Tech Question - Localhost refused to connect in Chrome when trying to debug JavaScript in console

I’ve just started a JavaScript video course (“beginner to expert”) and got off to a good start with scripts initially running fine on localhost port 8080 as per JSON launch script provided by course, via VSCode. Not using a proxy.

I know a little of JavaScript, but want to be able to create good functional projects, and the course incorporates launching several such projects. I’m also going through an ethical hacking video course using written Python scripts, done on a Kali VM, so I know something of network architecture & processes. 

I’m doing the JavaScript course through native Windows 10 (with the VM powered off, host app closed). I see on StackOverflow the course content creator has been stumped by this issue himself before. 

In an effort to troubleshoot I’ve tried out the following:-

1. Deleted localhost domain security on Chrome
2. Turned off Windows Defender firewall, and access to all networks on firewall
3. Checked:> netstat -ano | “:8080” & determined port is not otherwise active. Looked at Netstat via XAMPP app to
4. Flushed DNS:> ipconfig/flushdns 
5. Tried another available port or two by changing the JSON launch script. 

Before going to find further potential solutions myself, is there anything else that comes to mind which I am missing here. I’m a relative newbie and would appreciate any inputs.

Thanks! 🙂

Ps I should have phrased above “allowed access to all networks”, looks like I meant I was denying it.

Tried various things I looked up online, but got down to a more basic, simple solution. I have two drives, one Windows 10, where I’d started the course, and another Windows 11, so decided to re-set it up on the that as well as setting default browser from Edge to Chrome html. No more localhost error msg again. Fingers crossed as initially it had worked on the other drive but then maybe default Edge got edgy, so to speak and put a spanner in the works 😁

Error recurred despite suggestions I got, eventually saw a suggestion on the course Q&A to simply copy path from index.HTML straight into browser. Working