Winsock connect error system error 10061 system message

Stuck with Winsock Error 10061? We can help you.

Winsock error 10061 occurs when the target machine we are trying to connect actively refuses the request.

This ‘Connection Refused’ error happens generally when the service with which we are trying to connect is inactive.

Here at Bobcares, we often get requests from our customers to fix similar errors as a part of our Server Management Services.

Today let’s see how our Support Engineers fix this error for our customers.

How to fix Winsock Error 10061?

Before going into the steps of fixing Winsock Error 10061, we will see some of the common causes for this error.

Common causes for this Error:

1. The most common cause is a misconfigured server, full server, or using an incorrect port to connect.

2. Poor or no internet connection.

3. Service inactive on the destination server.

4. Trying to connect to the wrong host.

5. Using a port number that is higher than 655355.

6. A firewall or anti-virus software on the local computer or network connection blocking the connection.

7. Corrupted registry.

Steps to fix Winsock Error 10061

1. First we must check if the Internet connection is working properly or not.

2. Next we need to ensure that firewall is not blocking the Winsock connection.

Generally, firewalls are designed to prevent unauthorized access soo there is a possibility that it can see Winsock as a potential threat.

To unblock Winsock, we can use the following steps:

a. First, locate the firewall in the navigation bar (next to the clock)
b. Then right-click and take the “Exception List”
c. In the exception list, if Winsock is not already displayed, we will add it.

3. Run a scan to check for potential threats or viruses using any anti-virus.

4. Clean out the registry using a registry cleaner to scan through the part of the PC and repair any of the damaged settings if any.

5. After that we can verify whether the host is resolving to the correct IP address

6. Then we will check whether the ports are open and listening.

7. We must keep in mind to use any port less than 65535.

8. After this we will ensure that the service can be connected to all IP addresses. Also, we will check if the ISP allows outbound traffic on port 25.

10. If all the above steps did not help to connect, we will disable the firewall or anti-virus software and try to connect again.

[Still, facing Winsock error? We are happy to help you!]

Conclusion

To conclude, we saw various causes for Winsock error 10061 along with the steps our Support Techs follow to fix this error for our customers.

var google_conversion_label = «owonCMyG5nEQ0aD71QM»;

On the client side:

1. do not call WSACleanup() before calling connect().
2. You are not doing any error handling on getaddrinfo().
3. you are not setting the ai_flags to match your input values (like AI_NUMERICHOST).
4. you are not freeing the memory that getaddrinfo() returns.
5. you are not taking into account that you are specifying AF_UNSPEC to getaddrinfo() so it may return multiple addresses. You should try to connect to all of them until one succeeds.

Try this instead:

void Base::Connect(string ip, string port)
{
    int status, error;
    SOCKET ConnectSocket = INVALID_SOCKET;
    struct addrinfo hints = {0};
    struct addrinfo *servinfo;  // will point to the results

    hints.ai_family = AF_UNSPEC;     // don't care IPv4 or IPv6
    hints.ai_socktype = SOCK_STREAM; // TCP stream sockets
    hints.ai_flags = AI_NUMERICHOST; // parse an IP address
    //hints.ai_flags |= AI_NUMERICSERV; // parse a port number (not supported on Windows)

    // get ready to connect
    status = getaddrinfo(ip.c_str(), port.c_str(), &hints, &servinfo);
    if (status != 0)
    {
        printf("getaddrinfo error: (%d) %sn", status, gai_strerror(status));
        return;
    }

    addrinfo *addr = servinfo;
    do
    {
        // Socket Setup
        ConnectSocket = socket(addr->ai_family, addr->ai_socktype, addr->ai_protocol);
        if (ConnectSocket == INVALID_SOCKET)
        {
            printf("socket error: %dn", WSAGetLastError());
        }
        else
        {
            // Connect
            if (connect(ConnectSocket, addr->ai_addr, addr->ai_addrlen) != SOCKET_ERROR)
            {
                printf("connected to servern");
                break;
            }

            printf("connect error: %dn", WSAGetLastError());

            closesocket(ConnectSocket);
            ConnectSocket = INVALID_SOCKET;
        }

        addr = addr->ai_next;
    }
    while (addr != NULL);

    freeaddrinfo(servinfo);

    if (ConnectSocket == INVALID_SOCKET)
        printf("unable to connect to servern");
}

On the server side:

1. you are not doing any error handling on socket(), bind() or listen().
2. SO_REUSEADDR has to be enabled before calling bind(), not after. And you are not even enabling it correctly, either.
3. you are not freeing the memory that getaddrinfo() returns.

