Shilpa, I agree with Roy that it could be a proxy issue. One of the possibilities if you are using Windows: A few years ago the update to R 4.2.1 introduced a little more security and many folks behind organization firewalls were blocked. This was noted in this bug report
https://bugs.r-project.org/show_bug.cgi?id=18379 and the solution was to add this new environment variable. You can add it live, in R, with: Sys.setenv("R_LIBCURL_SSL_REVOKE_BEST_EFFORT"=TRUE) # and check it with Sys.getenv("R_LIBCURL_SSL_REVOKE_BEST_EFFORT") # If it returns "TRUE", then you should be able to install packages. Other ways to set env vars are described here: https://cran.r-project.org/bin/windows/base/rw-FAQ.html#How-do-I-set-environment-variables_003f hope that helps. Tim > -----Original Message----- > From: R-help <[email protected]> On Behalf Of Roy Mendelssohn > - NOAA Federal via R-help > Sent: Wednesday, July 15, 2026 12:58 PM > To: Damodar, Shilpa (Postgraduate Student) <[email protected]> > Cc: r-help <[email protected]> > Subject: Re: [R] Error - "cannot connect to URL" > > Attention: This email came from an external source. Do not open attachments > or click on links from unknown senders or unexpected emails. > > Hi Shilpa: > > I think it would help if you can provide a little more information. First > would > be which OS and what version, the R version you have installed and the > RStudio version, which repo you have RStudio set to use and have you tried > setting to another one, and also have you tried to install packages outside > of > RStudio, to make certain it is not an RStudio problem. Also are you running > your personal laptop and the NHS laptop from the same place. > > If I had to guess I would guess you are seeing a proxying issue but there is > not > enough information to know for certain. > > HTH, > > -Roy > > > On Jul 15, 2026, at 6:22 AM, Damodar, Shilpa (Postgraduate Student) > <[email protected]> wrote: > > > > Hello, > > > > I am a student in the UK and use RStudio for my coursework and research > projects. I have been using RStudio on my personal laptop for over nine > months without any issues. > > Recently, I was provided with an NHS organisation laptop for my project, and > I installed RStudio on that device as well. However, I am now encountering a > problem where I am unable to install any packages. RStudio consistently > returns the error message: "cannot connect to URL." > > Both the IT team and I have been trying to identify and resolve the issue, > > but > we have not yet been able to determine the cause. > > I would greatly appreciate any guidance or assistance you can provide in > resolving this issue. Thank you for your time and support. > > Thanks and regards, > > Shilpa > > > > [[alternative HTML version deleted]] > > > > ______________________________________________ > > [email protected] mailing list -- To UNSUBSCRIBE and more, see > > > https://stat.e/ > thz.ch%2Fmailman%2Flistinfo%2Fr- > help&data=05%7C02%7Ctim.howard%40dec.ny.gov%7C6273c77f9ffa45934 > 4e208dee2924e97%7Cf46cb8ea79004d108ceb80e8c1c81ee7%7C0%7C0% > 7C639197315176106597%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hc > GkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIld > UIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=Qec0%2BBh9L1Cl3jdeuxrjbhfKD > EafihdBaU%2FmKmkRYEc%3D&reserved=0 > > PLEASE do read the posting guide > https://www/. > r-project.org%2Fposting- > guide.html&data=05%7C02%7Ctim.howard%40dec.ny.gov%7C6273c77f9ffa > 459344e208dee2924e97%7Cf46cb8ea79004d108ceb80e8c1c81ee7%7C0% > 7C0%7C639197315176139691%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0 > eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpb > CIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=RJWTRqzpwRZhwG5uh6vU > aUPggqkIS0xK%2BVteUYiFFa0%3D&reserved=0 > > and provide commented, minimal, self-contained, reproducible code. > > ______________________________________________ > [email protected] mailing list -- To UNSUBSCRIBE and more, see > https://stat.e/ > thz.ch%2Fmailman%2Flistinfo%2Fr- > help&data=05%7C02%7Ctim.howard%40dec.ny.gov%7C6273c77f9ffa45934 > 4e208dee2924e97%7Cf46cb8ea79004d108ceb80e8c1c81ee7%7C0%7C0% > 7C639197315176159815%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hc > GkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIld > UIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=mPzqJODoarCOMa17Qt%2BlwlA > dQtGzRDVeBZOnw42OLJc%3D&reserved=0 > PLEASE do read the posting guide > https://www/. > r-project.org%2Fposting- > guide.html&data=05%7C02%7Ctim.howard%40dec.ny.gov%7C6273c77f9ffa > 459344e208dee2924e97%7Cf46cb8ea79004d108ceb80e8c1c81ee7%7C0% > 7C0%7C639197315176177987%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0 > eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpb > CIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=7%2FyHfNZDZkcUujycTb3s > 8oIOmTecpDdK9iH%2BqGSqZAM%3D&reserved=0 > and provide commented, minimal, self-contained, reproducible code. ______________________________________________ [email protected] mailing list -- To UNSUBSCRIBE and more, see https://stat.ethz.ch/mailman/listinfo/r-help PLEASE do read the posting guide https://www.R-project.org/posting-guide.html and provide commented, minimal, self-contained, reproducible code.
