Crash/Freeze Fortnite

Fortnite FailedToConnect / Server Not Responding - Complete Fix Guide

📅 Published: 2026-02-06 🔄 Updated: 2026-02-06 👥 Reports: 1 ⚡ Severity: 🟢 Low

🎯 Quick Answer

Perform a clean reinstall of your network adapter drivers and configure your firewall to allow Fortnite's Easy Anti-Cheat and game client through all profiles.

SECTION 1: OVERVIEW

The "FailedToConnect" error in Fortnite is a network timeout condition where the game client cannot establish or maintain a stable connection to Epic Games servers. The primary error message states: "A PROBLEM OCCURRED. The server stopped responding to the connection. FailedToConnect." This error predominantly affects the Windows PC platform, particularly following major game updates or operating system revisions like Windows 11 24H2. The issue is classified as common during seasonal transitions and has a game-breaking severity, as it prevents matchmaking and stable gameplay. The error can manifest during initial login, in the pre-game lobby, or intermittently during an active match, resulting in a forced disconnect.

SECTION 2: SYMPTOMS

The application terminates network operations and returns to the lobby or login screen with the "FailedToConnect" dialog box. The disconnect typically occurs within 60-120 seconds of initiating a server connection, such as when loading into the pre-game lobby or shortly after the Battle Bus launch sequence begins. During gameplay, the connection halts without warning, followed by a 5-10 second freeze, and then the error message displays. The game process itself remains running, but the network session is terminated. Ping and packet loss indicators in the game's diagnostic overlay may show normal values (e.g., 40ms) immediately before the failure.

SECTION 3: COMMON CAUSES

Category: Network Problem Specific technical explanation: Windows network stack corruption or incompatible network adapter driver, often triggered by a Windows Feature Update (e.g., 24H2). The driver fails to handle UDP packets on ports 5222, 7777-7790, 9000, and 20510-20560 correctly, leading to timeouts. Why this causes the problem: The game client sends heartbeat packets to the server. If the driver corrupts or drops these packets, the server interprets the client as disconnected and terminates the session. Category: Software Conflict Specific technical explanation: Windows Defender Firewall or third-party security suite creates an incomplete or corrupted rule for Fortnite or Easy Anti-Cheat (EAC). The rule may allow traffic on one network profile (Private) but block it on another (Public). Why this causes the problem: Network profile changes can trigger a block. The security software silently drops outgoing UDP packets from FortniteClient-Win64-Shipping.exe or EasyAntiCheat.exe, causing the server to stop receiving client responses. Category: Configuration Error Specific technical explanation: Incorrect or overly restrictive Quality of Service (QoS) or traffic prioritization settings on the user's router, particularly on models from ISPs. These settings can throttle or misroute the high-frequency, low-latency UDP traffic Fortnite requires. Why this causes the problem: Throttled game packets are delayed beyond the server's acceptable timeout threshold, triggering a "server not responding" disconnect on Epic's side. Category: Game Bug Specific technical explanation: Corrupted or invalidated local network configuration files within the Fortnite user data directory. The GameUserSettings.ini or network cache files contain stale server IP addresses or invalid connection parameters from a previous season. Why this causes the problem: The client attempts to connect using obsolete handshake data, which the current game server build rejects, resulting in an immediate connection failure. Category: Software Conflict Specific technical explanation: VPN, proxy, or "gaming optimization" software (e.g., WTFast, ExitLag) runs in the background with remnants of a terminated service or driver. This software installs a virtual network adapter that interferes with the primary adapter's routing table. Why this causes the problem: Game traffic is routed through a non-existent or filtered virtual adapter, causing packets to be lost locally before reaching the physical network interface.

SECTION 4: SOLUTIONS

Solution 1: Clean Reinstall Network Adapter Drivers

Difficulty: Medium Time Required: 15 minutes Success Rate: High Prerequisites: Administrator access, internet connection via alternate means (e.g., phone tethering) during driver removal. Steps:

Press Windows Key + X and select Device Manager.
Expand the Network adapters section.
Right-click your primary network adapter (e.g., Intel(R) Wi-Fi 6E AX211, Realtek PCIe GbE Family Controller) and select Uninstall device.
In the confirmation dialog, check the box labeled Attempt to remove the driver software for this device and click Uninstall.
Restart your computer. Windows will install a default driver upon reboot.
Visit your PC manufacturer's or motherboard manufacturer's support website. Download the latest official network driver for your specific model and Windows 11 24H2.
Install the downloaded driver and restart your computer a second time.

Technical Explanation: This process eliminates corrupted driver files and registry entries that conflict with Windows 11 24H2's network stack, ensuring a clean installation that correctly handles game UDP packets. Verification: Open Command Prompt as Administrator and execute ping -t 8.8.8.8 for 2 minutes. Observe zero "Request timed out" messages. Then launch Fortnite and monitor for the disconnect error.

Solution 2: Reconfigure Windows Defender Firewall Rules

Difficulty: Easy Time Required: 10 minutes Success Rate: High Prerequisites: Administrator access. Steps:

Press Windows Key + R, type control firewall.cpl, and press Enter.
Click Advanced settings on the left pane.
In the Windows Defender Firewall with Advanced Security window, select Outbound Rules on the left.
In the right Actions pane, click New Rule....
Select Program and click Next.
Click Browse and navigate to C:\Program Files\Epic Games\Fortnite\FortniteGame\Binaries\Win64\. Select FortniteClient-Win64-Shipping.exe. Click Next.
Select Allow the connection. Click Next.
Ensure all three boxes (Domain, Private, Public) are checked. Click Next.
Name the rule "Fortnite Client - All Networks". Click Finish.
Repeat steps 4-9, but this time browse to C:\Program Files (x86)\EasyAntiCheat\ and select EasyAntiCheat.exe. Name this rule "Easy Anti-Cheat - All Networks".

