Kodi couldn’t connect to network server

Kodi is a software through which we can watch videos, play games, and listen to songs on any device like TV, Laptop, Phone, etc. It is the best entertainment platform for millions of users. However, it has been noticed by a lot of these users that when they are trying to access this service through the Kodi app on a Windows computer they get an error saying any of the following error messages.

Remote share
Couldn’t connect to network server.

Or

Unable to connect
Couldn’t retrieve directory information. This could be due to the network not being connected. Would you like to add it?

In this article, you will see what to do when Kodi cannot connect to a network server.

Fix Kodi couldn’t connect to network server

Kodi might not be able to connect to the network server due to all sorts of reasons, however, all of them are related to your network. One of the most common reasons is slow Internet speed, there are some users, who put a limit on the bandwidth due to which they don’t get enough Internet speed and the error messages in question occur.

If Kodi couldn’t connect to network server, you can use the following solutions to start troubleshooting.

1. Check Your Internet Connection
2. Check the URL
3. Disable Internet Connection bandwidth limitation
4. Enable Proxy Server Option
5. Update Kodi Add-Ons
6. Reinstall Kodi

Let’s try to resolve these issues by using the above methods.

Kodi Unable to connect, Couldn’t retrieve directory information

1] Check the Internet Connection

If you have a computer or any device and you are trying to connect to Kodi using WiFi or Ethernet and you encounter the said error, open a browser and check your Internet Speed. In case, the Internet is slow, restart your router and see if the issue is resolved. If the issue persists, contact your ISP and ask them to resolve the issue.

2] Check the URL

Despite the internet connection working fine users still encounter the said error. So, it is a good idea to check the URL. If you enter an incorrect URL, follow the below steps to check the URL and whether any alteration is required.

• On Kodi, go to Settings from the home screen.
• Click on File Manager, right-click on the Source and then select Edit Source.
• Check for the incorrect URL address and make changes if required.
• To save this information, click the OK button.

After using the above methods your error should be solved

3] Disable Internet Connection bandwidth limitation

If you can’t resolve your said error through the above methods, disabling the bandwidth limit is what you need. Your bandwidth decides the loading speed of your videos. So, you can put off the limitations for internet connection bandwidth from the system settings.

Use the prescribed steps to resolve this issue.

• On Kodi, go to Settings (cog button) and then click on System.
• Select Internet access from the left side
• Hit on the Internet Connection bandwidth limitation
• Select the Off option from the menu and Restart the Kodi.

In case, disabling the limit is to no avail, click on the Reset above settings to default in order to reset your network settings. Hopefully, after resetting Kodi Network Settings, your error will be resolved.

4] Enable Proxy Server Option

If the IP address is blocked in your case, Kodi won’t be able to connect to the network. So, to correct the issue, you should configure the Proxy Server on Kodi.

Use the following steps to resolve this issue.

• Open Kodi.
• Go to Settings > System.
• Select Internet access from the left side.
• Switch on the toggle of “Use proxy server” to turn it on.

You can configure the Proxy server from there using the available options. After enabling the proxy server in Kodi, the said error will be resolved

5] Update Kodi Add-Ons

It has been seen that this problem is created when Kodi Add-ons are outdated, due to incompatibility between the addon and the app itself. In order to get rid of this issue, you need to check for updates for all those add-ons and install the ones available.

• Visit the home page of Kodi.
• Click on the Add-ons and then click on My add-ons.
• Click on Options > Check for Updates, now Kodi will install the latest update automatically
• Restart Kodi to resolve this issue.

Finally, after getting new updates, Kodi will work properly.

5] Reinstall Kodi

If you have used all the above solutions but still the error is unsolved then your last option is to reinstall Kodi. you can uninstall Kodi to clear data, caches, and bugs from your computer. To do the same, first, uninstall Kodi from your computer, now,  go to the Kodi download page and choose your device. Then navigate to the Recommended tab and download the Installation package. Complete the Setup process and finally, your problem should be over.

Hopefully, your issue will be resolved.

Read: Kodi won’t install or open on PC.