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How to fix a "dns server is not responding" error on windows.

Get around your PC's DNS problems with these methods.

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Why do you get a "dns server not responding" error, fixes for a dns server not responding error on windows, key takeaways.

To resolve DNS issues on Windows, try opening your site in a different web browser, restarting your router, disabling your VPN, or running the "Internet Connections" troubleshooter. Other options include deleting your DNS cache, trying another device on the same network or another DNS server, updating your network adapter drivers, turning off your antivirus or IPv6, deactivating other network adapters, and booting your PC in safe mode.

DNS servers' unavailability causes your Windows PC to display a "DNS Server Is Not Responding" error. Various items can cause your DNS servers not to work. Luckily, it's easy to fix many of those items and resolve your problem. Here's how to do just that.

A "DNS server not responding" error appears when the server your device uses to resolve domain names is down or otherwise can't be reached. If that's confusing, let's review the function of a DNS server.

When you type in a domain name in your PC's web browser, your web browser asks your DNS server to translate your domain name to an IP address . Your browser then uses this IP address to locate your site on the internet and let you access its contents.

Related: What Is DNS, and Should I Use Another DNS Server?

When your DNS server is down or is experiencing an issue, your web browser can't retrieve your site's IP address , resulting in an error message. Many problems can cause your DNS servers to go down, and other issues could simply prevent your PC from connecting to your specific DNS servers.

Some of those potential problems are a malfunctioning router, a faulty web browser, an incompatible VPN app, a corrupt DNS cache, and more.

Related: How Do IP Addresses Work?

To resolve your Windows DNS error and access your sites, use the methods below that fix the underlying items causing the problem. Once you've resolved the issues, your DNS error will be gone, and the sites you're trying to reach will open just as they should.

Use a Different Web Browser

When you encounter a DNS issue in a web browser, the first thing to do is try accessing your site in another web browser . This helps you find out if your issue is device-specific or browser-specific.

To do that, launch a different web browser on your PC and try to access your site. If your site loads in this browser, your previous browser likely had issues. In this case, apply some fixes like clearing your previous browser's cache ( Chrome , Firefox , Edge ), turning off your browser's extensions ( Chrome , Firefox , Edge ), and resetting your web browser ( Chrome , Firefox , Edge ).

If you get the same error in your other browser, read on to discover more fixes.

Related: Why You Should Use Multiple Web Browsers

Reboot Your Router

Your router may be acting up, causing your PC not to reach your DNS servers. In this case, give your router a reboot to possibly fix your issue .

You can restart most routers by pressing the Power button on them. If yours hasn't got a Power button, unplug it from the power socket to turn the router off and (after at least 10 seconds) back on. Then, launch your web browser and try to access your site.

Related: Why Rebooting Your Router Fixes So Many Problems (and Why You Have to Wait 10 Seconds)

Turn Off Your VPN

Your VPN app transmits your data via a third-party server, letting you bypass your ISP's restrictions. Sometimes, this mechanism causes issues with your DNS servers, leading to errors like the one you're experiencing.

To verify that, turn off your VPN service and see if your site loads. If it does, reach out to your VPN provider to seek a permanent solution.

Use the Internet Connections Troubleshooter

Windows has many troubleshooters to help you fix issues with your PC's various components. When you have trouble connecting to the internet , use your PC's Internet Connections troubleshooter to find and fix all the faults with your connection.

To run the troubleshooter on Windows 11, navigate to Settings > System > Troubleshoot > Other Troubleshooters. On the open page, next to "Internet Connections," click "Run."

Select

If you're on Windows 10, head into Settings > Update & Security > Troubleshoot > Additional Troubleshooters. Click "Internet Connections" and choose "Run the Troubleshooter."

Click

Follow the troubleshooter's instructions to detect and resolve your DNS issues.

Related: Internet Connection Not Working? 10 Troubleshooting Tips

Flush Your DNS Cache

Windows caches your DNS queries to help you quickly translate domain names to IP addresses. It's possible this cache has become corrupted, causing issues with your web browsers.

In this case, clear your bad DNS cache , and your issue will be resolved. Note that you don't lose any personal data when you do this.

To start, open the "Start" menu, find "Command Prompt", and launch the utility. In the Command Prompt window, type the following command and press Enter:

ipconfig /flushdns

Clear Windows' DNS cache.

Windows will clear your current DNS cache, and you're all set.

Use Another Device on the Same Network

To ensure your router configuration isn't the cause of the issue, use another device on your network and see if you can access your site on it. You can use any of your devices to do this, including iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac, Linux, Chromebook, or any other machines.

Related: How to See Your Wi-Fi Password on Windows 11

If your site fails to load on your other device and you get the same DNS error, your router likely has an issue. In this case, speak to your internet service provider (ISP) for help. Another thing you can do is  reset your router to the default settings , but you'll need your ISP's configuration to re-configure your router and make it work with your current internet company.

In case your site opens just fine on your other device, your Windows PC has a problem. In this case, read on to learn more fixes.

Change Your PC's DNS Servers

If your DNS servers are down or are experiencing technical glitches, that may be why you can't access sites on your PC. In this case, change the current DNS servers on your PC to fix your issue.

We've already written guides on how to change your DNS servers on Windows 11 and Windows 10 , so check them out to learn how to perform the procedure.

Update Your Network Adapter Drivers

Your network adapter drivers tell your physical adapter how to communicate with your PC. If these drivers are outdated or corrupted, that may be why Windows displays a DNS error message.

In this case, resolve your issue by updating your drivers . Do this by first right-clicking the "Start" menu and choosing "Device Manager."

Then, expand "Network Adapters," right-click your adapter, and choose "Update Driver."

Select

Select "Search Automatically for Drivers" and download and install the available drivers.

Choose

Restart your PC, and try to access your site.

Related: How to Update Drivers on Windows 11

Temporarily Disable Your Antivirus

Your PC's antivirus program may be interfering with your browsing sessions, causing your browsers to display a DNS error message. Usually, this happens when your antivirus detects a potential threat in your browsers.

If you trust your site and your DNS servers, temporarily turn off your antivirus protection to see if you can then load your site. Check out our guide on how to turn off Microsoft Defender Antivirus to learn how to do that.

Make sure to turn real-time protection back on when you've checked your site.

Turn Off IPv6 on Your PC

IPv6 is the latest Internet Protocol version, which aims to fix many IP-related issues on your devices. Sometimes, when this protocol version is enabled, you can get errors like a DNS server not responding.

To fix that, disable IPv6 on your PC, and your issue will be resolved.

To turn off IPv6, head into Control Panel > Network and Internet > Network and Sharing Center > Change Adapter Settings. Right-click your adapter and choose "Properties." Disable "Internet Protocol Version 6 (TCP/IPv6)" and click "OK."

Turn off IPv6 on Windows.

And that's it.

Related: Are You Using IPv6 Yet? Should You Even Care?

Disable Other Network Connections

Your computer might have other network connections, causing an issue with your DNS queries. If you don't use those other adapters, it's a good idea to turn them off to potentially resolve your problem.

To do that, navigate to Control Panel > Network and Internet > Network and Sharing Center. Find an unused adapter, right-click it, and choose "Disable."

Select

Repeat the above step for each unused adapter to disable it on your PC.

Reboot Your PC in Safe Mode

With Windows' safe mode, you can turn on your computer by only loading the essential files. This helps you find out if a third-party app installed on your PC is causing the problem. And if that's the case, you can remove that app from your PC.

Check out our guide on how to use Windows' safe mode . When in safe mode, if your web browser can open your site without the DNS error message, your third-party apps are likely the culprit.

You can start fixing the issue by removing your recently installed apps . Feel free to uninstall any app that you think might be the cause of the issue.

And that's how you resolve a "DNS Server Is Not Responding" error on a Windows 11 or Windows 10 PC. Enjoy browsing your favorite sites!

Related: How to Fix "This Site Can't Be Reached" ERR_ADDRESS_UNREACHABLE in Chrome

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How to Fix DNS Server Not Responding Errors

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In This Article

Jump to a Section

  • Why You Can't Connect to a DNS Server
  • Step-by-Step: Run Network Troubleshooter in Windows 10
  • Step-by-Step: Run Network Troubleshooter in Windows 7 or 8
  • Fix DNS Server Not Responding Problems
  • Resolve TCP/IP and DHCP Failures
  • Handle DNS Provider Problems
  • Avoid Internet Blockages From Antivirus Programs

Recover or Replace a Malfunctioning Router or Modem

When you connect a device to your home network or a Wi-Fi hotspot with internet access, the internet connection may fail to work for a variety of reasons.

Instructions in this article apply to Windows 10, Windows 8, and Windows 7.

Reasons Why You Cannot Connect to a DNS Server

One class of failures are related to Domain Name System — the distributed name resolution service used by internet providers around the world. Windows 7, Windows 8.1 and Windows 10 computers may report the following error messages in the Troubleshooting Problems found window:​

The device will not be able to reach the internet when these failure conditions occur. These DNS server errors may appear for any of several different reasons. Step-by-step network troubleshooting steps can be used to diagnose and repair the problem as described below.

How to Run Windows Network Troubleshooter in Windows 10

On Microsoft Windows PCs, Windows Network Diagnostics can be run to help diagnose internet connection problems. If you're not sure whether or not your computer is reporting DNS Server Not Responding errors, follow these steps:

Select Start and then choose Settings .

Select Network & Internet . The Network Status window will open.

Select Network Troubleshooter under Change Your Network Settings. Windows Network Diagnostics will open.

Follow the steps to begin and wait for the troubleshooting tests to complete. The wizard will offer customized diagnostic assessments based on the errors it thinks it finds, so each pass-through will differ for different people. Look in the Problems found section of the window for the error message to better identify potential root causes.

How to Run Windows Network Troubleshooter in Windows 7 or 8

Open the  Control Panel.

Open the Network and Sharing Center .

Click the Troubleshoot problems under Change your Networking Settings.

Click ​Internet Connections . A new Internet Connections window appears.

Click Next .

Click Run the Troubleshooter.

Click Troubleshoot my connection to the Internet .

Wait for the troubleshooting tests to complete and look in the Problems found section of the window for the error message.

You should be done!

How to Fix DNS Server Not Responding Problems

To properly fix these internet connection failures requires first isolating the problem down to its root cause. The sections below each cover common causes of these failures:

Misbehaving internet provider

Malfunctioning TCP/IP or DHCP services

Overly aggressive antivirus software

Malfunctioning router or modem

If not confident that your internet connection issues are truly related to DNS, try general connection troubleshooting techniques first .

Resolving TCP/IP and DHCP Failures

It’s possible for the TCP/IP software inside a client device’s operating system to malfunction and set its DNS server addresses incorrectly. Rebooting a Windows computer often clears these temporary glitches. A more elegant solution involves running TCP/IP utility programs that perform the standard procedure to release and renew the Windows IP address settings .

Similarly, most TCP/IP networks use the Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol service to assign IP addresses to clients. DHCP assigns not only the device's private IP address but also primary and secondary DNS server addresses. If DHCP is malfunctioning, a PC reboot is likely required to recover it.

Check to ensure both your device and the network router both have DHCP enabled. If either end of the connection is not using DHCP, internet connection errors normally result. 

Handling DNS Provider Problems

Many people configure their home networks to automatically obtain DNS server addresses from their internet provider. When the provider's servers or network suffer an outage or are heavily loaded with traffic, their DNS services can suddenly stop working. Customers must wait until the provider fixes those problems before they can use the provider's DNS.

As an alternative to the private DNS servers supported by each provider, several providers, most notably Google and OpenDNS, offer free public DNS servers . A router administrator can switch their network's DNS setup over from a private to a public DNS configuration by manually entering the public DNS IP addresses into the router configuration settings.

DNS settings can also be applied on the Windows device itself through the Network and Sharing Center. However, this approach usually will not work as a permanent solution because devices normally obtain and override their local settings with those from the router through DHCP.

Avoiding Internet Blockages from Antivirus Programs

Antivirus programs that people install on their Windows PCs are designed to keep intruders out, but they also block internet access if they detect a misbehaving device. 

Most antivirus programs work using special database files that the software vendors automatically update on a regular basis. PC users often don't realize when these install updates happen as they are triggered in the background and designed to not interrupt normal work.

Unfortunately, sometimes mistakes are made with these data updates that cause the antivirus program to believe a computer is infected when really it is a false alarm ( false positive test). These false positives can trigger Windows to suddenly start reporting DNS Server Not Responding errors.

To verify whether this is the cause for your device, temporarily disable the antivirus program and re-run the Windows Network Diagnostics. Then consult the antivirus vendor for either a new update or technical support. Although disabling antivirus does not work as a permanent solution, doing so to temporarily to troubleshoot the problem is normally (not always) safe.

A misbehaving broadband router or broadband modem can trigger these DNS error messages on home network devices. Restarting the router and modem will resolve intermittent router glitches, at least temporarily. 

Routers and modems must eventually be replaced if they continue to exhibit failures. However, it is unlikely for either to fail in such a way that would cause DNS errors to be regularly generated. Failed routers and modems normally cannot power on at all or else generate errors related to the underlying network connection itself. If you connect to the router using a wired Ethernet port , try moving the Ethernet cable to use a different port instead.

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How to Fix DNS Server Not Responding Problem

Last Updated: June 6, 2022 Tested

This article was co-authored by Luigi Oppido and by wikiHow staff writer, Jack Lloyd . Luigi Oppido is the Owner and Operator of Pleasure Point Computers in Santa Cruz, California. Luigi has over 25 years of experience in general computer repair, data recovery, virus removal, and upgrades. He is also the host of the Computer Man Show! broadcasted on KSQD covering central California for over two years. The wikiHow Tech Team also followed the article's instructions and verified that they work. This article has been viewed 5,586,780 times.

Are you getting DNS errors when you try to browse the web? If your web browser can't translate hostnames into IP addresses , you'll encounter a DNS error and won't be able to connect to websites—frustrating, right? But we're here to help! This wikiHow article will help you troubleshoot your connection, flush the DNS cache, reset your router, and perform other tasks that will help you get back to web browsing in no time.

Troubleshooting

Step 1 Try connecting with a different device.

  • Not being able to connect with the second device doesn't necessarily mean that the router is the problem.

Tip: If you're having trouble with a specific website, try accessing it using mobile data. If you still can't access the site, the issue is on the site's end.

Step 2 Try a different browser.

  • If the issues are resolved, uninstalling and then reinstalling your old browser will likely fix the problem.

Step 3 Power cycle your modem and router.

  • Unplug your modem's power cable as well as your router's power cable.
  • Allow both your modem and your router to sit for at least 30 seconds.
  • Reconnect your modem and wait for it to come back online.
  • Reconnect your router to your modem and wait for it to come back online.

Step 4 Connect your computer...

  • If you can connect to a web page while using Ethernet, the problem may stem from your router. You'll most likely need to reset it .
  • If you can't connect to a web page while connected via Ethernet, your DNS settings may be the problem.

Flushing the DNS Cache

Step 1 Open Start icon....

  • If you're still experiencing connection issues, proceed to the next method.

Step 1 Open Spotlight icon....

  • You can also press ⌘ Command + Space to open Spotlight.

Step 2 Type terminal into Spotlight.

sudo killall -HUP mDNSResponder

  • You may have to enter your administrator password first.

Step 5 Restart your web browser.

Disabling Extra Connections

Step 1 Open your computer's...

  • The most common cause for DNS issues is the existence of "Microsoft Virtual WiFi Miniport Adapter". [1] X Research source

Step 3 Select an extra connection.

  • On Windows, each icon on the page represents a connection.
  • On Mac, the connections are on the left side of the window.

Step 4 Remove the connection.

  • Windows - Click Disable this network device at the top of the window.
  • Mac - Click the minus sign ( - ) at the bottom of the network window.

Step 5 Try visiting a webpage.

Editing the DNS Server

Step 1 Click your current connection's name.

  • If you don't see this window, click the Networking tab at the top of Wi-Fi Properties.

Luigi Oppido

Luigi Oppido

Our Expert Agrees: If you restart your router and modem and you still don't have internet, go into the adapter settings for your device in your Control Panel or System Preferences, and double-click on your IPV4 settings. In that window, double-click on the TCP-IP settings and make sure everything is set to automatic. If it is and you're still not online, contact your ISP.

Step 4 Click Properties.

  • OpenDNS - Enter 208.67.222.222 .
  • Google - Enter 8.8.8.8 .

Step 7 Enter an alternate DNS address.

  • OpenDNS - Enter 208.67.220.220 .
  • Google - Enter 8.8.4.4 .

Step 8 Click OK.

  • If your computer can connect, consider calling your Internet Service Provider to notify them about the DNS issues.
  • If you still can't connect, proceed to the next method.

Step 1 Open the Apple menu icon.

  • Google - 8.8.8.8 or 8.8.4.4 .
  • OpenDNS - 208.67.222.222 or 208.67.220.220

Step 9 Click the Hardware tab.

Resetting the Router

Step 1 Find your router's "Reset" button.

  • You'll usually need a needle, a paperclip, or a similarly thin item to press the "Reset" button.
  • Resetting your router will also disconnect every device you have connected to the router.

Step 2 Press and hold the

  • If resetting the router does indeed resolve the DNS issues, consider picking up a newer router if yours is more than a couple of years old.