Technical Explanation: This creates explicit, permissive outbound rules for both the game and its anti-cheat service across all network profiles, preventing silent packet blocks regardless of how Windows classifies your connection. Verification: Launch Fortnite. Open Resource Monitor (resmon), go to the Network tab, and confirm FortniteClient-Win64-Shipping.exe has an Established TCP connection and Send/Receive UDP activity.

Solution 3: Reset Local Network Configuration via Command Line

Difficulty: Easy Time Required: 5 minutes Success Rate: Medium Prerequisites: Administrator access. Steps:

Press Windows Key, type cmd, right-click Command Prompt, and select Run as administrator.
Execute the following commands in sequence, pressing Enter after each:

netsh winsock reset netsh int ip reset ipconfig /release ipconfig /flushdns ipconfig /renew

Close Command Prompt and restart your computer.

Technical Explanation: This sequence resets the Windows Socket (Winsock) catalog, TCP/IP stack to default, clears the DNS resolver cache, and renews the DHCP lease. It clears any network state corruption that file verification does not address. Verification: After reboot, open Command Prompt and run ipconfig /all. Confirm your DNS servers are correctly listed (e.g., 1.1.1.1 for Cloudflare). The "Media State" should show "Media disconnected" only for inactive adapters.

Solution 4: Disable Router QoS and IPv6

Difficulty: Advanced Time Required: 10 minutes Success Rate: Medium Prerequisites: Access to router admin panel. Steps:

Open a web browser and enter your router's gateway IP (commonly 192.168.1.1 or 192.168.0.1). Log in.
Navigate to Advanced Settings or a similar section.
Locate QoS (Quality of Service) or Bandwidth Control. Disable this feature entirely. Save settings.
Locate IPv6 settings. Set the connection type to Disabled. Save settings.
Reboot your router from the admin panel, then reboot your PC.

Technical Explanation: Consumer-grade QoS often misprioritizes game traffic. IPv6 can cause dual-stack routing issues if your ISP or the game server's CDN does not fully support it, leading to inconsistent connection paths. Verification: Visit test-ipv6.com in your browser. It should report "No IPv6 address detected." Your connection is now IPv4-only, which is the standard for most game servers.

Solution 5: Delete Fortnite Network Cache and Config Files

Difficulty: Easy Time Required: 5 minutes Success Rate: Medium Prerequisites: Fortnite must be fully closed via Task Manager. Steps:

Press Windows Key + R, type %localappdata%, and press Enter.
Open the FortniteGame folder, then the Saved folder.
Delete the entire Config folder and the webcache folder.
Navigate back to %localappdata%.
Open the EpicGamesLauncher folder, then the Saved folder.
Delete the webcache folder located here.
Launch the Epic Games Launcher. It will recreate necessary config files. Launch Fortnite.

Technical Explanation: This removes stale configuration files containing old server endpoints and corrupted cache data that can conflict with the new season's network requirements. Verification: Upon first launch after deletion, the game will reset all video and audio settings to default. This confirms the operation was successful.

Solution 6: Perform a Clean Boot to Isolate Software Conflict

Difficulty: Medium Time Required: 15 minutes Success Rate: Low Prerequisites: Administrator access. Steps:

Press Windows Key + R, type msconfig, and press Enter.
Go to the Services tab. Check Hide all Microsoft services. Click Disable all.
Go to the Startup tab. Click Open Task Manager.
In Task Manager, disable every startup item. Close Task Manager.
Back in System Configuration, click OK. Choose Restart when prompted.
After restarting into a clean boot environment, launch Fortnite and test.

Technical Explanation: This starts Windows with only essential services and drivers, eliminating background software (VPNs, RGB controllers, overlay apps) as the source of network interference. Verification: If the error does not occur in the clean boot state, a third-party service is the cause. Re-enable services in groups of 5 in msconfig, restarting and testing each time to identify the culprit.

SECTION 5: PREVENTION

Maintain a regular schedule for updating network adapter and chipset drivers directly from the hardware manufacturer, not Windows Update. After every major Windows Feature Update, re-verify the firewall rules for Fortnite and Easy Anti-Cheat. Configure your router to reboot weekly during off-hours to clear its NAT table and memory cache. Avoid installing third-party network "optimization" or VPN software that installs kernel-level drivers. Periodically clear the Fortnite Saved\Config and webcache folders after large game patches.

SECTION 6: WHEN TO CONTACT SUPPORT

Contact Epic Games Support if all solutions fail and the error persists across multiple different networks (e.g., home, mobile hotspot). Provide the full diagnostic report from the Epic Games Launcher (Settings > Troubleshoot > Create Diagnostic Report) and the launcher.log file located in %localappdata%\EpicGamesLauncher\Saved\Logs. Also include the results of a continuous ping (ping -t 8.8.8.8) and traceroute (tracert 8.8.8.8) during the time of the disconnect. Official support channels are accessible via the Epic Games Help page.