters” section. Look for a network driver, right-click on it and click on “Update driver”:

Click “Search automatically for drivers”:

The device manager will look for the latest version of the driver and update it if found.

Fix 4: Reset TCP/IP Configuration

Another approach to fix the stated error is to reset Winsock and TCP/IP configuration. For that purpose, go through the steps below.

Step 1: Open CMD

First, launch the “Command prompt” via the Start panel:

Step 2: Flush DNS

Execute the “IPCONFIG” command with the “/FLUSHDNS” option to flush DNS settings:

>IPCONFIG /FLUSHDNS

It can be observed that the flushing of DNS has been completed.

Step 3: Reset Winsock

Run the below line of code:

> netsh winsock reset

Reboot Windows to complete the resetting of the Winsock catalog. After doing so, execute the given command to reset TCP/IP using the netshell utility:

>netsh int ip reset

As a result, the TCP/IP settings will be reset successfully.

Fix 5: Restart Wi-Fi Modem or Router

Another major reason could be an incorrectly configured Wi-Fi adapter setting. So, resetting the Wi-Fi adapter will fix the stated error.

For that purpose, first of all, plug out the power cable from the Wi-Fi modem. Wait for at least 30 seconds, and then re-plug the power cord. Wait for your system to connect with the Wi-Fi adapter to reset it. Now, examine whether the issue got fixed or not.

Conclusion

The “Windows can’t communicate with the device or resource” error can be fixed by utilizing various methods including, running a network troubleshooter, resetting the network, updating network drivers, resetting Winsock and TCP/IP configurations, or resetting the network adapter. This write-up has demonstrated several methods to fix the mentioned issue.

About the author

Muhammad Farhan

I am a Computer Science graduate and now a technical writer who loves to provide the easiest solutions to the most difficult problems related to Windows, Linux, and Web designing. My love for Computer Science emerges every day because of its ease in our everyday life.