Community Q&A

Community Answer

  • Resetting your router periodically is a good way to prevent DNS issues from happening. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0

how to solve problem dns server isn't responding

  • After resetting your DNS cache, your computer will load websites a little bit slower the first time you visit them. This is because your computer is establishing and verifying a new DNS address for the site. Thanks Helpful 7 Not Helpful 6

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  • ↑ http://www.sevenforums.com/network-sharing/245874-dns-server-not-responding.html

About This Article

Luigi Oppido

To fix a DNS server not responding problem, try reaching the site with another device like a phone, since if this works you’ll know that the issue is with your other device. Alternatively, try to visit the site using a different web browser, such as Firefox or Chrome. If this works, try uninstalling and reinstalling your original browser to solve the problem. You could also try power cycling your modem and router by disconnecting them and letting them sit for at least 30 seconds. Then, reconnect them to the power supply, wait for them to reload, and try the website again. As another option, try connecting your device to the router with an Ethernet cable, since if you can access the site via the Ethernet it shows you have a problem with your wireless router. If this is the case, reset your router to resolve the issue. For tips on how to flush the DNS cache, read on! Did this summary help you? Yes No

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DNS Server Not Responding – How to Fix the Error in Windows 10

I think it's safe to say that the vast majority of professionals depend on the internet these days.

So being denied access to the internet when you are trying to mine nuggets of valuable information from your go-to web sites can be quite an ordeal. Especially when you are under pressure to complete a piece of urgently required work.

One particularly unwelcome cause of being denied access to the internet is the “DNS Server Not Responding” error. It’s like that old fable where a troll sits under a bridge and says “You shall not pass!”, or something about gobbling up those that wish to cross the bridge.

I’m happy to tell you that you should be able to defeat the troll and cross the bridge to internet access joy by following the simple trouble shooting steps discussed in this article.

What is the "DNS Server Not Responding" Error?

The “DNS Server Not Responding” error is a fairly common issue and is generally easy to fix. There are many reasons why this issue may occur. But fundamentally it is caused because the DNS server that is contacted during the processes of loading a web page is unable to find the site that contains the web page that you have requested.

This article explores what may have triggered this issue to occur and how you may go about fixing the issue.

Firstly, I think it is a good idea to gain at least a basic understanding of the “DNS Server Not Responding” error. To do this, let’s first understand DNS.

DNS stands for Domain Name System. A simple explanation of DNS is that it is a decentralised storage of human readable internet addresses, like the ones with which you will almost certainly be familiar (for example www.amazon.com or www.netlix.com).

The DNS maps these human readable URLs to their appropriate IP (Internet Protocol) addresses.

IP addresses are much less human readable, but are essential for the inner workings of the internet. IP addresses uniquely identify computers on the internet. The IP address associated with the URL, www.netflix.com, might for example, look like this, 69.53.224.255.

It is clearly easier for you to remember “ www.netflix.com ", rather than a string of numbers delimited by full stops, when you wish to access your favourite content on Netflix. So the DNS facilitates this for you, so that you don’t have to remember or manually lookup unfriendly strings of numeric data every time you wish to access a web site.

The common analogy to explain DSN is a telephone directory. Basically, as you would look up a telephone number using the name of the person you wish to call in a telephone directory, a similar look up is performed when you type in the URL (like www.amazon.com) of the web site you wish to view within your browser.

Thankfully you don’t have to manually look up the corresponding IP address for www.amazon.com, as this is performed behind the scenes for you automatically.

So the appropriate IP address is retrieved automatically every time you type in a URL into your browser. This IP address is then used to contact the appropriate server that hosts the relevant web site associated with the URL you have entered into your browser.

When the “DNS Server Not Responding” error occurs, this means that the decentralised naming systems responsible for automatically looking up the appropriate IP address based on the relevant hostname that you entered into you browser fails to respond.

There are many reasons why this error occurs, but fortunately there are also many solutions available to you to fix the issue.

An easy solution may be to simply change the web browser you are using or even simpler still, simply restart your computer. Yup, simply turning it off and then turning it on again could fix the issue.

However, if you are not so lucky and the problem still persists, don’t despair – there are many steps that you can take to find out the cause of the issue and subsequently fix it.

In this article you will learn a number of possible solutions to the “DNS Server Not Responding” error.

How to Fix "DNS Serger Not Responding"

Below, I've listed out the ways that you can try using to fix the “DNS Server Not Responding” error. The subsequent sections of this article provide details on each of these methods:

Use a Different Web Browser

  • Try Accessing a Web Site with a Different Device
  • Restart your Router

Investigate Possible Network Issues

  • Manually Set your DNS Server

Clear the DNS Cache

Disable internet protocol version 6.

  • Temporarily Deactivate your Firewall and Disable your Antivirus Software
  • Reset your DNS Settings

Update the Network Adapter Driver

  • Disable all Network Connections Except the Connection you are Using to Access the Internet

Restart your Computer in Safe Mode

A potential solution to the “DNS Server not Responding” issue that's really simple is to try accessing the relevant website using a different browser.

If, for example, you are using Microsoft Edge or Mozilla Firefox as your browser at the time that the issue occurs, try using a different browser like Google Chrome to access the relevant website.

If using a different browser solves the problem, then make the browser that works your default browser. But if the issue still persists, then we at least know that the browser you have been using is not the source of the issue and our investigation into finding a solution to the DNS Server not Responding” issue must continue…

Try Accessing a Website With a Different Device

Try to use a different device connected to your home network to access the website you were trying to access when you received the error.

For example, use Wi-Fi from your mobile phone to access the relevant web site. If the issue persists, you know that the issue isn’t just with your primary device and the problem may have something to do with your router.

Restart Your Router

The “DNS Server not Responding” issue may occur simply due to data traffic. It may be that simply restarting your router can fix this issue.

You can restart your router by pressing the power button on your router. You can then unplug your router's power cable. Wait for about 30 seconds then plug your router into the power outlet again and press the power button to restart it.

Running network diagnostics may point to network issues as the root cause of the issue.

Running Network Diagnostic is very simple on a Windows 10 OS. You can do this by following these steps:

  • Open Control Panel. One way to do this is press the Windows Key + R to activate the “Run” box, then type “control” in the text box presented in the “Run” box and hit the enter key.

image-443

  • Select the Network and Internet option presented within the Control Panel window.
  • Click the Network and Sharing Center option from within the “Network and Internet” window.
  • Click the Troubleshoot problems option presented under the "Change your network settings” heading within the “Network and Sharing Center” window.
  • Click Additional troubleshooters -> Internet Connections -> Run the troubleshooter

image-457

The next step is to wait for the troubleshooter task to finish. If you are presented with any error messages, simply follow the steps on how to fix the relevant network issue.

Manually Set Your DNS Server

The source of your issue may be that your DNS server is down. In this case you’ll be pleased to know that you are able to manually change your DNS server.

You can change your DNS server to, for example, Googles Public DNS or CloudFlare’s public DNS. To change your DNS server, follow these steps:

  • Invoke your Control Panel. One way to invoke your Control Panel is to activate your Start Menu and search for the Control Panel.
  • In the Control Panel window click the Network and Internet option.
  • In the Network and Internet window, click the Network and Sharing Center option.
  • On the   Network and Sharing Center window click on your active connection. For example, click the “ethernet” option if this is the connection currently being used or click the “Wi-Fi” option if it is clear that this is your active connection.
  • In the dialog box that is presented to you, click the “Properties” button.
  • In the dialog presented to you, you’ll see a list is presented under the “The connection uses the following items” heading.
  • In this list, select the list item labelled “Internet protocol version 4 (TCP/IPv4)” then click the “Properties” button.

image-445

  • You will be presented with another dialog box where you’ll see two fields. One will be labelled “Preferred DNS Server”, and the other which is directly under this field will be labelled “Alternate DNS Server”.
  • First click the Use the following DNS server addresses radio button.
  • To use Googles Public DNS server, enter 8.8.8.8 in the field labelled “Preferred DNS Server” and enter 8.8.4.4 into the field labelled “Alternate DNS Server”.

image-446

  • You are also able to use CloudFlare’s DNS server for the same purpose. CloudFlare’s DNS address is simply 1.1.1.1
  • Once you have entered your desired DNS server settings, ensure that the “Validate settings upon exit” checkbox is checked.
  • Click the “OK” button to save your new DNS server settings.
  • Restart your computer.

You are able to flush the DNS cache which may resolve the “DNS Server not Responding” issue. This action will clear IP addresses and other DNS related data from  your cache.

You can clear the DNS cache by running a command using your command prompt.

One way to invoke the command prompt is to press Window Key + R to invoke the “Run” box. Type “cmd” within the “Run” box and press shift+ctrl+enter to run the command prompt as an administrator.

image-458

At the command prompt, type in the following command: “ipconfig /flushdns” and them press the enter key. If the command has executed successfully, you'll see the appropriate message in the command window.

At the time of writing this article, Internet Protocol Version 6 is the latest version of the internet protocol. Disabling the Internet Protocol Version 6 will not have detrimental effects on your computer’s operations, but it's been known to fix the “DNS Server not Responding” issue.

To disable the Internet Protocol version 6 on a Windows 10 operating system, just follow these steps:

  • Go to Control Panel -> Network and Internet -> Network and Sharing Center
  • Click on the relevant connection, for example “Wi-Fi”
  • Click the “Properties” button on the dialog that is presented to you.
  • In the list presented under the “This connection uses the following items” heading, uncheck the item labelled “Internet Protocol Version 6 (TCP/IPv6)”.

image-448

  • Press the “OK button”

Temporarily Deactivate your Firewall and Disable Antivirus

If your firewall is Defender, you can follow these steps to disable it:

  • To open control panel, press Windows Key + R to activate the “Run” box, then type “control” in the text box presented in the “Run” box and hit the enter key.
  • In the top right hand text box, type in “win”

image-459

  • An option labelled "Windows Defender Firewall” should appear in the search results. Click the “Windows Defender Firewall” option.
  • Click the “Allow an app or feature through Windows Defender Firewall” option.

image-462

  • Click the “Change settings” button.

image-461

  • From the list presented to you within the dialog box that has just been invoked, find the browser that you are using, for example Google Chrome. Then make sure that both the private and public checkboxes next to the relevant item are checked.

image-466

  • Once you've done this, try to access the relevant website using the relevant browser and see if the issue has been fixed.

There is a chance that your firewall was preventing you from accessing external data through your browser.

Note that it is not recommended to leave your operating system unprotected by reliable antivirus software indefinitely. Disabling your antivirus software in this instance is only recommended for testing if the relevant antivirus software is the cause of the “DNS Server not Responding” issue.

To temporarily turn off Microsoft Defender antivirus protection, follow these steps:

  • Select Start and then type in "Windows Security” in order to search for the relevant application.
  • Select Windows Security App from the search results.
  • Go to Virus & Threat Protection .
  • Under Virus & threat protection settings select Manage settings.
  • Switch Real-time protection off.

image-467

Attempt to access the relevant website through the relevant browser to test if the “DNS Server not Responding” issue still occurs.

Reset DNS Settings

To reset your DNS Settings, follow these steps:

  • Run the command prompt as an administrator. To do this activate the “Run” box by pressing Windows key + R .
  • In the run box type “cmd” and press shift + ctrl + enter
  • Type the following commands in the command prompt. After entering each command press the enter key, so that each command is run individually.

ipconfig /registerdns

ipconfig /release

Ipconfig /renew

netsh winsock reset

image-465

Once you have run these commands, close the command prompt and restart your computer.

You can manually update your network adapter driver, but it is much easier to automate this task.

You can automate this through the use of free software like “Driver Easy” (https://www.drivereasy.com/download-free-version/). Simply download the free version of this software.

Make sure that before you run the free version of the Driver Easy software that you create a system restore point. This provides you with insurance, so in the unlikely event that you encounter a nasty surprise that adversely effects your computer, that you are able to return your Windows OS back to the state that it was in before you ran the Driver Easy software and encountered an unexpected issue.

To use the Driver Easy software, follow these steps:

  • Run the software
  • Click the “Scan Now” button
  • Press the “Update” button next to any outdated drivers.

image-455

Disable all Network Connections Except for the Connection that you are Using

Disabling the additional network connections you may have setup on your computer (other than, for example, the Wi-Fi connection that you are using to access the internet) might fix the “DNS Server not Responding” issue.

To disable the relevant network connection, follow these steps:

  • Firstly you must access your Network Connections. To access your Network Connections, press Windows Key + R to invoke the “Run” box
  • In the “Run” box type in “ncpa.cpl” and press enter.
  • Right click the relevant network connection and select “Disable” from the relevant context menu. Repeat this action until all connections except for the Wi-Fi connection you are using are disabled.

image-456

When you start your computer in Safe Mode, this means the Windows operating system loads with a limited set of drivers and files. This can help you diagnose what is causing your “DNS Server not Responding” issue through a process of illumination (as it were).

So to start your PC in Safe Mode, follow these steps:

  • Press the Windows Key + I to open Settings.
  • Select Update & Security -> Recovery
  • Under Advanced startup , select Restart Now
  • Once your PC has startup to the “Choose an option” screen, select Troubleshoot ->   Advanced options -> Startup Settings -> Restart
  • Once your PC has restarted you’ll see a list of options
  • Select 5 or press F5 for Safe Mode with Networking.

Try to access the web site that resulted in you getting the “DNS Server not Responding” issue. If the problem does not occur in safe mode this means that additional software may be the cause of the issue.

You can uninstall any additional software from your PC, one by one, and then test to see if the issue still occurs. If the issue does not occur after uninstalling particular software, this means that it is likely that this software was interfering with your internet access.

The “DNS Server not Responding” issue is relatively common and thankfully it is also relatively easy to fix.

It can be incredibly inconvenient to be denied access to the internet but hopefully the potential solutions outlined in this article will help you to once again have access to your favorite web sites.

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Restart your devices, change your dns settings, flush your dns cache, update your network drivers, router, and modem, turn off your vpn and firewall, contact your isp, 8 ways to fix 'dns server not responding' errors on a mac or pc.

  • You can fix a "DNS Server Not Responding" error by resetting your internet connection and computer.
  • If the error keeps appearing, you can also flush your DNS cache and change the DNS settings.
  • DNS errors might also come up if your ISP is having an outage.

DNS servers are like phonebooks – they help your computer find websites and load them properly. This means that if the DNS server stops responding, you won't be able to access any website or app.

Luckily, both Macs and PCs offer a few ways to fix "DNS Server Not Responding" issues. Here are eight ways to do it.

First, we need to figure out what's causing the issue: Is it your web browser, your computer, or your internet connection?

Using the same internet connection, try browsing the web using another browser. In other words, if you're using Google Chrome right now, try Microsoft Edge or Firefox instead. If the internet suddenly starts working, it means there's an issue with your original browser. Try clearing the cache , or uninstalling and reinstalling the app.

If it still doesn't work, try using another device. If the internet works on that device, the issue is coming from your computer. If you still run into internet problems, the issue is your connection.

Alternatively, try connecting to another internet signal on your computer. If the internet starts working, the issue is your connection; if it doesn't work, the issue is your computer.

Get closer to your internet router

It might seem too simple to be true, but a lot of DNS server issues are caused by weak internet signals. If you're too far away from the source of your internet connection – usually the router – your computer will have trouble reaching the DNS server. 

Getting a stronger internet connection, either by moving closer to your internet router or removing obstructions, can solve this. You should also make sure that you're not taking up all your bandwidth by running too many websites or apps at once.

And if it's possible, consider connecting with an ethernet cable instead of Wi-Fi. Ethernet connections are way more stable than wireless ones , meaning you're much less likely to have DNS issues.

Before we delve into the more complicated troubleshooting steps, try restarting all your devices: Your computer, your router, and your modem. You'd be surprised by how many issues this can fix.

You can restart most routers and modems by unplugging them for about ten seconds, then plugging back in.

Once everything is running again, open a web browser and head to a website. There's a good chance that things will work now.

A lot of internet issues can be fixed by changing the DNS settings on your computer. These settings control how your computer interacts with the internet connection, and if they're not set up correctly, it can cause problems.

Specifically, you'll want to make sure that the DNS server is being obtained automatically. Or if it's already automatic and you're having trouble, you'll want to set one manually.

In Windows 10 and 11

1. Open the Control Panel and click Network and Internet , then Network and Sharing Center , and then Change adapter settings .

2. Right-click on your Wi-Fi network and select Properties .

3. In the list that appears, double-click on the Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4) option.

You'll be given a menu that lets you set your DNS server. There are two options that let you obtain the DNS server either automatically or manually. 

4. Click whatever option isn't already selected. If you're switching from automatic to manual, you'll also need to enter two DNS servers.

5. Click OK to save the changes.

See if the internet works now. If it doesn't, go back to the Properties menu and do the same steps for the Internet Protocol Version 6 (TCP/IPv6) option.

1. Open the System Preferences app and select Network .

2. Select the connection that you're trying to fix from the left sidebar, then click Advanced… in the bottom-right corner.

3. Select DNS from the tabs at the top.

4. Select the DNS Servers box and click the plus sign at the bottom, then enter a new DNS server you want to connect with.

5. Click OK to save your changes.

Most people know that every program and app has a cache, a small storage space for data that the app has loaded recently. Your DNS server has a cache too, which it uses to collect IP addresses and DNS records that you've connected with recently.

And just like other caches, letting the DNS cache get too full can cause problems. You can clear the DNS and refresh your IP address through the Command Prompt and Terminal apps.

1. Search your computer for "Command Prompt." When it appears in the results, right-click it and select Run as administrator .

2. In the Command Prompt window, type and submit these five commands in order. Type one of them, press Enter , and then wait a few moments before typing the next.

  • netsh winsock reset
  • netsh int ip reset
  • ipconfig /release
  • ipconfig /renew
  • ipconfig /flushdns

3. Restart your computer.

1. Search your computer for "Terminal" and open the app when it appears.

2. Type and submit the following code, without quotes: "sudo dscacheutil -flushcache; sudo killall -HUP mDNSResponder"

3. When prompted, enter your Mac's password. It won't look like you're typing anything, but don't worry, it's just hiding your password.

4. If you don't see any sort of response — Terminal just takes the command and gives you another blank entry line — it means it worked.

Even if you've just bought all your hardware, it's a good idea to check that everything is updated. There's a chance you might be using outdated software, which can lead to bugs.

First, your drivers. These are small pieces of software that tell the computer how to function . If you're using a Mac, all your drivers will update whenever you install a full computer update . But on a Windows PC, you'll likely need to update them separately.