Try this instead:

int _tmain(int argc, _TCHAR* argv[])
{
    // WINDOWS SETUP
    WSAData wsaData;
    if (WSAStartup(MAKEWORD(2, 0), &wsaData) != 0) 
    {
        fprintf(stderr, "WSAStartup failed.n");
        exit(1);
    }

    // PREPARE TO LAUNCH
    int status;
    struct sockaddr_storage their_addr;
    socklen_t addr_size;
    SOCKET client;

    struct addrinfo hints = {0};
    struct addrinfo *servinfo;  // will point to the results

    hints.ai_family = AF_UNSPEC;     // don't care IPv4 or IPv6
    hints.ai_socktype = SOCK_STREAM; // TCP stream sockets
    hints.ai_flags = AI_PASSIVE;     // fill in my IP for me
    //hints.ai_flags |= AI_NUMERICSERV; // parse a port number (not supported on Windows)

    status = getaddrinfo(NULL, "80", &hints, &servinfo);
    if (status != 0) 
    {
        fprintf(stderr, "getaddrinfo error: (%d) %sn", status, gai_strerror(status));
        getchar();
        exit(1);
    }

    // optional, loop through servinfo creating a separate
    // listening socket for each address reported...

    // GET THE FILE DESCRIPTOR  
    SOCKET mSocket = socket(servinfo->ai_family, servinfo->ai_socktype, servinfo->ai_protocol);
    if (mSocket == INVALID_SOCKET)
    {
        fprintf(stderr, "socket error: %dn", WSAGetLastError());
        freeaddrinfo(servinfo);
        closesocket(mSocket);
        getchar();
        exit(1);
    }

    // lose the pesky "Address already in use" error message
    BOOL yes = TRUE;
    if (setsockopt(mSocket, SOL_SOCKET, SO_REUSEADDR, (char*)&yes, sizeof(yes)) == SOCKET_ERROR)
    {
        fprintf(stderr, "setsockopt error: %dn", WSAGetLastError());
        freeaddrinfo(servinfo);
        closesocket(mSocket);
        getchar();
        exit(1);
    }

    // WHAT PORT AM I ON
    if (bind(mSocket, servinfo->ai_addr, servinfo->ai_addrlen) == SOCKET_ERROR)
    {
        fprintf(stderr, "bind error: %dn", WSAGetLastError());
        freeaddrinfo(servinfo);
        closesocket(mSocket);
        getchar();
        exit(1);
    }

    freeaddrinfo(servinfo);

    int backlog = 2;
    if (listen(mSocket, backlog) == SOCKET_ERROR)
    {
        fprintf(stderr, "listen error: %dn", WSAGetLastError());
        closesocket(mSocket);
        getchar();
        exit(1);
    }

    // SERVER STARTED LISTENING SUCCESFULLY
    printf("Server is listening...n");

    // ACCEPT
    addr_size = sizeof their_addr;
    client = accept(mSocket, (struct sockaddr*)&their_addr, &addr_size);
    if (client == INVALID_SOCKET)
    {
        fprintf(stderr, "accept error: %dn", WSAGetLastError());
    }
    else
    {
        char ip[NI_MAXHOST] = {0};
        char port[NI_MAXSERV] = {0};

        status = getnameinfo((struct sockaddr*)&their_addr, addr_size, ip, NI_MAXHOST, port, NI_MAXSERV, NI_NUMERICHOST | NI_NUMERICSERV);
        if (status == 0)
            printf("Client connected from %s:%sn", ip, port);
        else
            printf("Client connected. getnameinfo error: (%d) %sn", status, gai_strerror(status));

        //...

        closesocket(client);
    }        

    closesocket(mSocket);
    printf("Server ended");

    getchar();

    return 0;
}

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