NETWORK_FAILURE
5 Types of Network Failures and How to Prevent Them
Network communication failures prevent your Windows PC from downloading updates, causing server-side error codes like 0x80244018 (HTTPSTATUSFORBIDDEN) and 0x8024402c (WUEPTWININETNAMENOTRESOLVED). These errors happen when Windows Update cannot locate or connect to Microsoft servers.Here are the 5 core network failure types and how to fix and prevent them.
1. DNS Resolution Failures (Triggers Error 0x8024402c)
How to Fix:
Press Win + S, type cmd, right-click Command Prompt, and select Run as Administrator.Flush the local DNS cache and renew network configurations by running:DOSipconfig /flushdns
ipconfig /registerdns
ipconfig /release
ipconfig /renewHow to Prevent:
Switch to reliable public DNS servers (like Google DNS or Cloudflare):Go to Settings $\rightarrow$ Network & internet $\rightarrow$ Wi-Fi / Ethernet $\rightarrow$ DNS server assignment.Set Preferred DNS to 8.8.8.8 (Google) or 1.1.1.1 (Cloudflare), and Alternate DNS to 8.8.4.4 or 1.0.0.1.
2. Proxy & VPN Handshake Blocks (Triggers Error 0x80244018)
How to Fix:
Press Win + I to open Settings.Navigate to Network & internet $\rightarrow$ Proxy.Under Automatic proxy setup, toggle Automatically detect settings to On.Under Manual proxy setup, toggle Use a proxy server to Off.Disconnect any active third-party VPN apps.
How to Prevent:
Configure your VPN app to use split tunneling, allowing Windows Update (svchost.exe) to bypass the encrypted tunnel.
3. Firewall & Security Shield Blocks
How to Fix:
Open your third-party antivirus app (e.g., Avast, Norton, McAfee) and temporarily disable Web Shield or Real-time Protection.Reset Windows Firewall settings to default via Command Prompt as Administrator:
netsh advfirewall resetHow to Prevent:
Ensure Windows Update endpoints are whitelisted in your firewall rules:
*.update.microsoft.com
*.download.windowsupdate.com
4. Corrupted WinINet & Network Stack Settings
How to Fix:
Open Command Prompt as Administrator.
Reset the Windows Sockets (Winsock) and TCP/IP configuration:netsh winsock reset
netsh int ip reset
Reset WinHTTP proxy settings to direct access:
netsh winhttp reset proxy
Restart your computer.How to Prevent:
Avoid force-closing network applications or abruptly disconnecting power during system update downloads.
5. Stopped Background Update Services
How to Fix:
Press Win + R, type services.msc, and press Enter.
Locate Background Intelligent Transfer Service (BITS) and Windows Update.
Double-click each service, set Startup type to Automatic, and click Start.How to Prevent:
Avoid running aggressive third-party "PC Optimizer" software that automatically disables Windows system background services.