You can do this by opening the Device Manager app, clicking the Network adapters tab, and right-clicking on your main internet driver. You'll likely have two of them, one for Wi-Fi and one for Ethernet (usually called the "Family Controller"). When you're asked how you want to search for drivers, pick the automatic option.

If that doesn't work, check your computer manufacturer's website to see if they offer drivers of their own. These might work better than the ones that come pre-installed.

Finally, you can also try uninstalling the driver and restarting your computer. This will force the driver to restart, which can clear away some issues.

When it comes to your router and modem, every model and brand has a different updating process. But in general, you'll probably need to log into your devices' settings pages using a web browser and update from there. Check the manual or call your ISP for exact steps.

This isn't as common, but if there's something standing between your computer and the open internet — say, a VPN or firewall — you can run into DNS issues.

Every VPN has a different method for turning it off, but look for a Disconnect option in the settings. You can also open the Network settings on your computer and disable all VPNs from there.

In Windows, you can disable the default firewall by searching for Windows Defender Firewall, then selecting Turn Windows Defender Firewall on or off . 

On a Mac, open the System Preferences app and select Security & Privacy . Click Firewall at the top, then select Turn Off Firewall . You might need to click the lock icon in the bottom-left corner first.

If you're using a third-party antivirus program, you might need to disable that app's firewall too.

Finally, you can pick up the phone and call your internet service provider. At the end of the day, they're the ones with total control over your internet service.

If none of these steps have worked, it might mean that your ISP is having an outage. Alternatively, they might have shut off your service due to unpaid bills, or might be throttling your connection because you hit a data cap. If you rent your internet equipment from the ISP, they can even send someone out to troubleshoot in person.

how to solve problem dns server isn't responding

  • Main content

How to Fix DNS Server Not Responding on Windows 11

A DNS server connection is vital for easy web browsing. Here's how to fix a DNS server not responding on Windows 11.

DNS or Domain Name System is the decentralized naming system that identifies computers, servers, and other resources that the internet can reach. It basically helps identify your PC and traffic that comes in. However, you may experience some errors if your computer can’t access the DNS server.

If you are getting a “DNS Server Not Responding” error on your Windows 11, don’t panic. It is still a new system, and bugs can affect it from time to time. Just follow the fixes below, and you’ll get your system back up in no time.

How to Fix DNS Server Not Responding Error on Windows 11 Computer

There are many reasons why you are getting this error. In most cases, your computer can’t establish a connection with the internet. Sometimes, Windows misidentifies network-related problems as DNS issues, while in some cases, it’s caused by a third-party app interfering with your connection.

Whatever the reason, you can try the fixes below to solve the "DNS server not responding" error on Windows 11.

Important reminder: Before trying any fixes, make sure that you have a working internet connection. As mentioned, this is usually caused by network-related issues, so it’s best to eliminate this cause right away. If you have problems with your internet, fix it first before going through all these steps.

1. Disable Third-Party Antivirus

If you have a third-party antivirus installed on your computer, like Avast AVG, or McAfee, it might be the reason why you’re receiving this error. Sometimes, it can interfere with your network and cause various errors such as DNS issues.

Related: What Is DNS and Why Is It Important?

To check if this is causing the issue, temporarily turn off your third-party antivirus software and check if you still have a DNS server problem. If it works properly, the program is likely the cause, and you should consider other ways to protect your computer.

You can either uninstall it completely and use the Windows 11 built-in security program, Microsoft Defender, or wait for a new Windows 11 update and see if it will fix this issue.

2. Flush Your DNS

This is the most popular way to fix most DNS problems, especially if it’s due to misconfigured settings in your device. Here’s how you can flush and renew your DNS on Windows 11.

  • Open Run by pressing and holding Win + R keys. Then, type cmd and press Enter to open the Command Prompt.

run cmd

Related: How to Find the Fastest DNS to Optimize Your Internet Speed

3. Change the DNS on Your Windows PC

In some cases, using your network provider’s default DNS can cause issues to your system. If you haven’t changed yours yet, we recommend switching to a free DNS provider. You can either change it from your router settings or your computer’s network adapter setting. Here are some of the free DNS providers and addresses you can use:

  • Google : 8.8.8.8 | 8.8.4.4
  • OpenDNS Home : 208.67.222.222 | 208.67.220.220
  • Cloudflare : 1.1.1.1 | 1.0.0.1
  • AlternateDNS : 76.76.19.19 | 76.223.122.150
  • AdGuard DNS : 94.140.14.14 | 94.140.15.15
  • Quad9 : 9.9.9.9 | 149.112.112.112

Follow the instructions below to change your DNS setting on your Windows 11 computer:

  • Press and hold Windows + I keys to open Settings.
  • On the Settings app, click ‘Network & Internet > Wi-Fi > Hardware Properties .
  • From the DNS server assignment, click Edit.

DNS server assignment

4. Update Drivers

If you want to quickly update the essential drivers of your computer, you can download and use a free driver updater for Windows . However, if you don’t like installing other programs on your computer, you can manually update them using the Windows settings. Follow these steps:

  • Open Settings by pressing and holding the Windows + I keys.
  • Then, click Windows Update and then, click the Check for updates button.

check for updates

  • Once your computer booted, check if you’re receiving the same error.

Related: How to Find & Replace Outdated Windows Drivers

5. Boot into Safe Mode

If you’re still experiencing the issue even after doing all the troubleshooting steps mentioned above, it’s best to restart your PC in Safe mode. In Safe mode, Windows will only run basic settings and \remove any settings that could cause the error. Here’s how you can boot into Safe mode.

  • Open the Start menu, and click the Power icon.
  • Then, press and hold the Shift key and click Restart .
  • On Recovery Options, click Troubleshoot

troubleshoot

A Better Windows 11 Experience

The “DNS Server Not Responding” error can be frustrating and concerning, especially when you’re trying to access important pages and settings on your Windows 11 system. There are several reasons you're experiencing this issue, but there is no need to panic. You can easily solve the problem, even if you’re not too technical.

How to Fix the “DNS Server Not Responding” Error on Windows and Mac

dns server not responding

You can’t visit a website without first accessing a Domain Name Server (DNS) . In the process, you might be met with a message such as “DNS server not responding.” This means that the decentralized naming systems responsible for turning hostnames into IP addresses failed to respond.

There are a variety of reasons these types of DNS errors can occur. Fortunately, most of them have simple resolutions. In fact, fixing the issue could be as easy as restarting your computer or changing web browsers.

In this post, we’ll explain what the “DNS Server Not Responding” message means and some common causes for it. Then we’ll walk you through several solutions for how to fix it, both on Windows and macOS devices.

Let’s get started!

What Does “DNS Server Not Responding” Mean?

A DNS is a naming system that takes alphanumeric domain names (or “hostnames”) and turns them into numeric IP addresses. Essentially, DNS servers act as translators .

When you input a web address into your browser , it is forwarded to a DNS server from your router, where it’s then dissolved and returned as an IP address. However, if the DNS server is unable to properly complete this name resolution process, the end result is usually a message indicating that the DNS server is not responding.

“DNS Server Not Responding” means that your browser was unable to establish a connection to the internet. Typically, DNS errors  are caused by problems on the user end, whether that’s with a network or internet connection, misconfigured DNS settings, or an outdated browser. They can also be attributed to a temporary server outage that renders the DNS unavailable.

Therefore, it’s possible that you might be able to resolve the problem simply by switching browsers. In other cases, you may need to disable connections, change DNS servers, or flush the DNS cache.

How to Fix the “DNS Server Not Responding” Error in Windows and macOS (11 Methods)

Now that you understand what this message means and are familiar with some potential causes, it’s time to get to work resolving it. Let’s take a look at eleven potential ways you can fix “DNS Server Not Responding” on Windows and Mac devices.

1. Switch to a Different Browser

The first step is to troubleshoot the issue by testing your DNS connections. Fixing this problem might be as simple as switching or updating your web browser.

How Do I Switch to a Different Browser?

To do this, try accessing the web from a different browser. For example, if your default browser is Safari or Google Chrome, visit the desired website from Mozilla Firefox or Microsoft Edge instead.

If switching browsers works, you’ll likely need to update your default browser to the latest version or uninstall and reinstall it. However, if you still see the “DNS Server Not Responding” message, you can rule out your browser as the source of the issue.

2. Connect With a Different Device

If your browser is not the problem, maybe your current device is. That is why it might be interesting to connect to a second device and access the site you’re unable to see.

How Do I Connect to a Different Device?

Grab your phone and try to access the site you’re having trouble with using the same network as before.

Still getting the “DNS Server Not Responding” error? Then this might indicate that your router is the issue here.

Not so sure about it? Connect to the site using your mobile data. If it works, you’ll have the answer that the problem is in fact on your end and not on the site’s end.

3. Start Your Computer in Safe Mode

If your operating system is not functioning properly, it can result in the “DNS Server Not Responding” error message. Therefore, you may want to try booting your Windows device in Safe Mode to see whether this resolves this issue.

Doing so will limit the files and resources used for running Windows, and can be an effective way to troubleshoot problems.

How Do I Start My Computer in Safe Mode?

To start your Windows 10 computer in Safe Mode, first select the Windows button , and then hover over the Power icon :

windows power

Next, while you’re holding down the Shift  key, select Restart :

windows restart

In the window that appears, click on Troubleshoot > Advanced . Under Advanced options , select Start-Up Settings , followed by Restart . More options will appear. You can press 4 or 5 to Enable Safe Mode  or Enable Safe Mode with Networking  respectively. Your computer will then restart in Safe Mode.

If you’re using Windows 7 or earlier, you can restart it in Safe Mode by going to Power > Restart . Then, while it’s booting up, hold down the F8 key .

The process is similar on macOS devices.

While the machine is restarting and booting up, hold down the Shift key . Once the Apple logo appears, you can release it. Your device will then start in Safe Mode.

Once your computer is in Safe Mode, try to access the website again. If there doesn’t seem to be a network connection issue, the source of the problem may be a third-party software or installation, such as an antivirus application.

4. Temporarily Disable Your Antivirus Software and Firewall

If switching browsers doesn’t resolve the “DNS Server Not Responding” issue, the next step is to temporarily deactivate your firewall . Antivirus software and firewalls are critical for safeguarding your devices, but they can sometimes cause issues that interfere with network connections.

How Do I Temporarily Disable My Antivirus Software and Firewall?

For Windows users, you can do this by going to your control panel and navigating to Update & Security > Windows Security > Virus & Threat Protection > Manage Settings .

Mac users can find this option by navigating to System Preferences > Security & Privacy > Firewall .

Once your firewall is deactivated, try visiting the website again from your browser. If this resolved the issue, you might consider switching antivirus programs or reconfiguring the settings of your existing application. Either way, remember to reactivate your firewall once you’re done.

5. Disable Secondary Connections

If disabling your antivirus software or firewall didn’t do the trick, another potential solution is to disable any secondary connections available on your device. You want to make sure that only the connection you’re currently using is active.

How Do I Disable Secondary Connections?

To do this in Windows, type “Network connections” into the search box of your desktop taskbar. Next, click on View network connections :

view network connections 1

This will bring you to the Network Connections  page. Any connections you’re not currently using will have a red ( X ) next to them. Right-click on one, and then select Disable :

disable secondary connection

Repeat this for any other connections that are not currently active. When you’re done, restart your browser and try visiting the website again.

If you’re using a macOS, you can do this by clicking on the Apple icon, then navigating to System Preferences > Network . Your connections will be listed on the left side of the window.

macOS network settings

To disconnect or disable one, select it, and then click on the ( – ) sign at the bottom of the window.

6. Disable the Windows Peer-to-Peer Feature

If you’re using Windows, and disabling your firewall or secondary connections hasn’t resolved the “DNS Server Not Responding” error message, there’s one more option you can try: the Peer-to-Peer (P2P) feature. Note: This is something you’ll only find in Windows 10.

This feature helps preserve your device’s download bandwidth. Essentially, it lets you download a Windows update one time, then use your device to spread or share the updated version across other computers included in your local network.

Unfortunately, it can also sometimes interrupt DNS processes. Therefore, it’s worth disabling to see if this resolves the error message you’re currently facing.

How Do I Disable the Windows Peer-to-Peer Feature?

To do so, click on the  Windows icon , followed by the Settings (gear icon)  >  Update & Security :

windows settings update

In the window that opens along the left-hand side, select Delivery Optimization :

windows delivery optimization

Next to the ‘Allow downloads from other PCs’ option, toggle the switch to disable it:

windows p2p feature

When you’re done, restart your computer and try accessing the website again. If this doesn’t work, don’t worry. We still have more solutions to try.

7. Restart Your Router

The next troubleshooting step is to restart your router. Doing so will flush your router’s cache and could be the solution for resolving the “DNS Server Not Responding” message.

How Do I Restart My Router?

Most modems come with a power button that enables you to quickly power them off. After a minute or so, turn your modem back on and wait for it to re-establish a connection. Once it does, check to see whether you’re able to access the internet from your browser.

Note that sometimes simply restarting the router isn’t enough. You may want to reboot it by unplugging it entirely, and then waiting at least 30 seconds before plugging it back in and powering it on again.

8. Install Updated Network Adapter Drivers on Your Computer

Another reason you may be seeing the “DNS Server Not Responding” message is if your current Windows network adapter driver is old or outdated. If this is the case, getting a new adapter driver or updating yours may be the solution you need.

How Do I Install Updated Network Adapter Drivers?

There are a couple of ways to update your network adapter driver. One is to do it manually , which you should only do if you are at least somewhat familiar working with drivers. Alternatively, you can do it using an automated tool such as Driver Easy  or Snappy Driver Installer (SDI) :

snappy driver installer

Either of these solutions will automatically recognize your system and locate the appropriate drivers for you to use with it. We recommend this method because it eliminates the risk of human error, such as downloading or installing the wrong driver on your device.

Once you download SDI  and finish installing the updated drivers, restart your computer. Then try reconnecting to the internet, to determine whether this resolved the issue.

9. Flush Your DNS Cache and Reset Your IP

If you’ve eliminated your browser, antivirus software, and router as the source of the issue, it’s time to turn your attention to your DNS settings. As with the router cache, it may be that your DNS needs to be cleared before it can properly make a connection to the internet, or your IP might need a reset.

How Do I Flush the DNS Cache and Reset My IP?

If you’re using Windows, start by typing “cmd” into the search field along the taskbar, and then selecting the Command Prompt app:

command prompt app

In the window that opens, enter “ipconfig/flushdns” (no quotations), and hit Enter :

windows command prompt

When the process is finished, it will display a message letting you know that the DNS cache was successfully flushed. Repeat this process for the following commands:

If you’re using a Mac device, you can flush your DNS cache by opening the Terminal application (press the Command  + Space  keys, and then type “Terminal” into Spotlight). In the Terminal application window, enter the following:

Press the Enter  key. There won’t be a success message as there is on Windows devices. However, simply running this command will flush the DNS cache. For further guidance, you can refer to our full guide on how to flush your DNS cache  in Windows, Mac, and Chrome.

10. Disable IPv6

IPv6 is the latest Internet Protocol version that helps route traffic between networks and the internet. Unfortunately, it may also be behind the “DNS Server Not Responding” message you’re currently seeing.

Therefore, another potential solution to try is disabling IPv6 on your computer.

How Do I Disable IPv6?

To do this in Windows, open your Network Connections control panel , then right-click on your current connection. In the drop-down menu, select  Properties :

network connection properties 1

Under the Networking  tab of the panel that opens, scroll down until you see Internet Protocol Version 6 (TCP/IPv6):

ipv6 windows

If it’s selected, unselect the box, then click on OK . Refresh your browser and try connecting to the internet again.

To disable IPv6 in macOS, you first need to determine what network interface you’re using. To do this, open the Terminal application , then issue the following command:

If you want to disable IPv6 for a wireless connection, you would use the following command:

For an Ethernet connection, you would use:

Then hit the Enter  key, and refresh your browser to see if the issue is resolved.

11. Change the Default DNS Server on Your Windows Computer

Another solution you can try in order to fix “DNS Server Not Responding” in Windows is to change your default DNS server. To do this in Windows 7, 8, or 10, the first step is to access your network connection properties.

How Do I Change the Default DNS Server?

Start by clicking on the Windows button in the bottom-left corner of the task bar. In the search field, type “Network connections”, and then select View network connections  in the menu that appears:

view network connections

Next, choose the internet adapter you’re currently using (WLAN for wireless network connections or LAN for ethernet cable connections). Right-click on the internet adapter, followed by Properties :

network connection properties

In the window that opens, choose Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4 ), and then click on the Properties  button:

ipv4 properties

To manually assign a different DNS server address, select Use the following DNS server addresses  and input the address of an alternative server:

internet protocol DNS

For example, you can enter Google’s DNS server, which is “8.8.8.8”, under Preferred DNS server . Then you can add “8.8.4.4” under Alternative  DNS server , and hit OK .

If you’re running macOS, you can locate these settings by clicking on the Apple icon followed by System Preferences :

macos system preferences

Next, select the  Network  icon. Choose your current network, and then click on the Advanced  button:

mac network system

Under the DNS  tab, click the (+)  button next to “IPv4 or IPv6 addresses”, and hit Enter :

mac dns server

After you enter the new DNS information, click   on OK  followed by Apply . Restart your web browser, and then visit the website you were trying to access. You should find that the “DNS Server Not Responding” issue is now resolved.

Trying to access a website only to be met with a “DNS Server Not Responding” message can be both frustrating and concerning. While there are a variety of reasons this error may occur, the good news is that most have simple resolutions.

As we discussed in this article, there are 11 potential solutions you can use to fix a “DNS Server Not Responding” message, in both Windows and macOS:

  • Switch to a different browser, and if necessary, update your default browser to the latest version.
  • Connect With a Different Device
  • Start your computer in Safe Mode.
  • Temporarily disable your antivirus software and firewalls.
  • Disable secondary connections.
  • Disable the Windows Peer-to-Peer feature.
  • Restart your router.
  • Install updated network adapter drivers on your computer.
  • Flush your DNS cache and reset your IP.
  • Disable IPv6.
  • Change the default DNS server on your computer.

