Are There Issues with PlayStation Network, or Could the Problem Be on Your End?

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Sony’s PlayStation Network (PSN) isn’t a requirement for all of the games you may want to play, but it is necessary for some, especially if you plan to play online. Being unable to connect to PSN won’t always impact your gaming, but if and when it does it’s important to figure out whether the network itself is down or if your connection is to blame.

How to Tell if PSN Is Down for Everyone

Chances are if your PlayStation console is unable to connect to PSN for any reason, it will let you know. However, you may encounter other issues like being unable to log into the PlayStation Store, play online, or access your account management settings. The easiest ways to test PSN’s current status are below.

Instructions apply to PlayStation 4 and PS5 consoles.

1. Turn on your console and wait for the home screen to appear. If you see a “Sign in to PlayStation Network” message on PS4 or You’re offline” on PS5, you’re not connected.
2. Visit the official PSN Status webpage to see if there’s a known outage for the service—or for specific features. If you see all services are running there’s either no outage, or the issue is so recent it hasn’t updated on the side yet.
   
   PlayStation Network
3. You can also check the status on the console:
   • On PS4, openSettings and selectNetwork >View Status of PlayStation Network Services .
   • Or on PS5, openSettings and selectNetwork >Connection Status to see if you have a functioning internet connection and are logged into PSN. You can also selectView PlayStation Network Status to pull up the official status webpage on the PS5’s browser.
     
     Rob Rich / Lifewire
4. Check in with the PlayStation Subreddit to see if anyone else is currently reporting connection issues.
5. Take a look at other unofficial (but reputable) network status trackers such as Downdetector or Down for Everyone or Just Me .
   
   Downdetector
6. You can also perform a search for “psn down” (or something similar) on social media to see if anyone else is experiencing the same connection issues.

If you’re unable to find any indication that PSN is having problems—either via trusted sources or general discussion—then it’s more likely that something is wrong on your end.

What to Do When You Can’t Connect to PSN

So you’ve looked around, and nobody else seems to be experiencing PSN connection problems. In this case, whatever is keeping you from getting your PlayStation online has to do with your internet, specifically.

Here are a few more things you can do to troubleshoot the problem further:

1. Turn off your PlayStation console and turn it back on again, as sometimes a reboot is all you need to get reconnected.
2. If this is your first time going online with your PlayStation console, you’ll need to log into your PSN Account in order to connect. If you don’t have one, you’ll need to create a PSN Account instead.
3. One of the most common reasons you won’t be able to connect to PSN is a new system update that needs to be installed. The console will typically ask you about updating when you first start it up, but if not you can also update manually .
4. On PS4 or PS5 openSettings and selectNetwork to check your current connection status and settings. If any one of the items (internet connection, PSN login, etc) is off, that’s what you should address first.
5. If your PlayStation console is connected to a wireless router, make sure your router is on and that your internet connection isn’t down .
6. If you use a wired connection, check that the ethernet cable is still securely plugged into your console and router. If you have a spare cable, try switching to that one in case the current cord is the problem.
7. Check other devices that connect to the internet to see if they can get online. If they also can’t connect, the problem is most likely an outage for your internet service provider .

In the case of a full internet outage, there’s not much you can do to speed up recovery. Other than attempting to reach out to your provider to request help, your only real option is to wait for things that are outside of your control to be fixed.

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PSN Error Messages

You may also encounter an outage or lose connection with PSN while using your PlayStation. These are some of the PSN and internet-centric error codes to look out for:

• Error code WS-116331-5 or 116367-4 : Your PSN account may have been suspended, likely due to (or being reported for) violating Sony’s Terms of Service. If this happens you should receive an email from PlayStation Safety mentioning how long the suspension will last for.
• Error code NP-102946-2, 102944-0, 102945-1, CE-108889-4, or WS-116328-1 : You need to install the latest system version or update.
• Error code NW-31201-7, CE-33991-5, 108862-5, or 35287-5 : Your console can’t connect to the network or server. Either because PSN is down, the game’s servers are down, or something’s wrong with your internet connection.
• Error code CE-32894-6 : The PlayStation has lost connection to the network server, likely due to PSN or your internet provider’s severs being too busy. This is one you’ll probably need to wait out.
• Error code NW-31374-8 or NP-31952-0 : Your connection has timed out due to high traffic, connection instability, etc. If this happens you might just have to wait for traffic to slow down, but it could also be the result of your router’s firewall settings .
• Error code CE-35340-5 : The service you’re attempting to connect to might be undergoing maintenance. In which you’ll need to wait for the process to finish before you can connect again.
• Error code CE-34861-2 : Your PlayStation has encountered a network error, likely caused by a PSN outage.
• Error code CE-33945-4, WC-40383-8, or E-82000168 : The attempted connection has failed, which could be due to PSN being down. However, it’s also possible that your router might need an update .

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