Troubleshooting the “Your Connection Is Not Private” Error: A Tech Support Expert’s Dilemma

Hello everyone,

Today, I want to share a rather ironic situation I encountered while working as a tech support professional for nearly three years. I recently faced an issue that left me completely baffled. Every time I attempted to access a website using my ethernet connection, I was greeted with the ominous message:

**”Your connection is not private”

Attackers might be trying to steal your information from [URL] (for example, passwords, messages, or credit cards). Learn more

NET::ERR_CERT_COMMON_NAME_INVALID**

Despite my extensive experience in tech support, this problem had me stumped. Interestingly, I wasn’t experiencing the same issue when connected via Wi-Fi. It seemed to be isolated to my wired connection only.

In search of a solution, I methodically tried a wide range of troubleshooting steps, including:

• Adjusting the date and time settings
• Clearing browser cache and cookies, even trying Incognito mode
• Testing various web browsers
• Performing a Winsock reset and flushing the DNS
• Restarting my router and switching Ethernet ports (as I was the only device connected)
• Manually setting the IP and DNS configurations
• Checking for any proxy settings that might be interfering
• Clearing the SSL state in my browser
• Reinstalling my network drivers
• Experimenting with the Chrome shortcut by adding the “-ignore-certificate-errors” option
• Disabling my antivirus and Windows Defender completely

My setup consists of a direct Ethernet connection from my PC to the router, using the following specifications:

• Motherboard: Asus B450-F Gaming
• CPU: Ryzen 2700x
• Operating System: Windows 10 x64 (version 1809)
• GPU: Gigabyte RTX 2080

After exhausting all these options, I was in need of any insightful advice from the community.

Update: Solution Found!

Fortunately, I found the solution to this frustrating problem. The breakthrough came after I flashed my router with the latest firmware and restored it to factory settings. This resolved the connection issue, and I was able to navigate the web without further complications.

If you find yourself facing the same error, I hope my experience and the fix I discovered can help you get back online without the anxiety of privacy warnings. Thank you for reading, and I welcome any additional suggestions or experiences you might wish