Suggested reading: How to Fix the DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_BAD_CONFIG Error Code . How to Fix DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_NXDOMAIN Error Code

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How to Fix the “DNS Server Not Responding” Error on Windows

A common issue resolved for you

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Microsoft Windows displays a “ DNS Server Not Responding ” error when your system can’t connect to the specified DNS servers or the DNS system doesn’t respond. However, you can change a few options on your computer to resolve the error. Here’s how.

Some ways to fix your DNS problems include removing your DNS cache, turning off your antivirus and firewall, disabling IPv6, using alternate DNS servers, and more.

How to Fix the “DNS Server Not Responding” Error on Windows image 1

Use a Different Web Browser

You get a DNS server error on your system because your current web browser has an issue. This prevents the browser from connecting to your specified servers.

In this case, you can switch to an alternate web browser and see if your issue gets resolved. For example, if you’re currently using Google Chrome as your browser, you can switch to Mozilla Firefox or Microsoft Edge to see if you can connect to your sites.

If this solves the problem, you can reset your primary browser to fix your DNS issues.

Restart Your Router

Another way to get around many DNS server issues is by rebooting your router. Your router disables and re-enables all of its features when you give it a reboot, fixing many minor problems with the device.

You can restart most routers by pressing the Power button on the device. You can also use the power socket switch or your router’s settings page in your web browser to turn your device off and back on.

Launch your web browser and try to access your sites when your router restarts and establishes an internet connection.

Delete Your DNS Cache

Windows uses a DNS cache to help you quickly translate domain names to IP addresses. Sometimes, cache corruption prevents your web browser’s access to sites.

In this case, you can clear your DNS cache , which helps fix many issues. Your computer will rebuild this cache as you browse sites.

  • Open the Start menu, find Command Prompt , and launch the tool.
  • Enter the following command on the CMD window and press Enter : ipconfig /flushdns

How to Fix the “DNS Server Not Responding” Error on Windows image 2

  • Close Command Prompt when you’ve deleted your DNS cache.

Turn Off Your Firewall

Your firewall’s job is to monitor your PC’s incoming and outgoing network connections. This utility may have detected your access to your DNS servers as a potential threat, blocking your connection and resulting in a “DNS Server Not Responding” error.

You can fix this by temporarily disabling your firewall. Here’s how to do that for Microsoft Defender Firewall:

  • Open Start , locate Windows Security , and launch the app.
  • Select Firewall & network protection on the app’s main window.
  • Choose the network that says (active) .

How to Fix the “DNS Server Not Responding” Error on Windows image 3

  • Turn off the Microsoft Defender Firewall toggle.

How to Fix the “DNS Server Not Responding” Error on Windows image 4

  • Select Yes in the User Account Control prompt.

Disable Your Antivirus

A possible reason you’re getting the “DNS Server Not Responding” error is that your antivirus program has detected your access to your DNS servers as a threat. This may have led the program to block your activity, resulting in the above error message.

You can check that by turning off your antivirus protection temporarily. Here’s how to do that for Microsoft Defender Antivirus:

  • Launch the Windows Security app on your PC.
  • Select Virus & threat protection in the app.
  • Choose Manage settings in the Virus & threat protection settings section.

How to Fix the “DNS Server Not Responding” Error on Windows image 5

  • Disable the Real-time protection option.

How to Fix the “DNS Server Not Responding” Error on Windows image 6

Turn Off IPv6

Sometimes, your PC’s Internet Protocol Version 6 feature doesn’t work well with your specified DNS servers, causing various issues. In this case, you can toggle off the protocol and see if that fixes the problem.

You can turn IPv6 back on any time you want.

  • Launch Control Panel on your Windows PC.
  • Select Network and Internet > Network and Sharing Center in Control Panel.
  • Choose Change adapter settings on the left.
  • Right-click your network adapter and select Properties .

How to Fix the “DNS Server Not Responding” Error on Windows image 7

  • Uncheck Internet Protocol Version 6 (TCP/IPv6) and choose OK at the bottom.

How to Fix the “DNS Server Not Responding” Error on Windows image 8

Change Your DNS Servers

Like all other online services, your DNS servers can face outages . When this happens, your web browsers and other apps can’t locate online addresses, resulting in various DNS error messages.

In this case, you can switch to alternate DNS servers . There are some good third-party servers to choose from, like Google’s public DNS and OpenDNS.

  • Navigate to Control Panel > Network and Internet > Network and Sharing Center > Change adapter settings on your computer.
  • Right-click your network adapter and choose Properties .
  • Select Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4) on the list and choose Properties .

How to Fix the “DNS Server Not Responding” Error on Windows image 9

  • Turn on the Use the following DNS server addresses option.

How to Fix the “DNS Server Not Responding” Error on Windows image 10

  • Enter 208.67.222.222 in the Preferred DNS server field and 208.67.220.220 in the Alternate DNS server field.
  • Select OK at the bottom.

Disable Your Other Network Connections

If your Windows PC continues to display the “DNS Server Not Responding” error, your other network adapters may be interfering with your primary one.

You can fix that by disabling all your network adapters except the one you are using on your PC. Here’s how.

  • Access Control Panel > Network and Internet > Network and Sharing Center > Change adapter settings on your PC.
  • Right-click each unused network adapter and choose Disable .

How to Fix the “DNS Server Not Responding” Error on Windows image 11

Update Your Network Adapter Drivers

Outdated drivers often cause various issues, and your “DNS Server Not Responding” may result from old network adapter drivers. In this case, you can update your drivers to the latest version and resolve your issue.

  • Launch Start , find Device Manager , and open the tool.
  • Expand Network adapters , right-click your adapter, and choose Update driver .

How to Fix the “DNS Server Not Responding” Error on Windows image 12

  • Select Search automatically for drivers .
  • Let Device Manager install the available drivers.

Resolve DNS Server Issues on Your Windows 10/11 PC

DNS server issues are common , and you can encounter them anytime. The good thing is it’s easy to deal with most of these problems. You can change a few options on your system, switch to alternate servers, and update the network adapter drivers to fix your issue.

You can then access your sites and allow your apps to connect to any web host without issues.

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DNS Server Not Responding Error? Here’s How To Fix It (13 Ways)

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Unlike many problems that affect websites, the DNS Server Not Responding error seems pretty descriptive. Clearly, some distant server isn’t playing ball and it’s blocking you from visiting a particular website.

But what exactly is a DNS server and why is it misbehaving? In a strange way, the information provided by the error message is only useful if you already know what it means.

To help you resolve this issue, we decided to take a deeper look at the DNS Server Not Responding error, and all the possible causes. Keep reading to find the answers you’re looking for!

What Does The “DNS Server Not Responding” Error Mean?

Fixing the dns server not responding error, frequently asked questions, set up your site correctly with dreamhost.

To understand this error, we first need to take a quick look at DNS, or domain name system.

The Domain Name System (DNS) protocol keeps records of which domain names correspond to specific IP addresses. DNS enables you to browse the web by typing in regular URLs instead of IP addresses.

Whenever you ask your browser to connect to a website, a DNS server has to convert the domain name (e.g., mysite.com) to the numeric IP address (four numbers separated by three periods, for example, 127.0.0.1) of the hosting server . This is where the site actually lives; the domain name is simply a pretty title that is easier for humans to remember.

DNS Server Not Responding error occurs when, for some reason, your browser can’t make contact with the server that handles the domain name to IP address translation.

There are three underlying reasons why this could be happening:

  • The DNS server is down or unreachable : There is something wrong with the server itself, or its network connection.
  • You have connectivity issues: Often due to an outage somewhere between you and the server, including network issues.
  • The DNS record for the domain name is incorrect or missing : This means the DNS server doesn’t know which IP address to point the domain name to.

3 possible issues with DNS server not responding error: DNS server is down, connectivity issues, DNA record error or missing

In order to fix the error, we need to work through a checklist that covers all three possible causes.

If the DNS Server Not Responding error appears only on your site, it might be because your domain name isn’t configured correctly.

  • Make sure your domain name hasn’t expired.
  • Check that you have an “ A record ” and it contains no typos.
  • If you made changes recently, give them time to propagate .

If none of this helps, or you see the error on other websites, here are all the ways you can fix a DNS Server Not Responding error:

1. Try Using A Different Browser

Strictly speaking, switching to another browser won’t fix DNS issues. But it can reveal what has gone wrong.

Every browser maintains a cache, where content is stored temporarily for quick access. The problem is that your browser cache might have stored the wrong DNS records. If this happens, you will get the same error message whenever you try to revisit the same page.

A cache is a temporary data storage layer that is designed to improve data access speeds by reducing the time needed to read and write data from a permanent data storage location.

By moving away from your default browser, you will be using a different cache, and each browser has its own default DNS servers. In addition, you will bypass other issues like extensions that block connections.

2. Check The Site From A Different Device

If you’re still seeing an error on a particular website after changing your browser, try swapping to a different device. This will ensure that some other unexpected issue in your local system isn’t causing the problem.

If you don’t have access to another desktop computer, simply pull out your phone and try to visit the page in question. If this doesn’t fix the error, it’s also worth connecting to a different network or switching to data.

3. Restart Your Computer

Another way to deal with cache-related problems is by restarting your device. This will flush all DNS records from your machine, so your device will have to perform a live DNS lookup when you visit the problematic page.

Restarting your device also renews its IP address and clears the DNS request queue, which can be enough to fix certain connectivity issues. It could be enough to clear the error.

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4. Restart Your Computer In Safe Mode

Sometimes, software and related drivers on your device are the cause for the blocked DNS connections. To test for this issue, it’s a good idea to boot up your device in Safe Mode:

  • On the sign-in screen, click Restart while holding Shift .
  • Select Troubleshoot > Advanced options > Startup Settings > Restart .
  • After restart, press 5 or F5 to start up your device in safe mode with networking.

screenshot of the startup settings in windows highlighting the restart button in the lower right-hand corner

Mac : Hold Shift as you power up.

screenshot of a mac starting up in safe mode

iOS / Android : Press and hold the power button, and then tap the down volume control after the screen lights up.

screenshot of a ios mobile phone power selector settings highlighting the safe mode option

In this mode, your machine will revert to default settings and only the most essential drivers. If the problem sites load normally while in Safe Mode, it means that either third-party software or drivers are causing incompatibility issues.

This is definitely bad news, because the only way to track down the precise cause is by testing your apps, one by one. That said, it’s most likely to be something like a VPN , or security software causing your headaches.

5. Turn Off Antivirus Software And/Or Your Firewall

Antivirus applications and firewalls protect your device by monitoring traffic. From time to time, these tools sometimes meddle too much with your internet connection and end up causing DNS server errors .

As such, it’s a good idea to switch off your antivirus program and/or firewall protection temporarily, to test whether they are causing the problems.

If this resolves the problem, make sure to turn your protection back on. Then, look through the settings to find anything related to DNS that may be causing your troubles. If your chosen software package includes support, it may be worth reaching out to your provider for help.

6. Turn Off Your VPN

VPNs, or virtual private networks, provide an extra layer of online privacy by routing data to your device through an encrypted tunnel . So far, so useful. The issue is, the tunnel might be bypassing your default DNS servers.

To test this idea, switch off your VPN and try to visit the page where you had the DNS server issue. If this resolves your problems, restart the VPN and take a peek at the settings. You’re looking for controls related to DNS filtering. If you need a helping hand, try contacting your VPN provider for support.

7. Flush DNS Cache

You don’t necessarily need to restart your device to flush the DNS cache. You can do it manually instead:

  • Press Win + R and type in the “ ipconfig /flushdns ”.
  • Then, hit Ctrl + Shift + Enter to run the command prompt.
  • Open the Terminal, and type in “ sudo dscacheutil -flushcache; sudo killall -HUP mDNSResponder ”.
  • Press Enter .
  • Input your admin password when prompted, and press the Enter button again.
  • iOS : Turn Airplane Mode on and back off again.
  • In Chrome, type “ chrome://net-internals/#dns ” into the search box.
  • Select DNS on the left, and then tap Clear host cache

By flushing your DNS cache, you will force your device to re-query the DNS server for each site you visit. This ensures you have updated mappings of domain names to IP addresses — an essential first step in network diagnostics.

8. Restart Your Router

Network connection issues are a common cause of DNS server errors. One easy way to fix this kind of problem is by restarting your internet router.

Switch it off and unplug the power cable for around 30 seconds. This should clear any corrupted DNS entries that have been stored in the router cache, and renew your connection.

At the same time, it’s worth checking that your router’s firmware is up to date. Outdated firmware can cause connectivity issues that prevent DNS lookups. In combination, these steps might fix your problem.

9. Disable IPv6

Internet protocol is the system that creates a unique IP address for every device on the internet. The current version is IPv6 (Internet Protocol Version 6), which has gradually replaced IPv4 over the past few years. It is now the default option.

However, not every network and DNS server has been updated to IPv6.

If you use this version to request a particular web page, you might only receive a DNS Server Not Responding error. Similarly, systems that are in hybrid mode can experience technical troubles in juggling both systems.

For this reason, it’s worth temporarily switching off IPv6 to see whether you can access a website via IPv4.

The exact process depends on your platform, but it usually involves:

  • Visiting the network settings on your device.
  • Selecting your active connection (usually Ethernet or Wi-Fi).
  • Accessing the advanced options via Advanced , Properties , or i.
  • Toggling IPv6 off, and saving your changes.

screenshot of windows DNS settings options to toggle IPv4 and IPv6 on and off

Lastly, you will need to restart your device to test whether this potential solution has worked. If you see no improvement, reverse the process to switch IPv6 back on — this can help you to maintain better performance as you move between different networks.

10. Change The Default DNS Server

Normally speaking, your device connects to a DNS server provided by your ISP (Internet Service Provider). If you’re having DNS issues, it might be because this server is misbehaving. The solution here is to switch to a different server.

Organizations like Google and Cloudflare provide public DNS servers that anyone can use. Some people prefer using these servers because they can speed up page loading. In other cases, people use an alternative DNS server for privacy reasons.

Some of the most popular alternate DNS providers include:

  • Google: 8.8.8.8 and 8.8.4.4
  • Cloudflare: 1.1.1.1 and 1.0.0.1
  • OpenDNS: 208.67.222.222 and 208.67.220.220

Here’s how to switch your DNS server address.

  • Navigate to Control Panel > Network Connections > Properties. 
  • Under Preferred DNS server , enter the IP address of your preferred DNS server.
  • Under Alternate DNS Server , put in the address of your backup server, and save your changes.

screenshot of windows IPv6 properties calling attention to the use the following DNS server addresses text boxes

  • Navigate to System Preferences > Network and select your primary internet connection in the sidebar.
  • Click Details (or Advanced on older Macs) then select DNS .
  • At the bottom of the DNS servers list, click the + button and enter your new DNS address.
  • Make sure to click Apply before leaving the Network screen.

screenshot of windows IPv6 properties calling attention to the use the following DNS server addresses text boxes

  • Navigate to Wi-Fi settings (they might be under Network & Internet )
  • Find the DNS settings…
  • On iOS, tap the i icon, then Configure DNS .
  • Select Manual < Add server to update DNS.

screenshot of an ios mobile phone configure DNS settings screen

Android Mobile

  • On Android, open Settings > Connections > More connection settings.
  • Tap on “Private DNS” and choose “Private DNS provider hostname to change the DNS server.

screenshot of an android private DNS setting screen

Once you have finished changing your DNS server settings, restart your device before trying to access the internet. This will ensure that the new DNS settings are adopted, giving you a chance of beating those pesky errors!

11. Update Network Adapter Drivers

A network adapter driver is a piece of software that allows an operating system to communicate with a network adapter. This is the small card in your device that handles internet connections.

If the driver software isn’t regularly updated, it can start to create problems. Likewise, a driver that is corrupted, or incompatible with a new network adapter, is likely to create headaches.

One possible symptom is — you guessed it — the kind of DNS error we’re trying to fix.

Many devices update their network drivers automatically; macOS handles this chore behind the scenes. On Windows, you can take control of the adapter settings yourself:

  • Visit Device Manager .
  • Right-click Network Adapter.
  • Select Update Drivers from the drop-down menu.

If possible, it’s a good idea to connect to the internet via an Ethernet cable when updating your drivers. The reason is simple: you’re updating the piece of hardware you need in order to download the update. Interruptions due to poor Wi-Fi signal can mess up the process.

Once you have updated your drivers successfully, restart your device and see if DNS is working properly.

12. Disable Secondary Connections

Some devices have more than one network adapter. For example, wired and wireless connections use different adapters.

In most cases, you only need to use one adapter at a time. Switching off all secondary connections is a good idea because they can cause problems with DNS requests.

To do this, visit the network settings on your device and turn off all live connections other than the one you’re using (e.g., If you’re connected via Wi-Fi, disable the Ethernet connection.)

It’s also worth checking whether you have a virtual network adapter running. This is a digital service that allows multiple connections via the same physical adapter. It’s a feature used by VPNs, allowing you to tunnel some traffic through the private network, and some through a regular internet connection.

To make sure a misbehaving virtual network adapter isn’t causing your problems:

  • Open Control Panel > Network Connections.
  • Right-click on the virtual adapter you want to switch off, and select Disable .
  • Confirm you want to disable the adapter. This will take it offline.
  • Open System Preferences > Network.
  • Select the virtual adapter in the left sidebar, and click the gear icon.
  • Select Make Service Inactive to disable the adapter.
  • Find the VPN settings on your device.
  • Tap the i or gear icon.
  • Switch off the adapter.

Once again, try to reload the malfunctioning page to see if the DNS error message has cleared.

