Hello,
I’ve been struggling with a persistent Connection Error / Error Code: e20 in the Steam client.
I am unable to log in consistently — sometimes it lets me in once, and then the next login attempt fails with a connection error again. Steam’s website works fine in the browser, but the Steam Client does not.

I have already tried every known fix from the Steam support articles, from the forums, and from multiple technical guides.
Here is everything I have done so far:

✔ Reinstalled Steam multiple times

Completely removed the entire Steam folder from Program Files (x86)

Deleted Steam folders in AppData\Local and AppData\Roaming

Installed the official SteamSetup.exe from Steam’s website (not from a third-party link)

✔ Network resets

ipconfig /flushdns

ipconfig /release

ipconfig /renew

netsh winsock reset

netsh int ip reset

Restarted the PC after each set of commands

✔ Checked LAN/proxy settings

Disabled LAN proxy

Enabled “Automatically detect settings”

✔ Changed DNS

Tried Google DNS: 8.8.8.8 / 8.8.4.4

Also tried Cloudflare DNS: 1.1.1.1 / 1.0.0.1

No change

✔ Disabled IPv6

Through network adapter settings

✔ Firewall checks

Allowed steam.exe and all Steam-related files (including Steam Web Helper) in Windows Firewall

Even tried disabling the firewall completely as a test

✔ Time synchronization fixes

Repaired Windows Time service

Set it to Automatic and Started it

Successfully ran w32tm /config, w32tm /resync and achieved “The command completed successfully”

Date, time, and timezone are correct

✔ HOSTS file check

HOSTS file is clean, no Steam domains blocked

✔ Tested on different network

Tried logging in using mobile hotspot

Same connection error (so it’s not my router/ISP)

✔ Tried launching Steam with TCP mode

Added -tcp to Steam shortcut

No improvement

✔ No VPN, no antivirus, no third-party network tools installed

Fresh Windows 10 Pro installation, no security software that could interfere.

⚠ What Still Happens

Steam occasionally lets me log in ONCE

After restarting Steam or Windows, login fails again

Steam website works in browser, but Steam Client cannot connect

Error “Connection Error” or “Error Code: e20” keeps returning

Steam Web Helper sometimes doesn’t load properly

Cloud, profile picture, QR code login do not load

I need assistance beyond basic troubleshooting.

It seems like:

The Steam client is failing to establish HTTPS connections properly

OR Steam Web Helper cannot download its required runtime files

OR something server-side is rejecting my login attempts despite the network being fine

Please advise what I should do next, because I have exhausted all available solutions and the issue continues even on a fresh Windows installation.

Thank you.

so a few things

in windows press win key type CMD and run it

type in the command line
ping steampowered.com

Should look something like this

C:\Users\you>ping steampowered.com

Pinging steampowered.com [23.219.12.91] with 32 bytes of data:
Reply from 23.219.12.91: bytes=32 time=3ms TTL=57
Reply from 23.219.12.91: bytes=32 time=3ms TTL=57
Reply from 23.219.12.91: bytes=32 time=2ms TTL=57
Reply from 23.219.12.91: bytes=32 time=3ms TTL=57

Ping statistics for 23.219.12.91:
Packets: Sent = 4, Received = 4, Lost = 0 (0% loss),
Approximate round trip times in milli-seconds:
Minimum = 2ms, Maximum = 3ms, Average = 2ms

IF it says timeout could be your firewall blocking
if its 200ms + its timining out cause its too long for the packet to send and recieve.

Check your NAT Settings on your router (maybe reset your router do check your passwords before hand and network settings before doing that worse case scenarior

alternativley can switch your router off (and OT box if its fibre) for about a min and then back on resetting any network caching thats sitting in the buffer.

Ping test again

if not working
check anti virus / firewall settings on your PC.


if your ping test is like mine and connects fine then its steam app itself most likley corrupted so uninstall and delete all residual files and reboot the PC then re install steam

Do check anti virus if nothing is triggered might as well let an exception on the steam folder