Fix NS_E_TIMEOUT (0XC00D0013) on Windows Media Streaming

That timeout error is maddening, especially when you're mid-episode and the stream just dies. Let's get you back to watching.

The Quick Fix That Solves 80% of Cases

This error almost always comes down to Windows Media Player's network timeout setting being too short. The server responds, but not fast enough. Here's how to stretch that limit.

1. Press Windows Key + R to open the Run dialog.
2. Type regedit and press Enter. Click Yes if User Account Control asks.
3. Go to this key:
   

   HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\MediaPlayer\Preferences\Player

4. Right-click in the right pane and select New > DWORD (32-bit) Value.
5. Name it HttpTimeout and press Enter.
6. Double-click HttpTimeout, set the base to Decimal, and enter 60000 (that's 60 seconds). Click OK.
7. Close Registry Editor.
8. Restart Windows Media Player or the app that threw the error.

After you restart, try streaming again. You should see the buffering circle spin longer before giving up—that's the new timeout working. If the stream starts now, you're done.

Why This Worked

Windows Media Player and the underlying Media Foundation have a default network timeout of about 30 seconds. That's fine for local streams but terrible for internet streams that hit a slow router, a congested CDN, or a server that queues requests. The HttpTimeout registry value overrides that default. With 60 seconds, the client stops giving up so easily.

I've seen this single change fix streams that would die at exactly 28 seconds every time. The server was responding, just a couple seconds late.

If That Didn't Fix It: Check the Server Side

When the timeout isn't the problem, the server itself might be dropping the connection. If you're streaming to an Xbox, a smart TV, or another PC on your network, run this check on the machine hosting the media.

1. Firewall Rules for Media Streaming

Windows Firewall blocks incoming streaming by default. You need to allow it.

1. Open Control Panel > Windows Defender Firewall.
2. Click Allow an app or feature through Windows Defender Firewall.
3. Click Change settings (you'll need admin rights).
4. Scroll to Windows Media Player and Windows Media Player Network Sharing Service. Check both boxes for Private (and Public if you trust your network).
5. Click OK.

After applying, you should see the firewall rule list update instantly. Then try streaming again.

2. DNS and Proxy Settings

If the error comes from a specific URL (not a local stream), DNS resolution might be slow or failing. Open Command Prompt as administrator and run:

ipconfig /flushdns
nslookup your-stream-server.com

If nslookup takes longer than 5 seconds to reply, your DNS is the bottleneck. Switch your DNS to 8.8.8.8 (Google) or 1.1.1.1 (Cloudflare) in your network adapter settings.

Also, if you're behind a proxy, Windows Media Player doesn't respect system proxy settings by default. In WMP, go to Tools > Options > Network and configure the proxy there. Or, if you don't need a proxy, select No proxy for all protocols.

Less Common Variations

Sometimes the error shows up in unexpected places. Here's what to do in those cases.

Error in Windows Media Center or Xbox

Media Center uses the same timeout registry key, so the fix above works there too. But on Xbox, you can't edit the registry. Instead, restart your Xbox and router, then try again. If it persists, check if the server PC has sleep mode enabled—that'll drop the stream mid-session.

Error When Streaming from IIS Media Services

If you're pulling from an IIS server, the server's own timeout might be shorter than the client's. On the IIS machine, open IIS Manager, click on your site, and open HTTP Response Headers. Set Cache-Control to no-cache and increase the Connection Timeout under Site Bindings to 120 seconds.

Error in Custom Apps Using Media Foundation

Developers hitting this in their own apps should set the MFNETSOURCE_CONNECTIONTIMEOUT attribute on the source resolver. Here's a quick C++ snippet:

PROPVARIANT var;
InitPropVariantFromUInt32(60000, &var);
hr = pSourceResolver->SetAttribute(MFNETSOURCE_CONNECTIONTIMEOUT, &var);

That sets a 60-second timeout on the source. Without it, the default of 30 seconds will bite you.

Prevention for the Future

The registry fix is permanent, so you won't see that error from timeouts again. But to keep streaming smooth, do these things:

• Keep your media server awake. Disable sleep mode on the host PC. Go to Power Options > Change plan settings > Put the computer to sleep: Never.
• Use a wired connection for the server and the streaming device. Wi-Fi adds jitter that can trigger timeouts even with a longer window.
• Run a speed test to your internet connection. If your upload speed is below 5 Mbps, streams you host will be flaky.
• Update your network drivers. I've seen old Realtek drivers cause random timeout errors that disappear after an update.

That's the full rundown. Start with the registry key—it's the one that fixes most people—then work through the firewall and DNS checks if you're still stuck.