13. Disable Peer-To-Peer Feature (Windows)

No luck? Don’t worry, there is one more potential fix you can try.

Windows has a peer-to-peer feature, which helps to reduce the amount of bandwidth needed while downloading updates. Rather than forcing your device to swallow all the data in one big lump, this option splits updates into individual pieces. The PC that receives these pieces can then share them with others on the same network.

This is obviously a useful feature. But as you might have guessed already, Windows P2P can interfere with the DNS lookup process. Switching it off can help you to diagnose errors:

  • Navigate to Settings > Windows Update.
  • Next, click on Advanced Options > Delivery Optimization .
  • Toggle the switch labeled Allow downloads from other PCs .

screenshot of the windows delivery optimization settings screen found under windows update where you can toggle allow downloads from other PCs on and off

You will then need to restart your computer to test, once again, whether the DNS error has cleared. Fingers crossed!

Still have questions? You’ve come to the right place. Here’s a little extra detail on fixing your DNS settings, and a closer look at why failures happen:

How Do You Reset Your DNS Server?

After following the various troubleshooting steps above, you may decide that you want to go back to the domain name servers you originally had.

To achieve this, simply retrace the exact steps mentioned in #10 — but this time, select your current DNS servers and press the little minus button to remove them. After a restart, your device should then revert to the default ISP DNS servers.

What Causes A DNS Failure?

In simple terms, a DNS failure happens when your browser cannot convert a domain name to an IP address. However, there can be many different underlying causes.

The DNS process offers access to over 1 billion internet hosts . That’s one mighty “phone book.” So, it’s almost inevitable that the system will have some flaws.

Most DNS problems that people encounter are caused by issues with internet access or software on their device. Actual failures are most commonly caused by server outages or incorrectly configured domain names.

If you want to avoid seeing DNS errors pop up on your website, you might want to switch to DreamHost.

Our hosting panel makes it really easy to configure your site correctly and manage all your domain names on a single page. If you ever get stuck, our Technical Support team is available 24/7 to provide help — and that’s on every single plan.

Sounds good? Sign up today to give it a try for yourself!

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About the Author : Luke Odom

Luke is the Director of IT Operations. He is responsible for the teams that keep operations running smoothly... In his free time, he enjoys reading fantasy/sci-fi and hanging out with his wife and 4 kids. Connect with Luke on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/luke-odom-039986a/

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Troubleshooting DNS servers

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Try our Virtual Agent - It can help you quickly identify and fix common DNS issues.

This article discusses how to troubleshoot issues on DNS servers.

Check IP configuration

Run ipconfig /all at a command prompt, and verify the IP address, subnet mask, and default gateway.

Check whether the DNS server is authoritative for the name that is being looked up. If so, see Checking for problems with authoritative data .

Run the following command:

For example:

If you get a failure or time-out response, see Checking for recursion problems .

Flush the resolver cache. To do this, run the following command in an administrative Command Prompt window:

Or, in an administrative PowerShell window, run the following cmdlet:

Repeat step 3.

Check DNS server problems

Check the following logs to see whether there are any recorded errors:

Application

Test by using nslookup query

Run the following command and check whether the DNS server is reachable from client computers.

If the resolver returns the IP address of the client, the server does not have any problems.

If the resolver returns a "Server failure" or "Query refused" response, the zone is probably paused, or the server is possibly overloaded. You can learn whether it's paused by checking the General tab of the zone properties in the DNS console.

If the resolver returns a "Request to server timed out" or "No response from server" response, the DNS service probably is not running. Try to restart the DNS Server service by entering the following at a command prompt on the server:

If the issue occurs when the service is running, the server might not be listening on the IP address that you used in your nslookup query. On the Interfaces tab of the server properties page in the DNS console, administrators can restrict a DNS server to listen on only selected addresses. If the DNS server has been configured to limit service to a specific list of its configured IP addresses, it's possible that the IP address that's used to contact the DNS server is not in the list. You can try a different IP address in the list or add the IP address to the list.

In rare cases, the DNS server might have an advanced security or firewall configuration. If the server is located on another network that is reachable only through an intermediate host (such as a packet filtering router or proxy server), the DNS server might use a non-standard port to listen for and receive client requests. By default, nslookup sends queries to DNS servers on UDP port 53. Therefore, if the DNS server uses any other port, nslookup queries fail. If you think that this might be the problem, check whether an intermediate filter is intentionally used to block traffic on well-known DNS ports. If it's not, try to modify the packet filters or port rules on the firewall to allow traffic on UDP/TCP port 53.

Checking for problems with authoritative data

Check whether the server that returns the incorrect response is a primary server for the zone (the standard primary server for the zone or a server that uses Active Directory integration to load the zone) or a server that's hosting a secondary copy of the zone.

If the server is a primary server

The problem might be caused by user error when users enter data into the zone. Or, it might be caused by a problem that affects Active Directory replication or dynamic update.

If the server is hosting a secondary copy of the zone

Examine the zone on the primary server (the server from which this server pulls zone transfers).

You can determine which server is the primary server by examining the properties of the secondary zone in the DNS console.

If the name is not correct on the primary server, go to step 4.

If the name is correct on the primary server, check whether the serial number on the primary server is less than or equal to the serial number on the secondary server. If it is, modify either the primary server or the secondary server so that the serial number on the primary server is greater than the serial number on the secondary server.

On the secondary server, force a zone transfer from within the DNS console or by running the following command:

For example, if the zone is corp.contoso.com, enter: dnscmd /zonerefresh corp.contoso.com .

Examine the secondary server again to see whether the zone was transferred correctly. If not, you probably have a zone transfer problem. For more information, see Zone Transfer Problems .

If the zone was transferred correctly, check whether the data is now correct. If not, the data is incorrect in the primary zone. The problem might be caused by user error when users enter data into the zone. Or, it might be caused by a problem that affects Active Directory replication or dynamic update.

Checking for recursion problems

For recursion to work successfully, all DNS servers that are used in the path of a recursive query must be able to respond and forward correct data. If they can't, a recursive query can fail for any of the following reasons:

The query times out before it can be completed.

A server that's used during the query fails to respond.

A server that's used during the query provides incorrect data.

Start troubleshooting at the server that was used in your original query. Check whether this server forwards queries to another server by examining the Forwarders tab in the server properties in the DNS console. If the Enable forwarders check box is selected, and one or more servers are listed, this server forwards queries.

If this server does forward queries to another server, check for problems that affect the server to which this server forwards queries. To check for problems, see Check DNS Server problems . When that section instructs you to perform a task on the client, perform it on the server instead.

If the server is healthy and can forward queries, repeat this step, and examine the server to which this server forwards queries.

If this server does not forward queries to another server, test whether this server can query a root server. To do this, run the following command:

If the resolver returns the IP address of a root server, you probably have a broken delegation between the root server and the name or IP address that you're trying to resolve. Follow the Test a broken delegation procedure to determine where you have a broken delegation.

If the resolver returns a "Request to server timed out" response, check whether the root hints point to functioning root servers. To do this, use the To view the current root hints procedure. If the root hints do point to functioning root servers, you might have a network problem, or the server might use an advanced firewall configuration that prevents the resolver from querying the server, as described in the Check DNS server problems section. It's also possible that the recursive time-out default is too short.

Test a broken delegation

Begin the tests in the following procedure by querying a valid root server. The test takes you through a process of querying all the DNS servers from the root down to the server that you're testing for a broken delegation.

At the command prompt on the server that you're testing, enter the following:

Resource record type is the type of resource record that you were querying for in your original query, and FQDN is the FQDN for which you were querying (terminated by a period).

If the response includes a list of "NS" and "A" resource records for delegated servers, repeat step 1 for each server and use the IP address from the "A" resource records as the server IP address.

If the response does not contain an "NS" resource record, you have a broken delegation.

If the response contains "NS" resource records, but no "A" resource records, enter set recursion , and query individually for "A" resource records of servers that are listed in the "NS" records. If you do not find at least one valid IP address of an "A" resource record for each NS resource record in a zone, you have a broken delegation.

If you determine that you have a broken delegation, fix it by adding or updating an "A" resource record in the parent zone by using a valid IP address for a correct DNS server for the delegated zone.

To view the current root hints

Start the DNS console.

Add or connect to the DNS server that failed a recursive query.

Right-click the server, and select Properties .

Click Root Hints.

Check for basic connectivity to the root servers.

If root hints appear to be configured correctly, verify that the DNS server that's used in a failed name resolution can ping the root servers by IP address.

If the root servers do not respond to pinging by IP address, the IP addresses for the root servers might have changed. However, it's uncommon to see a reconfiguration of root servers.

Zone Transfer Problems

Run the following checks:

Check Event Viewer for both the primary and secondary DNS server.

Check the primary server to see whether it's refusing to send the transfer for security.

Check the Zone Transfers tab of the zone properties in the DNS console. If the server restricts zone transfers to a list of servers, such as those listed on the Name Servers tab of the zone properties, make sure that the secondary server is on that list. Make sure that the server is configured to send zone transfers.

Check the primary server for problems by following the steps in the Check DNS server problems section. When you're prompted to perform a task on the client, perform the task on the secondary server instead.

Check whether the secondary server is running another DNS server implementation, such as BIND. If it is, the problem might have one of the following causes:

The Windows primary server might be configured to send fast zone transfers, but the third-party secondary server might not support fast-zone transfers. If this is the case, disable fast-zone transfers on the primary server from within the DNS console by selecting the Enable Bind secondaries check box on the Advanced tab of the properties for your server.

If a forward lookup zone on the Windows server contains a record type (for example, an SRV record) that the secondary server does not support, the secondary server might have problems pulling the zone.

Check whether the primary server is running another DNS server implementation, such as BIND. If so, it's possible that the zone on the primary server includes incompatible resource records that Windows does not recognize.

If either the master or secondary server is running another DNS server implementation, check both servers to make sure that they support the same features. You can check the Windows server in the DNS console on the Advanced tab of the properties page for the server. In addition to the Enable Bind secondaries box, this page includes the Name checking drop-down list. This enables you to select enforcement of strict RFC compliance for characters in DNS names.

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How To Fix the “DNS Server Isn’t Responding” Error on Windows 10

The DNS server is one of the necessary parts of getting a stable, working connection to the internet. Unfortunately, many Windows 10 users have been running into errors regarding this. Some reports say that Windows 10 displays the error message “DNS server isn’t responding” causing websites to stop loading.

Fix DNS Server Isn’t Responding-1

Table of Contents

What is a dns server, what happens when dns servers fail, what does “dns server not responding“ mean, what causes the “dns server not responding” error, solved: “dns server isn’t responding” error on windows 10, quick fix: switch to a different browser, method 1. restart your router, method 2. change your dns server, method 3. update your network adapter drivers, method 4. flush your dns and clear dns cache, method 5. manually enter your mac address, method 6. temporarily disable your antivirus, method 7. disable peer-to-peer windows 10 updates, method 8. disable internet protocol version 6 (ipv6), method 9. disable the microsoft virtual wifi miniport adapter, method 10. reset your ip address and network protocols (tcp/ip), final thoughts.

Short Answer: DNS servers translate domain names into IP addresses, allowing DNS clients to reach the origin server. When users type domain names into the URL bar in their browser, DNS servers are responsible for translating those domain names to numeric IP addresses, leading them to the correct website.

The Domain Name System (DNS) is the phonebook of the Internet. When users type domain names such as ‘softwarekeep.com’ or ‘google.com’ into web browsers, DNS is responsible for finding the correct IP address for those sites. Browsers then use those addresses to communicate with origin servers or CDN edge servers to access website information. This all happens thanks to DNS servers: machines dedicated to answering DNS queries.

A server is a program or device providing services to other programs, referred to as ‘clients’. DNS clients, built into most modern desktop and mobile operating systems, enable web browsers to interact with DNS servers. Here's more .

Short answer: It results to DNS Server Not Responding.

DNS servers can fail for multiple reasons - power outages, cyberattacks, or hardware malfunctions. In the case of a major DNS server outage, some users may experience delays due to the amount of requests being handled by backup servers, resulting in the common phrase: DNS Server Not Responding . But it would take a DNS outage of very large proportions to make a significant portion of the Internet unavailable.  

DNS Server Not Responding error means that your browser was unable to connect to the internet or the DNS of the domain you're trying to reach are unavailable. In order to resolve it, restart your router or modem, check for network issues and update your browser.

A Domain Name System (DNS) is a directory that translates domain names or hostnames into  Internet Protocol (IP)  addresses. Due to this process, users can easily access websites on the internet through web browsers.

Sometimes, users encounter DNS error messages when accessing a website, such as the “DNS server not responding” message. This means the web browser can’t connect to the site because the DNS server fails to map hostnames to IP addresses correctly.

There are many causes for the “DNS server not responding” error, from misconfigured network adapters to incorrect DNS server addresses. Fortunately, most of these problems lie on the user’s end and can be solved without much effort.

The DNS server failed issues is often caused by improperly configured DNS records. This might happen when users don’t use the correct values or IP address during the recording process.

Other possible causes of the “DNS server not responding” error are:

  • Unavailable DNS provider.  Your DNS service might stop working because of DNS errors on its network, such as heavy traffic and server outage.
  • Malfunctioning router or modem.  A faulty router or modem can also trigger DNS errors. Try switching the ethernet ports or using different ethernet cables to determine whether your router is causing the DNS problem.
  • Hardware or network issues.  Some hardware or network failures can also cause the “DNS server not responding” error. For example, a single server fails to relay the information to the next server correctly.
  • Antivirus software.  Problems can occur when the software vendor updates an antivirus program, making the program believe your computer is infected and suddenly block your internet access. When this happens, your browser might show the “DNS server not responding” message.

We’ll be using both standard Windows 10 troubleshooting methods as well as some specific procedures that aim to fix this error message. Our guides are step-by-step, allowing you to restore your internet connection efficiently.

Here are how you can fix the “DNS server not responding” issue:

  • Switch to a different browser
  • Troubleshoot network problems in network diagnostics.
  • Update or reinstall Network adapter drivers.
  • Restart your router or modem. 
  • Temporarily Deactivate antivirus and firewall. 
  • Flush DNS cache and clear DNS cache 
  • Change the DNS server address.  Replace your ISP’s address with a different DNS address.
  • Manually enter your MAC address.
  • Disable peer-to-peer Windows 10 updates.
  • Disable Internet Protocol version 6 (IPv6).
  • Disable the Microsoft Virtual WiFi Miniport Adapter.
  • Reset your IP address and network protocols (TCP/IP)

Tip : If you’re unfamiliar with the Windows 10 interface, we recommend reading our How to Get Started with Windows 10 article before troubleshooting.

It’s a possibility that the DNS server error only shows up in one specific browser. An outdated client could cause this, security exploits, missing or damaged files, or misconfigured settings.

The easiest way to potentially fix the “DNS server isn’t responding” error would be simply switching to a different browser. For example, try switching to Microsoft Edge if you’re currently using Google Chrome. Edge comes pre-installed on all Windows 10 systems, making it easy to access in situations like this.

Want a new forever browser? Check out our Which Web Browser Should You Be Using in 2021 article and find your new perfect match.

You can restart your router in 3 easy steps:

  • Locate the power button on your router and turn the device off.
  • Wait for a few minutes. We recommend waiting 5 minutes to allow your router and network to shut down properly.
  • Turn your router back on .

Test if you still experience DNS server issues after giving your router a restart. If necessary, continue reading and try our other methods to solve the error.

Another easy solution to this error is manually changing your DNS server. By doing so, you can go around limitations and might even get a better internet speed on your device. Here are the steps to quickly change your DNS server to a well-known, fast, and public DNS.

  • Press the Windows + R keys on your keyboard. This is going to bring up the Run utility.

windows run dialog box

  • Click OK to apply your changes. Now, you can see if the DNS server is still having issues.

Regularly updating your driver software is something you should do all the time. Outdated network drivers can cause more trouble than you’d think.

In this solution, we will be using the integrated Device Manager to update the drivers for your network adapters.

Windows Quick Menu

  • Wait for the driver installation to complete. Once the driver is installed, restart your computer and check if the DNS server is working.

If your DNS is outdated, you can manually clear its cache to potentially fix the issues this causes. The method is simple and involves using the Command Prompt.

Keep in mind that you might be required to use an administrator account to perform this method. Need help? Check out our How to make a local user an administrator in Windows 10 guide.

  • Open the Search function in your taskbar, or alternatively use the Ctrl + S keyboard shortcut to bring up the search bar.

command prompt

  • When prompted by the User Account Control (UAC), click Yes to allow the app to launch with administrative permissions.
  • Paste in the following command and press the Enter key to execute it:  ipconfig /flushdns
  • Close the Command Prompt and check if Google Chrome still shows you the “ DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_NO_INTERNET ” error.

Every network adapter installed on your device, be it your PC, laptop or tablet has a physical address called MAC. Your MAC address, or “Media Access Control”, is assigned to the device’s network.

Sometimes, manually finding and then inputting this address to your network properties will fix DNS server-related errors. Let’s see how you can get this done.

how to solve problem dns server isn't responding

Antivirus applications are known to cause issues on computers by interfering with your internet connection or blocking apps and services from running properly. You can test if the antivirus you’re using at the moment is causing the “DNS server isn’t responding” error by temporarily disabling it.

Note : This method is not recommended as it is unsafe to use your computer without protection. Only proceed if you’re aware of the possible risks and have a backup of your system to revert any damage that may happen.

windows quick Menu

  • Find your antivirus application from the list and select it by clicking on it once.
  • Click on the Disable button now visible in the bottom-right of the window. This will disable the application from launching when you start your device.
  • Restart your computer.

The Peer to Peer (P2P) update feature is quite controversial amongst Windows 10 users. While it aims to make updating your computer easier, it often hogs a large amount of bandwidth and slows down your internet.

This feature has been reported to cause issues with internet speed, DNS server, and more. Luckily, you can disable it.

