How to Fix: Windows can’t Communicate with The Device or Resource (Primary DNS Server)

When Windows can’t communicate with the Device or resource, it’s usually a sign of an issue with your hardware.

The problem could be as simple as a loose wire, but it is because of incompatible drivers and software versions in most cases.

This blog post will discuss how to troubleshoot and fix devices that refuse to communicate with Windows through various methods such as updating drivers and removing unnecessary programs from startup. 

What Causes of This Error? 

This error is typically caused by a corrupt file on your computer, but it also means that the Device cannot talk to the computer’s operating system.

The most common cause for this error is a virus infection, which prevents the device from working properly and may even be dangerous for you.

The easiest way to fix this problem is to reinstall your operating system.

You might also consider uninstalling all of your programs before trying again later on down the line.

Be sure not to delete any critical files when doing so! Let’s have a look at numerous other ways to fix this issue. 

How to Fix Windows can’t communicate with the device or resource?

Update Your Drivers

This is a common issue with Windows computers, usually caused by outdated drivers.

Drivers are the software that tells your hardware how to communicate with your operating system.

If you don’t update them regularly, they can become outdated and cause errors like this one.

You can update them through a manual update. Go to the network’s official website and search for drivers.

Make sure you’ve got the most up-to-date versions, then download and install them. 

You can even consider updating your driver from Windows itself or with a third-party app. 

 

 

Clear The DNS Cache

The next thing you should do is clear the DNS cache. To do this, open up Command Prompt by typing cmd in search.

Then type ipconfig /flushdns into the command prompt window and press Enter. After doing so, restart your computer and see if that fixed your problem! 

 

 

Reset Connection Settings

Try resetting your network settings by going into Settings > Network & Internet > Reset Connection Settings.

If this doesn’t work, restarting your device may also help resolve the issue.

Finally, if neither of those options works for you, we recommend contacting Microsoft Support directly for further assistance with this problem on Windows 10 devices. 

 

 

Change Adapter Settings

If you’re having trouble connecting a USB device, such as a printer, scanner, camera, or external hard drive to your computer and you see an error message that says, “Windows can’t communicate with the device or resource (Code 31),” try changing adapter settings.

This is often caused by incorrect power management settings on your computer. The steps below will show you how to change these settings in Windows 7 and 8.1. 

 

 

Edit The Hosts’ File

The error can also be caused by the host file. If your computer’s computer configuration is not correctly set up, it may not have access to all of the needed resources for running Windows.

 

Move to Public DNS

This is usually caused by your computer not accessing the correct DNS server. The DNS servers allow your computer to find and connect to websites on the internet.

If they’re having issues connecting, it’s likely because of this error message. Luckily there’s a simple fix for this problem!

You’ll need to change your network settings so that you’re using Google Public DNS instead of whatever DNS server your ISP has assigned you. To do this, follow the steps below!

 

 

Scan for Malware

If there is malware on your system, removing it will solve most communication errors with devices and resources.

Once the malware has been removed from your system, then try connecting again to see if that fixes things or not. 

Follow the Steps Below to Get Started!

 

Changing IPv4 and IPv6 Settings

Have a look at the steps to fix this issue by changing IPv4 and IPv6 settings. 

1. First, click the Start button in the bottom left corner of your screen. 
2. Then select Control Panel from the menu that pops up. 
3. Next, click Network and Internet > Network Connections > Local Area Connection (or Wireless Network Connection if you are using Wi-Fi).
4. Right-click on Local Area Connection or Wireless Network Connection and then select Properties from the menu that appears. 
5. Click Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4) or Internet Protocol Version 6 (TCP/IPv6) depending on which version is currently selected under “This connection uses” 
6. Select Use The Following IP Address if there is an address listed for both IPv4 and IPv6 or Use The Following DNS Server Addresses if there are addresses listed for just one of these protocols. 
7. Enter new values into these fields as follows: For IPv4 enter 192.168.1.[your router’s IP address] For example, my router’s IP address is 192.168 . 1 . 1 , so I would enter this value into my computer’s field instead of [enter your own router’s local IP here].
8. For IPv6 enter 2605 : 4700 : 2 :: 9a2e: bbff:[enter your router’s local IP here] and then click OK. 

Restarting The Modem and Router

Consider restarting both your modem and router by unplugging them from their power sources for 30 seconds before plugging them back in again.

Then try connecting to the internet again. If this doesn’t work, try resetting your network adapters.

The Bottom Line 

If you’re having trouble connecting a USB device, such as a printer, scanner, camera, or external hard drive to your computer and you see an error message that says “Windows can’t communicate with the device or resource,” try changing the ways discussed above.

This is often caused by incorrect power management settings on your computer. The steps above will show you how to change these settings in Windows 7 and 8.1.

For this solution to work properly, ensure that all other devices connected through USB are disconnected from the computer before proceeding with these steps.