Day One FixesSolvedFixUpdated · 18 replies on Steam
PowerWash Simulator 2: Connection Error Every Single Time (Fix)
Short answer
So one thing that's worked for my friend and I - They completed the level that we were on by themselves and went to a new job. Once they went to a new job and inv me, I was then able to join again.
How to fix it
Finish the current job and start a new one
- Have the host player complete the level they are on.
- After the job ends, let the host select a new job (any job will do).
- When the new job loads, the host should send you an invitation.
- Accept the invite and you should be able to join without the connection error.
Check Windows Firewall settings
- Make sure the game is allowed through the firewall.
- A quick way to do this is to run the game with administrator rights: right‑click the game’s shortcut or executable and choose Run as administrator.
- If the problem disappears, add an explicit firewall rule for the game (allow inbound and outbound traffic) so you don’t have to run it as admin each time.
Try “spam joining”
- If the above steps don’t work immediately, repeatedly attempt to join the host’s session.
- After a few attempts the connection may succeed and the error stops appearing.
If it still doesn’t work
- Verify both players are on the same network type (e.g., both on Wi‑Fi or both on Ethernet) and that no VPN or proxy is active.
- Test the connection on a different device (such as a Steam Deck) to see if the issue is specific to a Windows PC.
- Restart the game and Steam on both computers, then repeat the “finish job → new job → invite” sequence.
- Ensure your Windows firewall or any third‑party security software isn’t blocking the game’s ports; you may need to temporarily disable the software to confirm.
What players reported
Trying to put the game in multiplayer just for it to load that alone almost 1 min just to give connection error even tho no one did join so far
What players suggest
So one thing that's worked for my friend and I - They completed the level that we were on by themselves and went to a new job. Once they went to a new job and inv me, I was then able to join again. This connection issue started when I picked up a gnome.
So one thing that's worked for my friend and I - They completed the level that we were on by themselves and went to a new job. Once they went to a new job and inv me, I was then able to join again. This connection issue started when I picked up a gnome.
So a friend and I had this when we started playing this evening, and it appears to be a Windows Firewall issue. We could both connect to each other without issues on Steam Deck, but when one of us was on a Windows PC, the connection did not seem to work. The following methods may act as a work around, but it did take us a few attempts to get connected even then. - Run the game as an…
spam joining the game, seem to have worked, for the time being.
Did this work for you?
Source: original Steam Community discussion. Quotes are shortened; all credit goes to the posters. Tags: steam-deck, multiplayer