Windows start

  • After turning this feature off, you’ll no longer use your internet to send and receive updates from other computers. Try and see if the DNS server error still happens after completing the steps above.

Internet Protocol version 6 (IPv6) is currently the most recent version of the Internet Protocol (IP). If your network is configured for the earlier IPv4, disabling IPv6 may be able to fix the “DNS server is not responding” error.

Windows quick Menu

  • Click OK to finalize the change.

how to solve problem dns server isn't responding

  • Repeat this process for all of the available Virtual Miniport Adapters. When done, close the Device Manager and restart your computer.

If none of the methods above worked, you may try to reset your TCP/IP. This requires the Command Prompt and potentially administrative permissions.

cmd

  • Type in the following commands and press the Enter key after each line to execute them: ipconfig /release ipconfig /all ipconfig /renew

command prompt

  • After successfully executing the commands, exit the Command Prompt and reset your PC. Check if the “DNS server isn’t responding” error is still present.

We hope this helps. If you liked it, share it. If you need more help of this kind, our Help Center offers hundreds of guides to assist you if you’re in need of further help. Return to us for more informative articles, or get in touch with our experts for immediate assistance.

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» Solved: No Internet Connection Windows 10 » “Server DNS Address Could Not Be Found” Error In Google Chrome » Slow Internet on Windows 10? Here’s How To Fix It

How To Fix the DNS Server Not Responding Error – 12 Simple Ways

Seeing a DNS Server Not Responding error when trying to use the internet? Can’t visit your favorite websites all of a sudden? This blog post can help!

The DNS server not responding error is displayed either by the browser you’re using or by your operating system. Either way, it means the device cannot reach the Domain Name Servers it needs to talk to in order to locate the website you want to visit.

The cause could be your computer, browser or could be a network issue on the internet.

The vast majority of DNS errors you’ll come across will be with your own network so the majority of our troubleshooting will look at your computer, browser, router and software configurations.

By the end of this article, you should know what DNS is, how it works and what to do when things go wrong!

Disable Internet Protocol Version 6

What is dns.

The Domain Name System ( DNS ) links domain names to web server IP addresses .

It’s like a phone book, a series of distributed databases that link the www.mydomainname.com name to IP addresses of a web server.

Without DNS, the web wouldn’t work.

Servers use IP addresses to communicate with each other and it’s not realistic for humans to remember a string of numbers. Certainly not now we are shifting from IPv4 to IPv6!

An IP address looks like 192.168.1.1 if IPv4 or 2439:cd44:1078:1::s722:d7k2 if IPv6.

Good luck remembering those!

The answer is to use more memorable words to create domain names for websites and use a system behind the scenes to link them to the IP address of the web servers hosting your website.

Most ISPs will have their own DNS servers to connect customers immediately to the web.

There are also centralized DNS servers that hold more records. We’ll show you how it all works in a little while.

What Does a DNS Server Do?

A Domain Name Server has one job. To hold and constantly update its DNS database.

There are a couple of levels of DNS servers out there.

There’s the one your ISP has, that holds thousands of local DNS records for websites it may host and one addresses are often searched for by its customers.

Those are called recursive DNS servers.

Then there’s the central DNS servers. Larger servers that hold hundreds of thousands or millions of DNS records. Those are called authoritative DNS servers.

A web query does something like this:

  • You type a URL into your browser or click a favorite
  • The browser sends the query to your ISPs recursive DNS server
  • If the server has the DNS record, it returns it to your browser and your browser visits the web server hosting the desired website
  • If the recursive DNS server doesn’t have the record, it queries the closest authoritative DNS server and requests the record
  • Once your ISP DNS server receives the record, it caches it in case you, or someone else, needs it again and sends a copy to your browser
  • Your browser then visits the hosting server hosting that website

If you manually set your DNS to something else like Google or OpenDNS, the query at step 2 queries those DNS servers and not your ISP.

Looking for a new web host? Check out the 9 fastest web hosts for WordPress!

What Causes DNS Server Not Responding Errors?

DNS server not responding errors literally means the browser cannot reach the DNS server, or it didn’t get a response from that server.

The most common causes are local issues with your device, your home network or your ISP.

It can also be caused by network issues. It could be a physical issue with the server or with the network connection to the server, a software fault, DDoS ( Distributed Denial of Service ) attack or similar, but these are rare.

As DNS is such an important aspect of the web, they are usually well protected and use multiple backups.

That doesn’t mean they never go wrong though!

There are frequent stories of DNS outages like the one at Salesforce or Microsoft or Register.com . These are usually localized outages and not global though.

How to Fix DNS Server Not Responding Errors

Here are the ways to fix “DNS Server Not Responding” errors. In the upcoming sections, we’ll delve into each method.

Force Refresh the Web Page

Test with a different browser, disconnect from vpn, restart your device and router, use the netsh command in windows, disable your antivirus software and firewall, flush dns settings, change computer dns settings, manually set dns on your router, install the latest windows network driver, reset the network adapter on mac.

As you now know, the majority of DNS errors are likely to be local to you. Your computer or phone or your router.

So that’s where we’ll begin our troubleshooting.

This article “DNS Server Not Responding” is mainly about Windows and Mac, some of these fixes will work on phones or games consoles too.

The exact methods may differ but the principles will be exactly the same!

If you try to visit a website and see the DNS error, forcing a refresh of the page should always be your first fix.

A forced refresh tells the browser to go fetch a fresh copy of the page, which means a new DNS query. If the issue was temporary, a refresh should overcome it and load the page.

Use one of these shortcut combinations to force refresh your browser.

  • Chrome on Windows: Ctrl + F5
  • Chrome on Mac: Command + Shift + R
  • Firefox on Windows: Ctrl + F5
  • Firefox on Mac: Command + Shift + R
  • Safari: Command + Option + R
  • Microsoft Edge: Ctrl + F5

As the browser is front and center in all this, it makes sense to make sure it isn’t something with the browser causing the error.

That’s easy to find out by using a different browser.

Most of us have more than one browser on our device so try another. Load the same page you were trying and see what happens.

If you regularly use a VPN, Virtual Private Network, make sure that’s not connected when you’re trying the website giving you DNS server errors.

VPNs add a whole new layer to networking that can cause a number of errors when not configured correctly or when the network itself isn’t running right.

Before performing any fixes, make sure you’re not connected to your VPN.

IT techs will always get you to reboot your device but there is a reason behind it. Whether it’s a phone, tablet, laptop or desktop, they all use software that can be corrupted.

Data corruption can happen anywhere at any time. A piece of data in memory that was accidentally overwritten, a device driver that was partially loaded or something completely different.

A reboot forces the device to load everything from afresh, which can fix the corruption or whatever it was causing the error.

Do that next.

Reboot your device and retest.

If the DNS error is still there, reboot your router and retest, just in case.

Windows handles networking differently than macOS and there is an extra potential fix to the DNS server error you can try. It’s an IP and Winsock reset.

These two services handle networking within Windows. Winsock has a history of causing issues within Windows so this is definitely one to try.

  • Type ‘ cmd ’ into the Windows search box
  • Right click the Command Prompt entry in the menu and select Open as Administrator
  • Type ‘ netsh int ip reset ’ and hit Enter
  • Type ‘ netsh winsock reset ’ and hit Enter
  • Reboot your computer

This fix requires a system reboot to allow Windows to reload the network configuration. It won’t work until you do, so don’t retry the website until you have rebooted.

You should run both antivirus and a software firewall on Windows and potentially on Mac too. Even if you have a hardware firewall on your router, you should always use a software firewall for defense in depth.

Macs definitely need antivirus but a firewall isn’t so necessary due to how Apple apps handle ‘listening’ to internet-enabled ports. macOS does come with a firewall though.

If you do use a software firewall, temporarily disable them and retest.

In Windows:

  • Open the Windows notification window in the bottom right of the Task Bar
  • Select Windows Security
  • Select Virus and Threat Protection from the left menu of the new settings window
  • Select Manage Settings from the center pane
  • Toggle Real-time Protection to off
  • Select Firewall and Network Protection from the left menu
  • Select Private Network in the center
  • Toggle the firewall to off
  • Repeat for Domain and Public networks

If you use a third party firewall, you can right click its icon in the notification area at the bottom right of the task bar. There should be an option to disable the firewall.

Once done, retest the website and see if the DNS server error is still there.

Mac is a little more complicated. It has its own antivirus in XProtect which is part of System Integrity Protection. Apple doesn’t like you turning this off as Apple knows best.

But there is a way.

If you use the Apple firewall, that’s much easier to disable so you might like to try that first.

Disable it using System Preferences > Security & Privacy > Firewall .

To disable System Integrity Protection, do this:

  • Select the Apple icon in the menu
  • Select Restart and hold down Command + R to boot into Recovery Mode
  • Select Utilities once loaded
  • Select Terminal
  • Type ‘ csrutil disable ’ and hit Enter
  • Select the Apple icon in the menu and select Restart

You can retest the website once macOS has loaded to see if the DNS server error is local to you or not.

You’ll need to repeat the above process and type ‘ csrutil enable ’ to restart SIP once you’re done testing.

The DNS cache doesn’t usually cause DNS server isn’t responding errors but we may as well check, just in case.

Flushing the DNS cache will drop all entries held in memory and make your computer retrieve new settings from your DNS server.

To flush DNS, do the following:

  • Type ‘ ipconfig /flushdns ’ and hit Enter
  • Type ‘ ipconfig /renew ’ and hit Enter
  • Open a terminal
  • Type ‘ dscacheutil -flushcache ’ and hit Enter
  • Retry the website

If it was the DNS cache, you should see the website load normally.

If the DNS server isn’t responding error still appears, we can temporarily change your DNS settings.

Your computer gets the DNS server settings from two places. One, on the computer itself and two, on your router. The computer DNS setting will override the router, so let’s change that first.

Change DNS settings in Windows:

  • Type ‘ ethernet ’ into the Windows search box and select Ethernet Properties
  • Select Change Adapter Options in the new window
  • Right click the Ethernet adapter in the next screen and select Properties
  • Select Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4) in the center and select the Properties button underneath
  • Select ‘ Use the following DNS server address ’ at the bottom of the new window
  • Enter 8.8.8.8 and 8.8.4.4 for Google DNS or 208.67.222.222 and 208.67.220.220 for OpenDNS

Change DNS settings on Mac:

  • Select System Preferences and Network
  • Select Advanced and the DNS tab
  • Select the ‘ + ’ icon to add a DNS server
  • Select OK and then Apply

Retest the website using your new setting to see if the DNS error is still present.

If it is, let’s change the DNS setting on your router.

Even though your local computer DNS should override the router settings, it’s worth changing the router configuration just in case.

Every router works differently so it’s impossible to outline exactly what to do. Instead, we’ll walk you through how it works on ours as it could be similar to yours.

Type 192.168.1.1 in a browser window to take you to the router admin page

  • Log into your router
  • Select Internet or Network and locate DNS settings
  • Select to edit or modify those settings
  • Save the change

Some routers will perform a soft reboot to load the new configuration ready for use, others will be ready right away. Once your router is ready to work, retest the website.

Old or corrupted network drivers can cause DNS issues as we have seen it first hand. Updating the driver only takes a minute and is good practice so let’s do that next.

  • Right click the Windows button and select Device Manager
  • Select Network Adapters and expand the list
  • Select your Ethernet adapter
  • Right click and select Update Driver
  • Select Search Automatically for Drivers and let Windows find a new driver

If Windows cannot find a new driver, download the latest driver from the hardware manufacturer and manually install it. Even if it’s the same driver version, it could fix the problem.

macOS handles drivers differently so you don’t need to install the latest drivers. Instead, we’ll reset the network adapter to see if that works.

  • Open a Terminal
  • Type ‘ sudo ifconfig en0 down ’ and hit Enter
  • Type ‘ sudo ifconfig en0 up ’ and hit Enter

This assumes that your Ethernet adapter is ‘en0’. You can check that in System Preferences and Network .

Even though IPv6 is in widespread use, it is still causing occasional issues with networking. These issues are much less common than before, which is why this fix is last.

However, as we have exhausted almost everything else, it’s worth trying.

  • Select Internet Protocol Version 6 (TCP/IPv6) in the center and uncheck the box to the left of it

If you need to enable IPv6 again, just repeat and check the box again.

  • Open Terminal
  • Type ‘ networksetup -listallnetworkservices ’ and hit Enter
  • Type ‘ networksetup -setv6off Ethernet ’ and hit Enter
  • Retest the website

To restore IPv6 in Mac, type ‘ networksetup -setv6on Ethernet ’ and hit Enter.

That’s the limit of what you can do at home if you see DNS server not responding errors. If you have tried all the above but are still seeing DNS server errors, chances are, the error isn’t with your computer or home network!

DNS Server Errors and Their Fixes

DNS is central to how the internet operates and the web wouldn’t be the same without it. While the system seems complicated, if you just think of it like the web’s phone book, you won’t go far wrong.

Whether you use Windows or Mac, there are several things you can do when you see DNS server not responding errors in your browser. We have covered the vast majority of fixes we know that work, so there should be the fix within this page.

Don’t forget though, DNS server errors are often computer errors but not always. If you try all these fixes and it still isn’t fixed, it might be a wider internet issue so don’t throw the computer out the window just yet!

Recommended Articles:

  • What is the err_connection_refused error?

Do you know of any fixes for DNS server isn’t responding errors that we didn’t cover? Tell us about them below if you do!

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Pratik Chaskar Profile Pic

I was getting dns address could not be found, then dns_probe_possible. Then the page would load after a few seconds. After clearing browser stuff, trying a diff browser, dns flush and restarting router and modem, it still happened, but only on my pc. Then I found this article! The netsh commands seem to have fixed it. I really appreciate it.

Team Astra Profile Pic

That’s awesome, Will! 🙂

J S Shipman Profile Pic

I looked at several sites before I found yours. Your suggestion on the resets worked right away. You saved me hours of agony. Thanks ever so much.

So glad to hear that! 🙂

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How To Fix “DNS Server Isn’t Responding/This Webpage Is Not Available” Error

Fix This Webpage Is Not Available

Having an unresponsive or misconfigured Domain Name Server (DNS) can be quite infuriating since it won’t allow you to perform any tasks online, nor would you be able to load any web pages. Moreover, even after running the built-in troubleshooter in the Windows operating system, you might still not be able to fix the problem.

On a Windows 11 or 10 PC, you might see any of the following statements in a web browser or in the troubleshooter:

  • The DNS server isn’t responding.
  • Your computer appears to be correctly configured, but the device or resource (DNS server) is not responding.
  • This webpage is not available.
  • www.xxxxx.com’s server DNS address could not be found.

In most cases, these issues are linked directly to your DNS server. Either they are unreachable or are misconfigured. If you are seeing similar prompts while trying to access different web pages online, then you can benefit from the potential solutions discussed below.

Table of Contents

Causes of Unresponsive DNS Server

As we said, the DNS servers are usually unavailable or are misconfigured on your computer for the problem to occur in the first place, but there is more to it. It may be possible that the DNS server is correctly configured but your router is malfunctioning. Therefore, the root cause of the problem can be a few.

  • The browser cache is not updating the new DNS settings.
  • The DNS server is configured incorrectly.
  • The DNS server’s IP address is incorrect in your system settings.
  • Your router is malfunctioning.
  • A third-party antivirus is blocking a website, in which case it will show “DNS server not responding.”

Let us now continue to learn how to mitigate the issues so you can proceed to the desired web page.

Fix DNS Server Not Responding

We suggest that your resolve the issue by attempting the given solutions below. perform these in the given chronological order that goes from less aggressive to a more aggressive approach.

Clear Browser Cache

Open the Internet Properties applet by typing in inetcpl.cpl in the Run Command box.

run inetcpl

Under the Browsing history section, click Delete .

Delete browser cache

In the next pop-up window, make any other selections to remove and then click Delete .

Select and delete

The browser cache will now be cleared and new entries will be created. Now check to see if this resolves the issue. If it doesn’t, then proceed to the next step below.

Switch Browsers

We suggest that you also change your browser to make sure that the problem is with the DNS server and not the browser.

Changing your web browser will narrow the root cause of the problem. If this resolves the issue, then it means that the problem was either with the previous browser or its cache, in which case we suggest that you repair/reinstall the browser.

However, if it doesn’t fix the problem, then we believe that the following solutions will certainly address the fault.

Run Network Troubleshooter

The Windows operating system comes with its own troubleshooter. You can run these tiny apps that will automatically scan and attempt to repair any problems if found with the network and its connectivity.

Follow these steps to run the network troubleshooter:

Navigate to the following:

In Windows 11:

In Windows 10:

Here, run the  Network Adapter  troubleshooter.

Run troubleshooter

A wizard will now launch and scan your network adapter(s). When asked to select which adapter to troubleshoot, click on your current network adapter and then click  Next .

Select wi fi

If an issue is detected, you will be asked for a confirmation to apply its fix. Proceed by applying the fix and continue through the directions given by the troubleshooting wizard.

When all solutions have been applied, close the wizard. In case no fix was suggested, close the wizard still.

Now check to see if the problem was mitigated.

Restart Computer/ Router

If the solutions up until now have not worked for you, you can try restarting your computer  and  the router your device is attempting to connect to. This will ensure that any minor malfunctions on your computer will be resolved and that your router will be performing optimally.

Restarting both of the end devices would mean that all of their services and functions have been rebooted, and if any were malfunctioning, they will likely be sorted out and return to normal function.

However, if this doesn’t work either, then we still have a few options remaining to rectify the issue.

Reset Network

Note:  Resetting your network will bring it back to its default configuration and all manual configurations will be lost. Moreover, your computer will be rebooted automatically. Therefore, it is suggested that you save all open data and ensure that you can re-apply the configurations (if any).

Here, click  Reset now , and then reconfirm your action.

Reset network

Your network settings will now reset and your computer will reboot after approximately 5 minutes. Your computer needs this time as it is automatically reinstalling the network adapter and all necessary drivers.

