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Sometimes, when working on your PC, you may have trouble reaching other computers in your Local Area Network. When this happens, you will often see the 0x800704cf error (also known as the Windows Network Error) show up on your computer. The error message will typically say, “Error code: 0x800704cf. The network location cannot be reached.”

However, while the error message does mention the nature of the problem, it provides no explanation on how to go about fixing it. So, what does the Network Error 0x800704cf mean in Windows? How do you fix the Error Code 0x800704cf on Windows 10? This is what we will look into in this article — so, you’ve come to the right place.

What Is the Error Code 0x800704cf?

This error means that your computer is completely isolated from the outside world. It cannot communicate with other computers in your local network or be connected to the Internet. As you can probably see, this is a big problem that can prevent you from doing a lot of things on your PC. So, why does the Error 0x800704cf happen? The main causes of the error generally are:

  • Wrong settings of TCP/IP protocol
  • Network devices failure
  • And logging in using a local account

How to Fix the Error Code 0x800704cf on Networking?

It can be very irritating when you urgently need to have access to other computers in the local network and you run into a problem. You want to get some information or share files with your colleagues, but instead, you see the 0x800704cf error message on your computer screen. Don’t worry because the issue can be easily fixed. However, you might need to try out a few solutions before you get to the one that works in your situation. Here are the fixes to try:

  • Changing the Network Adapter Settings
  • Resetting the TCP/IP Stack
  • Updating Your Network Adapter Driver
  • Re-installing the Network Adapter

Let’s go over each of these one by one.

Option One: Change the Network Adapter Settings

A network adapter is basically a device that connects your computer to other computers and devices in the local area network — and to the web. It has been designed to both transmit and receive data. So, if you are running into the 0x800704cf error on your PC, making a few changes to the network adapter settings might help fix the issue. Here’s how to proceed:

  • On your keyboard, press the Win key.
  • Go to Settings.
  • Under Windows Settings, click the Network & Internet option.
  • In the left pane of the Settings window, click Status.
  • On the right side of the window, go to Change adapter.
  • In the new window, right-click the Wi-Fi or the Ethernet network that you are currently using.
  • Go to Properties.
  • In the new window, uncheck the Client for Microsoft Networks option
  • Press the OK button.
  • Restart your PC and check if you are no longer getting the 0x800704cf error message. If it’s still there, try the other solutions below.

Option Two: Reset the TCP/IP Stack

The TCP/IP protocol is a set of rules by which your computer communicates with other computers and devices in a network. If TCP/IP settings are wrong, the 0x800704cf error message will appear on the screen of your computer. To eliminate this problem, you can simply reset the TCP/IP stack. Here’s how to do it:

  • On your keyboard, press the Win key.
  • Type “cmd” (no quotes).
  • Right click Command Prompt.
  • Select the Run as Administrator option.
  • Press the Yes button to allow this application to make changes to your device.
  • In Command Prompt, type “ipconfig /flushdns” (no quotes).
  • Press the Enter key.
  • Wait until the DNS cache will be successfully cleared.
  • Type in “nbtstat -RR” (no quotes).
  • Press the Enter key.
  • Wait until the NetBIOS entries are successfully refreshed.
  • Type in “netsh winsock reset” (no quotes).
  • Press the Enter key.
  • Wait until the Winsock catalog is successfully reset.
  • Type in “netsh int ip reset” (no quotes).
  • Press the Enter key.
  • Wait until the IP settings are successfully reset.

Restart your computer and check to see if the 0x800704cf error message disappears. If it hasn’t, move on to the next solution below.

Option Three: Reinstall the Network Adapter

If the two methods above have not been effective in getting rid of the error, the next thing to try would be reinstalling the network adapter. Here’s how you can do it:

  • On your keyboard, press the Win key.
  • Type “device manager” and press Enter.
  • On the menu bar of the Device Manager window, click the View tab.
  • Select Show hidden devices.
  • In the device list, find the Network adapters option and double click it.
  • In the drop-down Network adapters list, right click the first item and select the Uninstall device option.
  • In the pop-up window, press the Uninstall button.
  • Uninstall all adapters in the Network adapters list one by one.
  • After all the adapters are delighted, restart your computer.

