Fix NS_E_WMP_PROXY_CONNECT_TIMEOUT (0XC00D11B8) in Windows Media Player

I know this error is infuriating. You're trying to stream a video or listen to a radio station in Windows Media Player, and bam — you get that “proxy server is not responding” message with error code 0XC00D11B8. It usually happens when you're on a corporate or school network, but it can pop up anywhere. Let's fix it.

Fix 1: Disable Proxy in Windows Media Player (the real fix)

Most of the time, Windows Media Player tries to use a proxy server that doesn't exist or is misconfigured. The quickest fix is to tell WMP to connect directly.

1. Open Windows Media Player.
2. Press Alt to show the menu bar (or click the “Organize” button and choose “Options”).
3. Go to the Network tab.
4. Under “Streaming proxy settings”, you'll see protocols like HTTP, RTSP, etc. Select each one and click Configure.
5. In the dialog that opens, choose “Use proxy settings of the browser” or “Use no proxy” — I prefer “Use no proxy” because it skips the proxy entirely.
6. Click OK, then Apply, then OK again.

This works on Windows 7, 8, 10, and 11. I've fixed hundreds of tickets with this single step. Try playing your file again.

Fix 2: Check Windows Proxy Settings (if Fix 1 didn't work)

If WMP is still timing out, the problem might be at the system level. Windows might have a proxy setting enabled that's pointing to a dead server.

1. Press Windows + I to open Settings.
2. Go to Network & Internet > Proxy (on Windows 10) or Network & Internet > Proxy (on Windows 11, it's under “Manual proxy setup”).
3. Look for “Use a proxy server”. If it's turned on and you don't know the address, turn it off.
4. Also check “Automatically detect settings” — leave it on if you're on a corporate network, but turn it off if you're at home.

I've seen this on laptops that were previously connected to a work VPN. The proxy setting sticks around even after disconnecting. Turn it off and restart WMP.

Fix 3: Flush DNS and Reset Winsock (for stubborn cases)

Sometimes the error isn't really about the proxy — it's about network corruption. Resetting the network stack can clear things up.

1. Open Command Prompt as Administrator (right-click Start, choose “Command Prompt (Admin)” or “Windows Terminal (Admin)”).
2. Run these commands one by one, pressing Enter after each:
   

   ipconfig /flushdns
   netsh winsock reset
   netsh int ip reset

3. Restart your computer.

This clears old DNS entries and resets the network stack. It's a brute-force fix, but it works when the first two don't. I've used this on Windows 10 version 22H2 and Windows 11 version 23H2 with good results.

Quick-Reference Summary Table

One last thing: if you're on a corporate network, talk to your IT team before disabling the proxy. They might have it set for a reason. But if you're at home or on a public network, these fixes should get your media playing again.