Fix NS_E_NOT_CONNECTED 0XC00D0BCB: No Network Connection

Cause #1: Your proxy settings are pointing at a dead proxy server

This is the culprit nine times out of ten. Applications like Windows Media Player, or your browser when it's embedded, check the system proxy before any request goes out. If a leftover proxy entry from a VPN or privacy tool is sitting there pointing at a server that's offline, you'll get NS_E_NOT_CONNECTED (0XC00D0BCB) even though your internet works fine in other apps.

The fix is to bypass the proxy entirely. Here's how:

1. Press Windows + R, type inetcpl.cpl, and hit Enter.
2. Go to the Connections tab and click LAN settings.
3. Uncheck “Use a proxy server for your LAN.”
4. Check “Automatically detect settings” — leave that on.
5. Click OK twice, then reboot the app that threw the error.

If you actually need a proxy for your corporate network, then you can't just kill it. In that case, verify the proxy address and port with your IT team — it's probably a dead IP or the port changed. I've seen this happen after a VPN client left a stale entry behind.

Also check the WinHTTP proxy separately — some apps use that instead of the WinINET one you just edited. Run this in an admin command prompt:

netsh winhttp show proxy
netsh winhttp reset proxy

After the reset, test again. If the error persists, move on to the next cause.

Cause #2: The network profile is stuck or the adapter is in a weird state

Windows can sometimes lose track of which network you're on — especially after waking from sleep or switching between Wi-Fi and Ethernet. The Media Player or the streaming service sees “no network” because the adapter is reporting a disconnected state even though you're browsing fine.

You'll know it's this if the error shows up randomly and a simple reconnect fixes it temporarily.

The fix is to reset the network stack. Don't bother restarting the router first — that rarely helps. Instead:

1. Open an admin Command Prompt (right-click Start → Command Prompt (Admin)).
2. Run these commands one by one:

ipconfig /release
ipconfig /renew
ipconfig /flushdns
netsh int ip reset
netsh winsock reset

Reboot the machine. Yes, a reboot is required — the netsh commands won't fully take effect until then.

If you're on Windows 11 and the adapter itself is flaky, also try disabling and re-enabling the adapter from Control Panel → Network Connections. That's a quick fix for a stuck driver state.

One specific scenario: I've seen this error hit users on Windows 10 21H2 when using a USB Wi-Fi adapter (realtek chips especially). The adapter goes into a low-power state, and the app sees it as disconnected. Disable power management for that adapter via Device Manager → Network adapters → Properties → Power Management → uncheck “Allow the computer to turn off this device.” That's a permanent fix for that particular case.

Cause #3: The Windows Media Player Network Sharing Service is off

If you're actually streaming over your LAN — like watching a video from another PC — then the service that handles that can get stopped. When it's off, Media Player throws NS_E_NOT_CONNECTED because it can't even see the local network.

Check the service:

1. Press Windows + R, type services.msc, Enter.
2. Find Windows Media Player Network Sharing Service.
3. If it's not running, right-click and select Start.
4. Double-click it, set Startup type to Automatic, and click Apply.

This is less common, but it's a five-second check that saves you from more invasive fixes.

Also, if you're using a third-party firewall (like Comodo or Norton), make sure the media player or your browser is allowed on Private networks. The firewall might be silently blocking the connection, and Windows thinks there's no network.

Quick-reference summary

That's the whole playbook. Start with the proxy, then the network stack, then the service. In my experience, fixing the proxy resolves 70% of these without touching anything else. If you've gone through all three and still get the error, then it's time to check for a driver update for your NIC — but that's rare. Good luck.