During the rebooting process, the Windows operating system will automatically reinstall all the network adapter drivers. After this, the 0x800704cf error message should disappear and you should be able to go back to sharing files with other computers on the network and surfing the Internet.

Option Four: Update Your Network Adapter Driver

An outdated driver can be a source of a whole range of issues on your PC. If you are running into problems with your network adapter, the issue may be caused by an outdated or corrupt driver. So, how do you update your drivers?

There are two ways in which you can go about it: you can update your drivers manually or do it automatically. Updating your drivers manually is typically recommended for more experienced PC users as it is not a particularly easy process. If you want to update your network drivers manually, you will need to first check whether the driver in question is outdated or corrupt. If so, you will need to go on to uninstall it, download the new driver for your OS version from the driver manufacturer’s website and install it on your computer. The problem is, if you make a mistake during the process, there is a chance that you might actually make things worse and cause even more trouble for your system.

So, if you’ve never updated your drivers before and want to stay on the safe side, you may want to use a specialized program like Auslogics Driver Updater. The software will first automatically outdated and corrupt drivers on your PC and then update them to the latest official versions in just one click.

How to Fix Error Code 0x800704cf on Networking When Accessing the Microsoft Store?

In some cases, you may run into the 0x800704cf error code when trying to access the Microsoft Store. If this is the case, here’s what you can do to fix the problem:

  • Use a Microsoft Account to Log in
  • Launch the Windows 10 Troubleshooter
  • Or Reset Your Microsoft Store

Option One: Use a Microsoft Account to Log in

The 0x800704cf error can come up when you’re logged in using a local account. Try signing in to your Microsoft account and see if the issue gets resolved. Here’s how:

  • Press the Win Key on your keyboard.
  • In the search box, type “settings” and hit Enter.
  • In Settings, select the Accounts option.
  • On the left pane of the Settings window, click the Your info option.
  • On the right pane, select the Sign in with a Microsoft account instead feature.
  • Type your account and password to log in.
  • Return to the Your info option and select the Verify feature.
  • Go ahead with the on-line prompts to verify your identification.
  • Log in to your Microsoft Store account and check to see if the 0x800704cf error message disappears. If the 0x800704cf error message is still present, try the next solution down below.

Option Two: Launch the Windows 10 Troubleshooter

If signing in with your Microsoft account didn’t help, try using the Windows 10 Troubleshooter, which can be an effective tool in helping identify and resolve system issues. Here’s what to do:

  • Press the Windows key.
  • Type “troubleshoot settings” (no quotes).
  • Press the Enter key.
  • In the Troubleshoot window, scroll down and select the Network Adapter option.
  • Click the Run the Troubleshooter button.
  • In the pop-up Network Adapter window, select the All network adapters option.
  • Press the Next button.
  • When the troubleshooting process completes press the Close the Troubleshooter option.
  • Press the Windows key again.
  • Type “troubleshoot settings” (no quotes).
  • Press the Enter key.
  • In the Troubleshoot window, scroll down and select the Windows Store Apps option.
  • Press the Run the Troubleshooter button.
  • Go ahead with the online prompts to repair all the detected problems.

Now, launch your Microsoft Store and check if the 0x800704cf error message is still showing up on your computer. If it is, move on to the next option.

Option Three: Reset Your Microsoft Store

If all above methods failed in helping you eliminate the 0x800704cf error, you can clear all your Microsoft Store data and return it back to the default state. Here’s how:

  • On your keyboard, press the Win key.
  • Type “settings” (no quotes) and press Enter.
  • In the Settings window, click Apps.
  • On the left pane, choose the Apps & features option.
  • Scroll down along the Apps & feature list and click the Microsoft Store application.
  • Click the Advanced options feature.
  • Scroll down and press the Reset button.
  • In the new window, press the Reset button

Launch your Microsoft Store and, hopefully, you should be able to use it normally without running into the 0x800704cf error message.