Fixing "Network Connectivity Error" in Ionic: Are You Offline?

Introduction

while creating a new Ionic project can be frustrating. This error usually indicates a problem with your internet connection or Ionic CLI's ability to fetch dependencies. In this blog post, we will cover possible causes and step-by-step solutions.

Terminal:

ionic start ionicPwa blank --type=angular --capacitor

Encountering the error message:

✔ Preparing directory ./ionicPwa in 463.46μs
⠙ Downloading and extracting blank starter [ERROR] Network connectivity error occurred, are you offline?
        
        If you are behind a firewall and need to configure proxy settings, see:
        https://ion.link/cli-proxy-docs
        
        AggregateError [ECONNREFUSED]:
        at internalConnectMultiple (node:net:1139:18) at afterConnectMultiple (node:net:1712:7)

🔍 Possible Causes

• Internet connectivity issues
• Firewall or proxy blocking connections
• Outdated Ionic CLI or NPM
• Corrupt NPM or Ionic cache
• Restricted corporate network

✅ Solutions to Fix the Error

1️⃣ Check Internet Connection

Ensure your internet connection is stable by running:

ping google.com

If the ping fails, restart your router or try a different network.

2️⃣ Disable or Configure Proxy

If you are behind a corporate proxy, configure NPM and Ionic properly:

• Check current proxy settings:

  npm config get proxy
  npm config get https-proxy
  

• Set proxy manually (if needed):

  npm config set proxy http://your-proxy:port
  npm config set https-proxy http://your-proxy:port
  

• Remove proxy settings (if not needed):

  npm config delete proxy
  npm config delete https-proxy
  

3️⃣ Run Ionic with --no-interactive

Try bypassing network verification with:

ionic start myApp blank --no-interactive

4️⃣ Update Ionic CLI & NPM

Outdated versions may cause connectivity problems. Update them using:

npm install -g @ionic/cli
npm install -g npm

5️⃣ Clear NPM & Ionic Cache

Corrupted cache files might be the issue. Clear them with:

npm cache clean --force
rm -rf ~/.ionic

6️⃣ Try a Different Network

If you're using a VPN, firewall, or corporate Wi-Fi, switch to a mobile hotspot or another network.

🚀 Conclusion

If you’re facing the "Network connectivity error," don’t panic! Follow these steps:

1. Check your internet connection.
2. Configure or disable proxy settings.
3. Use --no-interactive mode.
4. Update Ionic CLI & NPM.
5. Clear cache.
6. Try a different network.

With these fixes, your Ionic project should be up and running in no time! Happy coding! 🚀