We all know the situation: You’re surfing the net on your Windows computer or are about to connect to the internet, but the already-established connection gets interrupted or the computer fails to connect to the targeted connection.

One connection error that’s common on Windows 11 is the Error 651. Fortunately, it’s only a minor error, and you can easily troubleshoot it on your own. In this post, we’ll show you 5 effective ways to fix “Connection Failed with Error 651” on Windows 11.

Error Message

Error 651 appears in a pop-up window when you’re surfing the Internet or are about to connect. The exact text may vary a bit, but the error message always has the following text:

How to troubleshoot Error 651?

Before we proceed with the solutions, check whether the system or connection is to blame.

Test connectivity on another device or try a different connection

The first thing you need to do is determine if the issue is related to your computer, service provider, or modem.

If another device can connect on the same Wi-Fi network, you can safely assume the issue is system-related. On the other hand, if no other device can connect to your Wi-Fi network, the error is due to the router, modem, or service provider.

The other way to determine whether the Error 651 is system-related or not is to connect your Windows computer to another Wi-Fi network that you know is working fine. If the computer is not able to connect, the problem is system-related. Otherwise, the connection is the guilty party. If your system is to blame, try the solutions listed below in the order they appear.

Solution #1 – Run Network Troubleshooter

Network Troubleshooter is a built-in tool in Windows computers that scans and help fix common network connectivity issues.

Here’s how you can run the Windows Network Troubleshooter:

• Type settings in the Search bar in the taskbar and hit Enter

• Click System in the right-side panel
• Scroll down and click Troubleshoot in the right-side panel

• Click Other troubleshooters

• Look for Network and Internet entry in the right-side panel and then click the Run option next to it

• Now the Troubleshooter window will open
• Choose Troubleshoot my connection to the internet
• If the Troubleshooter finds any issue, click Apply this fix
• If it doesn’t find any problem, choose Close the troubleshooter and move on the next solution

Solution #2 – Reset TCP/IP

In case there’s an issue with TCP/IP settings, then also you can encounter the Error 651.

Here’s what you need to do:

• Type command prompt in the Search bar, right-click Command Prompt in the search results, and select Run as administrator

• Type the following command in Command Prompt and then hit Enter

• Once this command has been executed, restart Windows, and check if the problem is resolved

Solution #3 – Disable IPv6

Some users have reported that disabling IPv6 worked for them, so giving it a shot is worth it. Since most connections do not require IPv6, disabling it will not impact your computer’s connectivity performance.

Follow these steps to disable IPv6 on Windows 11:

• Click Win + R keys
• Type ncpa.pl in the Run dialog box and hit Enter

• In the Network Connections window, right-click your network adapter and select Properties

• Scroll down inside the “This connection uses the following items” section, and uncheck Internet Protocol Version 6 (TCP/IPv6) and click OK

Now, try connecting your computer to the targeted connection and check if it’s working fine.

Solution #4 – Update your network drivers

For your computer to effectively communicate with a network and access the internet, you need up-to-date network drivers. If your network drivers aren’t up-to-date, you can encounter Error 651 and other connectivity-related issues.

Here’s how you can update the network drivers:

• Type devmgmt.msc in the Search bar in the taskbar and hit Enter

• Locate and expand Network adapters entry in the Device Manager window
• Right-click the wireless adapter and select Update driver

• Select the first option in the next window: Search automatically for drivers

• Windows will scan the system to locate the latest network driver. If it finds an updated version, it will automatically install it

The other way to manually update the network driver is to go to the network adapter manufacturer’s website and search for the latest driver for your network adapter model. However, before you visit the manufacturer’s website, you’ll need to know the driver version that’s installed on your computer. To do so, follow these steps:

• Open Device Manager and expand the Network adapters section
• Right-click your network adapter and select Properties

• Click the Driver tab and note down the driver version

If the manufacturer has released a new driver version, download it and save the file in a suitable location. Once the download is complete, double-click the driver installation file (it will have .exe file extension) and follow on-screen instructions.

After installation is complete, restart your computer and check if the issue is fixed. If not, try the next solution.

Just a quick word before you move on the next solution: Updating drivers manually can be tedious. Therefore, we recommend using a third-party tool such as Driver Updater. The beauty of this tool is that it automatically updates all outdated drivers with a single click in just a few minutes. Read the last section of the post to find out more about this amazing tool.

Solution #5 – Reset network settings

If none of the above solutions has worked for you, we recommend resetting the network settings as the last resort.

Here’s what you need to do:

• Type settings in the Search bar in the taskbar and hit Enter
• Click Network & Internet in the left-hand panel

• Select Advanced network settings in the right-side panel

• Click Network Reset in the More Settings section in the right-side pane

• Select Reset now

• Windows will reset the network adapter and then restart

After Windows reboots, you should be able to connect to the internet.

Why use Driver Updater to update device drivers?

Driver Updater is among the best third-party tools for updating device drivers automatically. It is super-fast, reliable, and accurate.

Automatic driver update tools offer many benefits, the most important ones being:

• You can update device drivers automatically
• The software scans and updates all outdated or missing drivers at one go
• The tool picks the right drivers for your device and operating system, so you won’t have to worry about installing an incorrect driver by mistake
• Automatic driver updates are 100% safe

Driver Updater is one of the best driver update tools out there. Outbyte Driver Updater will give you access to a database of over 1 million drivers. It will regularly scan your PC, suggesting new driver versions to install. Driver Updater contains drivers for a variety of Windows devices. With just one click, you can update drivers in your system.

Step 1
Click here to Install and launch the app

Step 2
Scan all devices

Step 3
Install or update drivers automatically

 

Start Download