Connectivity issue during the download of large files is a common issue for every user who tends to transfer files online. I bet at least once, in your lifetime, you have encountered this problem. Needless to say, I have faced the disconnection multiple times.
As a professional gamer, I am required to download large game files from various sources. If you don’t have the same vocation, you would not possibly imagine how many times I have faced the issue.
The best thing that happened to me from those hectic situations is I managed to learn how to deal with the problem.
Until now, you have probably faded up with the disconnecting issue and left the download manager with agony. But, those days are over now.
In this article, I am going to share the solutions you can apply when you encounter disconnection downloading large files. But first, you need to know the reasons behind the problem.
So, Why does your internet disconnect when downloading large files?
So, let’s start the solving procedure of large files downloading with faulty internet connection. Read the next passages attentively to get proper expertise.
Now that you have the proper idea for the reason being disconnected from the internet in times of downloading large files, it is time to troubleshoot in an ideal manner.
Before you implement any of the methods that I will be sharing, I suggest you restart your device. Plug out the router cable as well as the ethernet cable if you are using any. Wait for a few minutes and replug everything. See where that takes you.
If the issue still persists, try following the methods in an orderly manner. Start from the first and check every time after implementing a single solution. You never know which one is the culprit for your trouble.
Here are the solutions you should apply when your internet disconnects downloading large files:
Update Your Router’s Firmware
If your router’s firmware hasn’t been updated for a long time, then it might provide a signal less than usual, and because of the performance issue, your downloading might get interrupted. So, try to update the firmware from time to time if you don’t wanna face the disconnecting issue.
Here are the steps to update the firmware of any router:
- Connect the cables on both ends of your PC and router.
- Go to the manufacturer’s website and download the firmware update according to your router model.
- Go to your internet browser and surf the router’s IP address. Usually, it looks like 168.0.1 or something like this.
- Log in with valid information.
- Go to the Maintenance section from the left menu.
- Locate the Firmware Update menu and click on it.
- Upload the files that you downloaded earlier through the File: Choose file
- Click on the Upgrade button once the uploading is complete.
Restart your router after the upgrading is completed and check if that solves your download disturbance.
Resolve Outdated Drivers
Drivers are the bridge of controlling your system with the hardware. So, whenever you feel something isn’t right with your computer, most probably it has something to do with your drivers.
The best way to outplay this situation is, to check if there are any related outdated drivers and update them as soon as possible.
Here’s the process to resolve an outdated driver:
- Press the Windows + X button to launch the windows menu.
- Select Device Manager from the list.
- Expand the Network Adapter
- Right-click on the network connection system of your computer, which should be in the following list.
- Select Update Driver and then select search automatically for drivers.
Wait for a bit to complete the process and reboot your system. Your issue should be resolved by now.
Note: Follow this method if you have any other outdated device pending.
Also, check out our separate post on how to fix DISM error the source files could not be Found.
Adjust Adapter Settings
If your network adapter settings are configured incorrectly, chances are your internet connection will drop the speed you want while downloading big files.
Setting the adapter configuration correctly will help you oppose the connectivity problem.
Here are the steps to adjust adapter settings:
- Press the Windows + S button to open up the search box.
- Type in the Control panel and hit
- Select Network and Internet, and then select Network and sharing center from the following window.
- Select the option Change Adapter Settings from the left pane.
- Right-click on your network adapter and select Properties.
- Go to the Sharing tab and untick both of the options.
You are good to go. Reboot your computer and as always check if the issue resolves or not. If not, try the following methods.
Remove Third-Party Applications
It is true that third-party applications help us in many ways. But, as a matter of fact, sometimes they interfere with the system and various issues like sudden disconnectivity happen.
Applications like VPN, cleanup utilities, and even third-party antivirus programs can cause you trouble. Try removing them when you encounter a connectivity issue while downloading files.
Here’s how you can remove third-party applications:
- Press Windows + X button to open the windows menu.
- Select Control Panel from the list.
- Select Uninstall a program from the Program
- Right-click on the faulty application and select Uninstall.
- Follow on-screen instructions to complete the process.
Try uninstalling every third-party application that has the access to tweak your network settings in the given manner. After doing that, download the file you have been trying for weeks. You should not face any difficulties now.
Reset Network Settings
For the last resort, you can reset the network settings of your computer. But, before that, make sure you have backed up the network-related resources, including saved passwords.
After resetting the network, all of them will be deleted.
Here are the steps to reset your network settings:
- Search for settings in the windows search box.
- Select Network & Internet from the settings window.
- Click on the Status tab from the left pane.
- Scroll down and find the Network Reset
Click on that option and follow the on-screen instructions. Restart your computer after that and download the desired files without any more trouble.
Solve WiFi Keeps Disconnecting While Downloading Files
If you are using a laptop for daily internet or a wifi adapter on your desktop instead of ethernet, these simple methods will solve the frequent disconnecting issue while downloading a large file.
Here are the methods to solve wifi disconnecting while downloading:
Change Power Management Settings
Activated power management settings allow your laptop to distribute power where it’s necessary. Downloading large files need a longer time than usual.
For that, you leave your computer in an ideal state, and to save energy, your PC denies the existing processes including the download, hence the disconnection.
That’s why you need to change the power management settings.
Here are the steps to change power management settings:
- Press Windows + R to open the run command.
- Type msc to open device manager.
- Expand the Network adapter option and right-click on your network.
- Select Properties from the list and move to the power management
- Uncheck the option to allow the computer to turn off this device and select ok.
Restart your laptop and check if the issue still resists or not.
Follow our guide to fixing Discord not compressing any files.
Reset WiFi Auto Config Service
Resetting the auto-config service will help you to resolve the disconnecting issue.
Here’s the process to reset the service:
- Type in Services on your Windows search box and click on the result.
- Locate the WALN auto-config option and double-click on it.
- Click on the startup type menu and select automatically.
- Select Apply then Ok to save the changes.
Your job is done here. Restart the computer and see the changes for yourself.
These are the solutions you need to try whenever you fail to download large files because of a network disconnect. But these are more technical solutions.
You can try other things like improving your bandwidth speed from the isp, using torrent clients to download bigger files, downloading from a different server that has better response time, even in some cases changing your adapter would help you challenge this issue.
Conclusion
Throughout the article, I discussed the regular issue you avoid every day to save some time. However, you fail to download important files just because you don’t know how to overcome the situation.
But from now on, whenever you face a disconnection while downloading something, implement the above-mentioned methods and you won’t regret it. And, if you face any difficulties implementing them, I am just a few clicks away. Don’t hesitate to comment below.
I had this issue just come up for me, and when I performed the step to update my network drivers through Windows 11, it said it already had the latest drivers. It wasn’t until I went to the Network Adapter manufacturer’s site that I was able to compare my version with the most recent version they published (Intel). In my case, the driver version on my computer was very outdated than the one on the Intel site. I downloaded and reinstalled the drivers manually and that fixed my problem. So I guess I’m saying the “Update Driver” feature in device manager doesn’t seem to catch the problem. I hope this helps for anyone still experiencing this problem.