When it does reboot, check to see if you are now able to access the web page which initially threw the DNS error.

Change DNS Server Address Manually

It may be possible that your current DNS configuration has become invalid and the server no longer exists, or maybe your computer is simply having trouble communicating with it. If so, try changing the DNS settings manually. Here is how:

Open the Network Connections applet by typing in ncpa.cpl in the Run Command box.

ncpa

Here, right-click on the adapter that is currently connected and then click Properties from the context menu.

Open adapter properties

From the Properties window, click on “Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4)” and then click Properties .

IPv4 properties

The IPv4 properties window will now open. Select “ Use the following DNS server addresses ” and then enter the following 2 addresses as the Preferred DNS server and the Alternate DNS server :

Note: Alternatively, you can also enter the DNS server addresses provided by your Internet Service Provider (ISP) or your organization’s system administrator.

Enter DNS addresses manually

Click Ok when done.

Click Ok on the adapter properties as well.

(Optional) As a best practice, restart your network adapter by disabling and then re-enabling it.

Restart network adapter

Now check if you still see the same error message. If you do, continue to perform the following solutions and mitigate the problem.

Disable IPv6

Although technology is making an advancement all around us, many of the network devices still support (and often use) the IPv4 networking protocol, as opposed to the IPv6 protocol. However, both of these are enabled by default on our wireless network adapters on a Windows computer.

That said, IPv6 is often not required, hence it can be disabled. Although it does not make sense to have our issue resolved by disabling this option, users have reported that it often does. Therefore, if you are still experiencing issues with your DNS server, try disabling it using these steps:

Open the Network Connections applet by typing in  ncpa.cpl  in the Run Command box.

Right-click on the adapter being used and then click  Properties  from the context menu.

From the  Properties  window, scroll down and  uncheck  the box next to “Internet Protocol Version 6 (TCP/IPv6),” then click  Ok .

Disable IPv6

When disabled, check to see if the issue persists.

Update/ Reinstall Network Driver

Outdated or corrupted network drivers are often the cause of a faulty and unstable internet connection. It may be possible that you have either an old or a corrupted network driver installed which needs to be replaced in order to rectify the issue.

First, try to update your network driver to a newer, better version. However, if the latest version is already installed, then you must reinstall it. Here is how:

Open the Device Manager by typing in  devmgmt.msc  in the Run Command box.

devmgmt

Expand “Network adapters” by clicking on it, then right-click on the wireless adapter and then click  Update driver  from the context menu.

Update network driver

You can now click “Search automatically for drivers” to  automatically install  the latest driver (needs internet connection), or you can click “Browse my computer for drivers” to  manually update it  if you have already downloaded a standalone driver for your network adapter.

Choose how to update network driver

Once the driver is updated, continue to check if it resolved the problem. However, if the latest driver was already installed and your problem remains, try  reinstalling the driver .

Uninstall Third-Party Antivirus

All third-party antiviruses cannot be trusted, and even if they are, it is still plausible that they might consider legitimate system files as well as websites a threat and block them from running or being accessible. Therefore, we recommend that you disable or uninstall any third-party software on your PC and then check to see if it resolves the issue.

You can uninstall them from the  Programs & Features  applet, or use  antivirus removal tools  to uninstall them and clear all footprints.

If this doesn’t work either, then there still is a trick up our sleeves to fix the problem.

Reset TCP/IP Stack

The internet works on TCP/IP protocol. If TCP/IP protocol stack is not working correctly, you will have issues with your Internet connection, such as the one we are trying to fix. The best way to fix Internet issues is to  reset TCP/IP stack settings . Follow these steps to learn how:

Note:  Resetting your TCP/IP stack will undo any manual configurations. Therefore, it is recommended that you only proceed forward if you remember and can configure those settings again.

Open the Command Prompt with elevated privileges .

Now run the following cmdlets one after the other.

When all these cmdlets are executed, restart your computer, re-apply the manual configurations (if any), and then attempt to connect to the network again.

Now that everything has been reset, check to see if you are now able to access the web page that was previously throwing the DNS error.

Closing Words

The Domain Name Server is responsible for translating the URLs into Internet Protocol (IP) addresses. However, if a DNS is unavailable, then your internet connection will not work altogether, and basically, be useless.

That said, we recommend to all system administrators and ISPs provide a stable and correct DNS infrastructure to the end clients so they do not have similar issues to these.

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How to diagnose and fix DNS problems

Dead websites, page loading issues, web not working as it should? Here's what to do next.

A laptop screen displaying a Page Not Found - Error 404 message

Browsing the web is so easy, simple and straightforward that it feels almost automatic. Sure, you know there's a lot of low-level tech making this happen, but who cares when it just works?

That only makes it more frustrating when you suddenly get major page loading issues, though, dead websites everywhere, and all kinds of other web-based complications.

Internet connectivity problems across multiple websites can look like something you'll never fix yourself, but that's not always true – they're often related to DNS (Domain Name System) problems. In this article we'll look at how to identify these, and then get your system working again.

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What is DNS?

Accessing a new website looks simple, at least from user's point of view. Enter the URL in a browser, wait a few seconds, website appears, that's about it. Peek under the hood, though, and there's a lot more going on.

Your browser can't access a web server from a domain name like techradar.com, for instance. It can only find and download websites when it has a server IP address , such as 199.232.198.114.

A device normally handles this by asking your ISP's DNS server to translate the domain name into an IP address. Easy.

But what if DNS fails, and the server doesn't always return the IP address you need? Then you'll see major web problems.

What does a DNS issue look like?

If your DNS fails entirely then it's likely you'll see timeouts, DNS or other errors with all your internet apps. It might look like your entire internet is dead.

Other DNS failures are partial, though, affecting some websites only. Maybe you'll access sites a, b and c as usual, but x, y and z all seem to be down.

Partial failures can also cause odd-looking page loading issues. What if DNS allows you to access bigsite.com, but not the domain where it hosts its images, scripts or contact forms? 

You might see image placeholders, empty spaces where content used to be, or buttons and other site features not working as they should. It's this mix of problems across multiple sites that's one of the tell-tale signs of a DNS problem.

Diagnosing a DNS issue

The simplest DNS problem to diagnose is an issue with your current server. Try the same websites on a connection using another DNS server, and if they're now accessible and work correctly, it looks like you have a DNS issue.

If you've problems on a mobile device connected to your home Wi-Fi, for example, switching to your mobile network allows you to test a site with new DNS servers. 

Or if you're on the move and already using your mobile network, look for a free hotspot you can try. (Just for a quick connectivity test, though – free Wi-Fi can be a security risk causing more problems than it solves, and you should always use at least a cheap VPN to stay safe on these networks.)

No other connections available? Try the virtual online browser Browserling . If you can reach it, choose Chrome as your preferred browser, enter the URL in the address box and click Test Now! Browserling uses its own DNS to connect to the site, so if it gets you access and your own connection doesn't, it could be a DNS issue.

Test your DNS server

A more advanced test is to manually ask your DNS server for the IP address of the domain you're trying to access. If the server can't find the IP or displays an error, that points to a DNS difficulty.

To try this on Windows, click Start , type CMD and open Command Prompt , then type NSLOOKUP and press Enter. ( NSLOOKUP is often available on Macs and Linux – try opening it from your terminal window.) 

NSLOOKUP launches and displays the name and IP address of your current DNS server (or 192.168.* if devices get their DNS via your router's connection.)

Now type the name of any domain you can't currently access, press Enter, and NSLOOKUP queries your DNS server.

If NSLOOKUP displays the site IP address, it looks like DNS is working correctly.

But if NSLOOKUP displays an error like ' can't find Google .com: Non-existent domain ', that's pretty conclusive evidence that something is screwed up at the DNS level. Although there is one more quick trick you should try.

Try another DNS server

You've proved that your DNS server can't find an IP address for a domain, but will other DNS servers do any better? NSLOOKUP makes it really, really easy to find out.

Type SERVER 1.1.1.1 , press Enter , and NSLOOKUP changes its default DNS server to the IP address 1.1.1.1. (That's Cloudflare. If you know you were using Cloudflare before and that's the DNS with the problem, switch to Google's 8.8.8.8 , instead.)

Now enter whatever domain you couldn't reach earlier, and NSLOOKUP sends its DNS query to Cloudflare (or Google), instead.

If NSLOOKUP failed earlier but successfully gets an IP with Cloudflare, that looks like a problem affecting your DNS server only.

Test this by entering the IP address in your browser, instead of the regular domain. Use 142.250.179.238 for Google, for instance. If you can't access the website when you enter a domain, but it at least begins to load with the IP address, that confirms your DNS issues.

How to fix DNS problems

If it looks like your ISP's DNS isn't working, the quickest and most effective solution is to switch to a free public DNS server . Google and Cloudflare offer fast and reliable services which anyone can use, no registration required.

Changing DNS servers normally involves tweaking your device network settings. The Cloudflare support site has guides on setting up Cloudflare DNS for Windows, Mac, Android, iOS, routers, gaming consoles, Linux and more. These are sometimes very basic ('install app X to do it for you'), but Google's equivalent page has more detailed advice if you need it.

Whatever changes you make, be sure to note down your original settings first, just in case you need to switch them back later.

Reboot your device when you're done,  and it should now be using your (hopefully) problem-free new DNS server.

If you still have internet connectivity problems, though, it's time to ask your ISPs support team for help. Tell them what you've tried, and that should help them diagnose the issue and get your connection running smoothly again.

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Mike is a lead security reviewer at Future, where he stress-tests VPNs , antivirus and more to find out which services are sure to keep you safe, and which are best avoided. Mike began his career as a lead software developer in the engineering world, where his creations were used by big-name companies from Rolls Royce to British Nuclear Fuels and British Aerospace. The early PC viruses caught Mike's attention, and he developed an interest in analyzing malware, and learning the low-level technical details of how Windows and network security work under the hood.

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Home › Knowledge Base › Common Errors

DNS Server Not Responding (4 Easy Solutions)

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Suddenly you cannot access any websites through the Internet. Then you try to troubleshoot the network problems on your Windows. It tells you the DNS server not responding is the culprit. You may see one of these:

“ The DNS server isn’t responding . Your computer appears to be correctly configured, but the device or resource (DNS server) is not responding .”

If this problem occurs, don’t worry. Follow this guide to fix it.

Try these fixes

If you’d like to know why you can’t browse the Internet due to the ‘DNS server not responding , you can go to read the reason part . Otherwise, follow along with the solutions directly.

  • Correct your DNS server address
  • Clear your DNS cache and reset your IP
  • Update your network adapter driver
  • Restart your modem and router

Bonus Tip: Try using VPN to fix the connection problem.

Note:  The screens shown below are from Windows 10, but all the methods also apply to Windows 11/8/7.

Solution 1: Correct your DNS server address

The DNS server not responding error could be probably caused by an incorrect DNS server address . So you can follow these to correct your DNS server address:

1) On your keyboard, press the  Windows logo key  and  R  at the same time to invoke the Run box.

how to solve problem dns server isn't responding

Restart your computer and try to access the website you want to go to again and see if it succeeds.

Solution 2: Clear your DNS cache and reset your IP

There may be problems with your DNS server if its cache is getting full. To see if that’s the case, try clearing the DNS cache and resetting the IP address.

how to solve problem dns server isn't responding

Note: Click  Yes  when prompted by the User Account Control.

how to solve problem dns server isn't responding

Then restart your computer and try to access the website you want to visit again and see if it succeeds.

Solution 3: Update your network adapter driver

Your DNS server won’t respond if the network adapter driver is outdated.  You can update your network adapter driver manually or, if you’re not confident playing around with drivers, you can do it automatically with  Driver Easy .

Driver Easy will automatically recognize your system and find the correct drivers for it. You don’t need to know exactly what system your computer is running, you don’t need to risk downloading and installing the wrong driver, and you don’t need to worry about making a mistake when installing.

You can update your drivers automatically with either the FREE or the Pro version of Driver Easy. But with the Pro version it takes just 2 clicks (and you get full support and a 30-day money-back guarantee ):

1) Download   and install Driver Easy.

how to solve problem dns server isn't responding

After updating your network adapter driver, please restart your computer. Try to access the website you want to go to again and see if it succeeds.

Solution 4: Restart your modem and router

If your modem or router doesn’t work properly, the DNS server could stop responding, either.  You can restart your modem and router if you have one to solve the problem.

how to solve problem dns server isn't responding

2) Try to access the website you want to go to again and see if it succeeds.

Why can’t I access websites when the DNS server not responding? 

First, let’s figure out what a DNS server is. DNS ( Domain Name System) server helps to translate the website address into the IP address for your browser to connect to.

For example, when you want to access our website: www.drivereasy.com on Chrome, the DNS server translates it into our public IP address:  144.217.68.24 for Chrome to connect to. 

So you may know if there’s any wrong with your DNS server, you cannot access any website on your browser. No exception that if your DNS server stops responding, you cannot access the websites through the Internet.

Hopefully, this article has helped you fixed the problem. Feel free to comment below with your own experiences and share with your friends or colleagues if they’re experiencing the same problem.

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As a technical writer for Driver Easy, April writes articles related to various tech issues, including Windows computer problems and game errors. She's never happier than when her articles help people solve their problems - whether they're Windows errors and blue screens to network errors and faulty hardware. As a Microsoft Certified Professional (MCP), she focuses on Windows system problems and daily tips and tricks. When she's not writing, she likes reading literary novels and poetry.

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How To Fix “DNS Server Not Responding” Error? (12 Methods)

dns server not responding

While surfing the internet, on many occasions your browser must have shown an error message stating “ DNS server not responding ” or “ DNS server isn’t responding “. You start freaking out about what went wrong with the website, browser, or internet connection. But things are way different from what you are assuming.

This DNS server not responding generates an error when DNS fails to translate your hostnames into IP addresses. There can be multiple reasons that trigger this error message on your browser screen, which we will discuss in later sections of this post in detail.

But to your knowledge, most problems can be easily resolved with simple steps. The most common and effective method that would work is to restart your computer or switch to another web browser.

So, in this post, we try to cover all the aspects of “DNS Server not responding”, i.e. What is the meaning of DNS Server Not responding, what are the reasons that cause DNS Server not responding error and how can you fix them?

Keep on reading to get all your answers, Let’s get started!

Methods to fix DNS Server not Responding error (Windows)

  • Check out different browsers
  • Turn on your computer in Safe Mode
  • Check with antivirus and Firewalls
  • Restart your internet Modem or Router
  • Update your Network Adapters with the latest version available
  • Disable P2P feature to fix the DNS server not responding Windows 10
  • Clear your DNS cache and reset your IP address
  • Disable all connections other than the primary
  • By changing the DNS settings on your Windows PC
  • Temporarily Disable IPv6
  • Check if disabling the Microsoft Virtual Wi-Fi Miniport Adapter fixes the issue?
  • Contact your Internet service provider

Now you have got an idea about what the “ DNS server does not responding ” error means and what the possible reasons causing it. So, it is time for you to know how you can fix this error with the best possible methods available on both the platforms Windows as well as macOS.

1. Check out different browsers

One of the most common and basic methods that everyone should try first is to check if the error occurs in other browsers too. Sometimes, the DNS server not responding error can be fixed by simply changing the browser or updating the current one with its latest version available.

To start with, there are various other popular web browsers available on the internet such as Mozilla Firefox or Microsoft Edge you can try. If you are a macOS user and your default web browser is Safari you can try on either Chrome or Firefox instead.

If you don’t find a DNS server issue or an error message, it means there is an issue with your default current web browser. You can either reinstall it or update it with the latest version available.

However, if you still find the error message “DNS server not responding” after switching the browsers, it means, the source of this error is not your browsers.

2. Turn on your computer in Safe Mode

Sometimes, due to some issues in operating systems, your computer may show a DNS server not responding to error messages on your web browser. Hence, to figure out and resolve this issue you can turn your computer on in safe mode and check if it fixes the issue or not.

In safe mode, all the computer resources and files will be limited that are required to run the operating system, which can be an effective method to resolve this issue.

Turning Safe mode in Windows 7

For Windows 7 users, to turn on your computer in safe mode, you need to restart your computer by going to Power > Restart. After that, when the computer starts booting up, hold down the F8 key immediately. After that check, the issue DNS server not responding to Windows 7 was fixed or not.

Turning Safe mode in For Windows 10 or 11 users

Turning safe mode in both Windows 10 and 11 is quite the same but it is different from Windows 7. Let us see what steps you need to follow:

  • Click on the Windows button as well as the key R simultaneously.
  • Type “msconfig” in the box provided.

Run utility window

3. Select the Boot tab > Safe Boot option and click on the Apply button.

windows Safe Boot option

4. Now select the Restart button to apply the changes.

and your computer will boot up in safe mode. After that check, the issue of the DNS server not responding to Windows 10 or the DNS server not responding to Windows 11 has been fixed or not.

3. Check with antivirus and Firewalls

If checking with different browsers as well as accessing the website in safe mode does not help you to fix the issue, the next method you can try is to disable the antivirus and firewalls of your system temporarily.

Antivirus and Firewalls are some of the most important security measures of your system that secure your website from malicious attacks and intrusion. But sometimes they can also create problems for your system and with your connectivity. Hence to check whether firewalls or antivirus software are the culprits, you need to disable them temporarily and check if the issue persists or not.

If you are a Windows user, to disable the Windows antivirus application “Windows Defender” you need to go to your Control panel > Update and Security > Windows Security > Virus and Threat protection >Manage Settings .

Disable antivirus and Firewalls Temporarily

And turn off the Real-time Protection temporarily as shown in the picture below:

Real-time Protection

4. Restart your internet Modem or Router

Another easiest troubleshooting method to fix the DNS server not responding issue is by restarting your internet modem or Router. This method helps to clear out your router’s cache memory and that could help you to fix the issue.

