Steam Error Code 105 usually means the client cannot reach a Steam web service. However, Valve does not currently publish a dedicated Error 105 diagnosis or fix. Treat it as a Steam connectivity problem: first check whether Steam is down, then work through local network, firewall, cache, DNS, router, and client-repair steps.
1. Check Steam’s server status first
Open Steam’s official connection troubleshooting guidance and check whether Steam services are experiencing a wider outage. Steam says timeouts when accessing its websites can indicate a system-wide problem. If Steam is down, changing settings on your computer will not fix Error 105; wait and try again later.
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2. Restart Steam and test your connection
- Exit Steam completely, including from the notification-area icon.
- Restart your computer.
- Restart your modem and router.
- Open Steam and try again.
If possible, use a wired Ethernet connection instead of Wi-Fi or powerline networking. Steam includes connection type, background applications, and network equipment among the causes worth checking.
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3. Clear Steam’s download cache
This is the current Steam Support cache procedure on Windows:
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- Open Steam > Settings > Downloads.
- Select Clear Download Cache.
- Confirm the operation.
- Sign in again when Steam restarts.
Clearing this cache does not remove installed games. Do not confuse this with older guides that recommend Settings > Web Browser > Delete Web Browser Cache; that is not the current universal path documented by Steam Support. See Valve’s current cache instructions.
4. Flush DNS in Windows
ipconfig /flushdns is a commonly recommended community workaround for Error 105. Steam Community discussions often associate the code with DNS resolution, but Valve’s current support documentation does not define Error 105 as a DNS error or prescribe this command specifically.
To try it safely:
- Open Command Prompt as an administrator.
- Run:
ipconfig /flushdnsWindows should report that the DNS Resolver Cache was successfully flushed. Restart Steam and test again. If the problem continues, the cause may be the router, firewall, ISP, proxy, or Steam itself rather than cached DNS data.
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A Steam client update can cause a firewall to block connectivity even when Steam worked previously. Valve’s firewall guidance recommends this procedure:
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- Close Steam.
- Remove existing firewall permission entries for
steaminstall.exe,steam.exe,hl.exe,hl2.exe, andsteamTmp.exe. - Start Steam again.
- Allow
steam.exewhen Windows prompts you. - When prompted, allow Steam access on all TCP and UDP ports.
- Restart the computer.
You can temporarily disable the firewall only as a diagnostic test. Re-enable it immediately. If Steam works while it is disabled, correct the firewall rule instead of leaving the firewall off.
6. Test the router and its settings
To determine whether the router is responsible:
- Close Steam.
- Connect the computer directly to the modem, bypassing the router.
- Test Steam again.
- Restart Steam after reconnecting normally.
If Steam works only when the router is bypassed, Valve identifies that as evidence of a router configuration or compatibility problem. For testing, Steam specifically says to check or disable features such as:
- Stateful inspection
- Dynamic packet filtering
- Quality of Service (QoS)
- Universal Plug and Play (UPnP)
Also disable any router DMZ configuration. Steam does not support connecting through a router DMZ; see Valve’s network and router troubleshooting guidance.
Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems2Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches3Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors7. Change Steam’s download region
A problematic Steam server or route can sometimes affect one region while another works. In Steam, open Settings > Downloads > Download region, choose a different region that is still relatively close to you, and retry.
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Valve documents this as a server-availability troubleshooting step, not as a code-specific Error 105 fix. Restore your usual region if the change makes no difference.
8. Check proxies, university networks, and background software
University, workplace, and managed networks may block ports Steam needs. Proxies can cause similar failures. Steam says network administrators must allow the required ports, and those ports cannot be remapped to HTTP or changed to a custom port range.
On a personal computer, temporarily test without VPNs, proxy software, traffic filters, aggressive antivirus web shields, or other applications that inspect network traffic. Steam also recommends checking for interfering background applications and scanning for malware, adware, spyware, viruses, or Trojans.
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If the network works in other applications but Steam continues showing Error 105, use Valve’s broader Windows client-repair procedure:
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- Exit Steam.
- Open the Steam installation folder. The default location is
C:Program Files (x86)Steam. - Delete everything in that folder except
steam.exeand thesteamappsfolder. - Run
steam.exeand let Steam rebuild its client files.
This preserves installed game files inside steamapps, but it is more extensive than clearing the download cache. Follow the official Steam repair instructions carefully.
What Error 105 does—and does not—tell you
Error 105 is commonly described online as a DNS-resolution failure, but Valve’s current documentation does not give the code a definitive cause. The message only establishes that Steam is having trouble reaching a required service. The practical cause could be a Steam outage, DNS or ISP trouble, router filtering, firewall rules, a proxy, a restricted network, background software, malware, or damaged client files.
For that reason, the most efficient order is: check Steam status, restart your equipment, clear the current download cache, test DNS, reauthorize the firewall, bypass or adjust the router, change download region, investigate restricted networks, and repair the client only as a last resort.
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