To restart your modem, you can simply turn it off by pressing the power button until the LED lights stop blinking and wait for 10 seconds. Or it is better to remove the power source from the router/modem and wait for 30 seconds. After waiting for a while, turn on your modem or router or plug it into the power source again and wait till it can establish the connection.

After doing so, move back to your web browser and check if this method can resolve the “DNS server not responding issue” or not.

5. Update your Network Adapters with the latest version available

Another possible reason that you are facing the “DNS server not responding” issue can be due to an outdated version of your Network Adapters. So, in this situation, updating your network adapters with the latest version available can be the solution. You can update your Network Adapter manually or use tools to search for updates and install them for you automatically. If your network adapter provider is Intel you can easily get the latest version on their official website.

6. Disable the P2P feature to fix the DNS server not responding to Windows 10

If all the above-mentioned methods are not able to fix the DNS server not responding error. Another thing you can try is to disable the Windows P2P feature which is exclusive to Windows 10 users.

However, the above all saves your machine’s download bandwidth. This means it lets you download all the Windows updates once and after that, it uses your device as a medium to spread/share this latest version across all the computers that are available on your local network.

However, this feature can also be a culprit of triggering a DNS server not responding error and disrupting your DNS process. Hence, you need to disable it temporarily and check whether it is the culprit or not.

To disable this P2P feature, all you need to do is to click on Windows located at the down left corner of your machine and go to the Settings option followed by Update and Security as shown in the picture below:

Windows Update and Security

Now Click on the Advanced options as shown in the picture below:

Windows Update

You will find the Delivery Optimization option just below the Advanced Options page as shown in the picture below:

Windows Advanced Options

Now to disable the P2P feature, you need to turn off the “Allow downloads from other PCs” option as shown in the picture below:

Disable P2P feature in Windows

After following all the steps mentioned above, you need to restart your computer to make the changes effective and try to check if it can remove the issue or not. In case it doesn’t work we are going to provide you with more solutions that you can try.

7. Clear your DNS cache and reset your IP address

Earlier, you tried to restart your router to clear its cache but it didn’t work. Even if you tried the most effective and common methods it is still not able to fix it. Now it is time to get deeper and a little technical by looking at your DNS settings. Since the router has a cache present, it needs to be purged before establishing a connection to the internet.

For Windows users, you need to open your command prompt by typing the “ cmd ” in your Windows search bar and choosing the Command prompt application as shown:

Command Prompt

Open the command prompt app and enter ipconfig/flushdns followed by pressing Enter:

Command prompt to flush dns

When hitting the Enter button, the Command prompt will flush your DNS instantly and a message will display stating “ Successfully flushed the DNS Resolver Cache ” as shown in the picture below:

flush Dns

Similarly, repeat the same process by typing the following commands as mentioned below:

ipconfig /registerdns

ipconfig /release

ipconfig /renew

8. Disable all connections other than the primary

Now, if disabling all the firewalls and antivirus applications on your machine doesn’t help you out with the DNS server not responding issue, another thing you can try out is to disable all the connections other than the primary one. It means you should not disable the current or active connection but other available connections.

For Windows 10 or 11 users, you need to go to your Windows icon located at the bottom corner left-hand side of your screen and click on it. Type “Network connections” in the search bar as shown in the picture below and select the View network connections application as shown below:

Windows Network connections

When you click on View Network connections, you will be directed to the Network Connections page, where you can see all the available connections you have. The active/current connection that you are using will be marked as green whereas the connections that are not in use will be marked as red cross as shown in the picture below.

Network Connections not in use

Now select the connections which are not in use and disable them one by one. After successfully disabling all the secondary connections, you need to restart your computer and check whether it resolves the DNS server not responding issue by accessing the website on your browser.

9. By changing the DNS settings on your Windows PC

This method is getting a little technical and requires a lot of steps, which can be a little confusing for any beginner. But it is an effective method that you must try if all the above methods fail to fix the DNS server not responding issue.

If you are a Windows user, the first thing you need to do is to go to your Network Connections, Following the same process mentioned in Method 8. On the View Network connections page, choose the connection you are currently using or active and right-click on it to reveal options. Select properties.

Network Connection Properties

When you click on the properties, a new window will open, in which you have to select Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4), as shown in the picture below:

A new window of Internet Protocol Version 4 will appear and you need to select the option “Use the following DNS server address” to assign a different DNS address manually.

you can fill Google ‘s public DNS IPv6 address in the Preferred DNS server as 8.8.8.8 and the Alternate DNS server as 8.8.4.4

10. Temporarily Disable IPv6

After IPv4, the latest internet protocol version that is primarily used is IPv6. Its main function is to route traffic between networks and the internet. But sometimes, it can also be the culprit for triggering a DNS server not responding error message on your computer screen. So, to check whether it is the main culprit behind this error or not, you need to open your Computer Network Connection page, just like you did in the above two methods. and select the active/current connection, right-click on it, and select the Properties option.

You will have a Network Connection properties window as shown below: Under the Networking tab of the panel that opens, scroll down until you see Internet Protocol Version 6 (TCP/IPv6):

Disabling IPv6 on windows

Now disable the IPv6 and unselect the box if it is selected by default as shown in the picture above. Now restart your web browser and check if the problem is resolved or not.

11. Check if disabling the Microsoft Virtual Wi-Fi Miniport Adapter fixes the issue.

To disable the Microsoft Virtual Wi-Fi Miniport Adapter, the first thing you need to do is press the Windows button and R key simultaneously on your keyboard. A run pop-up window will appear.

Now you need to type devmgmt.msc and hit the Enter key. This command will launch the Device Manager application on your computer screen. Now click on the View tab and select Show hidden Devices to show some new devices which are hidden in the list as shown in the picture below:

Windows Device Manager

Click on the Network adapters category to expand and right-click on the Intel Virtual Wi-Fi Miniport Adapter to choose the uninstall device option.

Uninstall Intel Virtual Wi-Fi Miniport Adapter

Do the same process with all the available Virtual Miniport Adapters and when done, close all the windows and restart your system.

12. Contact your Internet service provider

Although from the above 11 methods, any one method will be sufficient to fix the DNS server not responding error. But in case none of the above methods work, the only and final option left for you is to contact your Internet service provider.

Their technical knowledge and skills will help you to resolve this issue as soon as possible.

You can also read our other articles that are also based on similar kinds of errors such as:

  • How to Fix DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_NXDOMAIN Error?
  • How To Fix Error 404 Not Found?

Read: 🚩 chrome://net-internals/#dns – How to Clear DNS Cache Chrome

Methods to fix DNS Server not Responding error (macOS devices)

  • Turning Safe mode in macOS
  • Flush DNS cache in macOS devices
  • Disable Secondary connections
  • Temporarily Disable IPV6 in macOS
  • Disable firewall in macOS
  • Change DNS settings in macOS

Now that you have learned how to fix the DNS server not responding error in Windows devices, it’s worth noting that Mac users can use the methods listed below:

1. Turning Safe mode in macOS

For macOS users, the process is almost the same. When your machine is booting up you need to press the shift key unless or until the Apple logo appears. Once the logo appears, you can release the key and your Mac machine will start in safe mode.

After that, in safe mode, you can check whether the issue persists while accessing the website again or not. If in safe mode there is no internet or any connectivity issue and if the DNS server not respond issue occurs, it may be caused by any third-party application such as an antivirus.

2. Flush DNS cache in macOS devices

For macOS users, to purge or flush the DNS cache, you need to go to your Terminal application by pressing the Command as well as Space keys simultaneously and type the “terminal” keyword into the Spotlight. Open the Terminal application type the following command and hit enter:

dscacheutil -flushcache

Now you are done, this simple command will flush out the DNS cache instantly.

3. Disable Secondary connections

For macOS users, to disable secondary connections, the process is quite different. To do so, you need to navigate through the Apple icon similar to the Windows icon in Windows OS. Select System Preferences followed by Network.

macOS Network Settings

All the available network connections will be listed on the left side of the window as shown in the picture above. Now to disable any of the connections, you need to select the network and click on the (-) sign located at the bottom of the window as shown in the picture.

4. Temporarily Disable IPV6 in macOS

For macOS users, first of all, you need to open the Terminal application and enter the commands given below:

networksetup -listallnetworkservices

A complete list of all the available networks will appear. Now to disable IPv6 for Wi-Fi devices, you need to enter the command given below:

networksetup -setv6off Wi-Fi // for wifi connection

After that press the enter button, and you are done. You can check if this method is working or not by simply restarting your web browser and trying to access a website.

5. Disable the firewall in macOS

For Macintosh users to disable the Firewall temporarily, you need to go to your System Preferences > Security and Privacy > Firewall.

After successfully deactivating the antivirus or Firewalls, you can access the website from the website and check if the issue is still there or not. If the issue has been resolved, you can check the settings of your antivirus program and enable it.

6. Change DNS settings in macOS

However, if you are a macOS user, you can have this setting by navigating to your Apple icon > System preferences > Network.

macOS system Preferences

The next thing you need to select your current network and select the Advanced button.

macOS network Advanced option

The moment you click on the Advanced button a new window will appear in which you need to enter a new DNS. Select the DNS tab click on the “+” button and press the Enter button.

macOS adding new DNS

When you successfully enter the new DNS information, the next thing you need to do is to click on the Apply button and restart your web browser. You can access the website to check if the error DNS server not responding is resolved or not.

Intermittent DNS server not responding Issue

At times, there are certain occasions you may also experience an intermittent DNS server not responding error on your computer screen. The main culprit for triggering this error can be your faulty broadband router or modem. i.e the issue has been caused by your network adapter and you need to follow these steps to ensure it works properly:

  • Restart your modem or router
  • Update your network card drivers
  • Try reconnecting your computer to the router
  • Try disabling IPv6
  • Reset Winsock

Step 1: All you need to Open a Cmd prompt with admin privileges

Step 2: Type netsh winsock reset catalog and press enter.

Reset Winsock using cmd prompt

Step 3: Restart the computer and you are done.

However, if none of the methods mentioned above worked for you, you can try them out by performing a clean boot in Windows and disabling any antivirus program temporarily.

What is the meaning of a DNS Server Not Responding to an Error?

DNS server isn't responding error

In simple words, a DNS or Domain Name Server is a translator that translates hostnames that are alphanumeric into IP addresses. Let us understand how it works in detail.

First of all, when you enter your web address or hostname in the address bar of your web browser, it is sent to a nearby DNS server via your router, where it gets translated into a numeric IP address. During this translation process, if anything goes wrong, the user will get notified by an error message on their web browser page stating “DNS server is not responding”. i.e. your web browser has not been able to make a successful connection to the internet.

Generally, this type of error occurs from the user end, either due to the user having a poor internet connection or not properly configured DNS. It is also possible that the user has not updated their web browsers or even the server is busy.

Hence, the most common and widely used solution that you must try to fix this issue is simply restarting your Personal computer or trying on other browsers.

Let us check out what are the possible reasons for DNS Server not responding on your PC, especially on your Windows device. Since Windows has the major Operating system market share in the world, let us see what are the reasons for the DNS servers not responding on Windows 10.

Possible Reasons for DNS Server not responding to Windows 10 devices

When a user enters the host’s name in the web browser, it gets translated into an IP address by DNS. The DNS saves all these IP addresses that the user requests in the form of a cache. Hence, from this, there can be only two possibilities that cause this error to happen in Windows 10 devices. They are:

  • Exhausted Cache Memory: You have already read that all the IP addresses that the user request is stored in DNS as cache memory so that whenever the user likes to visit the website again, it does not go through the same process again and again.
  • Malware attacks: Some malware or Computer viruses are assigned to steal data from your browser. Similarly, phishing is a data-stealing technique in which your computer is infected with some malware and Your web data is being stolen from the DNS cache or compromised. Due to this, you will start being redirected to some other potentially harmful websites.

Now you must be able to understand what are the possible causes that let this error message reflect on your webpage. Let us check out the different methods by which you can fix this issue as soon as possible.

Since only two dominating operating systems are used worldwide, i.e. Microsoft and Mac OS, we will talk about solutions for only these two platforms.

Encountering the error message “DNS server not responding” while accessing a website can be quite irritating and frustrating. Although the reason for triggering this error can be due to a variety of reasons, the best part is, that it can be resolved by following some simple methods. Such as:

  • Trying to access the website on a different browser
  • Turn your computer into safe mode
  • Check with Antivirus and Firewalls
  • Restart your Internet Modem and Router
  • Disable the Windows P2P feature
  • Disable all the connections rather than primarily the active one
  • Change your DNS settings on Windows
  • Disable IPv6
  • Disable Microsoft Virtual Wi-Fi Miniport Adapter
  • Contact your ISP

Apart from the above methods, if you have any more working methods that we have missed mentioning in this post, please do let us know in the comment section below.

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Frequently Asked Question

How do i fix the dns server that isn’t responding.

The 12 best methods to fix a DNS server not responding are: 1. Trying to access the website on a different browser 2. Turn your computer into safe mode 3. Check with Antivirus and Firewalls 4. Restart your Internet Modem and Router 5. Update your Network Adapters with the latest version available 6. Disable the Windows P2P feature 7. Clear your DNS cache and reset your IP address 8. Disable all the connections rather than primarily the active one 9. Change your DNS settings on Windows 10. Disable IPv6 11. Disable Microsoft Virtual Wi-Fi Miniport Adapter 12. Contact your ISP (Internet Service Provider)

How do you reset your DNS server?

To reset your DNS server, Do the following steps: 1. Open CMD by clicking on the Start button located at the bottom corner left-hand side of your Windows PC. 2. A black window of CMD will appear. 3. Type ipconfig /flushdns and hit enter 4. Now Restart your Windows PC

What is a DNS failure?

Due to any reason, DNS is not able to convert your hostname into an IP address in a TCP/IP network. It is termed a DNS failure.

WPOven Author

Rahul Kumar is a web enthusiast, and content strategist specializing in WordPress & web hosting. With years of experience and a commitment to staying up-to-date with industry trends, he creates effective online strategies that drive traffic, boosts engagement, and increase conversions. Rahul’s attention to detail and ability to craft compelling content makes him a valuable asset to any brand looking to improve its online presence.

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14 Ways to The DNS Server Isn’t Responding” in Windows 10

DNS

One of the common problems many users face when trying to access the Internet is DNS not responding error. In case you don’t know, DNS is responsible for translating human-readable web address like google.com to computer understandable IP address. When the DNS server is not working as it should, you will not be able to access the Internet as the web browser don’t know where to go when you type in the human-readable address.

There is any number of reasons why you are stuck with the DNS not responding error. However, to help solve the error, I’ve listed quite a few fixes you can try. Go through one fix after the other and see what works for you.

Read:  10 Step by Step Fix to WiFi Connected But No Internet Access

Fix DNS Server Isn’t Responding in Windows 10/8/7

1. check if the internet is working on other devices.

Before doing anything, connect your other devices like mobile phone and laptop to the same network and see if you can access the Internet from those devices. If you can access the Internet from those devices, then the problem is with your computer. If you cannot access the Internet from those other devices too, then the problem might be with the DNS server, router, or your ISP. In those situations, you can skip most of the fixes below and follow the fix number 5, 9, and 14.

2. Restart Your Computer

Any time you see a problem with your computer, the first and foremost thing you should do is restart your system. In general, restarting your system fixes and a lot of issues automatically. So, right-click on the start menu and select the “Shutdown or sign out -> Restart” option. After restarting, try again and see if the DNS not responding error is fixed. If not, moved on to the next step.

fix dns server not responding 01 - restart windows

3. Use Another Browser

Sometimes, no matter what browser you are using, it might act funny and prevent you from accessing the Internet. So, just to be sure, use another browser and see if you can access the Internet without DNS not responding error. Don’t forget to do this step after restarting your system. Alternatively, you can ping google.com from the cmd. If the other browser is working fine, then it’s just the browser that has DNS issue. Reinstall it and that should fix the issue.

4. Verify Hosts File If Only a Few Websites are not Working

Sometimes, it is possible that only some websites are not working on your system. One of the reasons might be that the website is blocked in the hosts file. Just to make sure, it is good to check if the website you are trying to access isn’t blocked in the hosts file.

Search for Notepad in the start menu, right-click on it and select “Run as Administrator”. Next, click on the “File -> Open” option. Go to ” C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc”, select “All files” from the drop-down menu, select “hosts” file and click on the “Open” button.

fix dns server not responding 02 - select hosts files

Your hosts file should look like the one in the image below. If not, delete any extra entries, save the file and try to access the blocked websites.

fix dns server not responding 03 - hosts file

5. Restart Your Router

Routers, for any number of reasons, act funny from time to time and prevent you from accessing the internet even though there is no problem with your ISP. I’ve seen it happen several times. The good thing is, restarting the router will fix the issue. So, log in to your router admin page and reboot it. If you have a hardware button to reboot, you can use that too.

fix dns server not responding 04 - restart router

6. Run Windows Internet Diagnostics Tool

Windows has all sorts of easy to use diagnostic tools that find and fixes all sorts of issues. One such tool is the Internet Connections Diagnostic Tool. This tool scans your system and tries to fix the issues it finds.

To run the diagnostics tools, open the Settings app and go to “Update and Security -> Troubleshoot”. On the right-panel, click on the “Internet Connections” button. Next, click on the “Run the troubleshooter” button.

fix dns server not responding 05 - click run troubleshooter button

Follow the wizard and Windows should find and fix any problems for you.

fix dns server not responding 06 - troubleshooter running

7. Disable and Enable Network Adapter

If you’ve recently installed any software or driver, it might be in conflict with your network adapter. In those situations, you can fix it by simply disabling and enabling the network adapter.

Open control panel and go to “Networking and Sharing Center”. On the left panel, click on the “Change adapter settings” link.

fix dns server not responding 07 - change adapter settings link

Right-click on your current network adapter and select the option “Disable”.

fix dns server not responding 08 - disable adapter

This action will disable the network adapter.

fix dns server not responding 09 - adapter disabled

Right-click on the disabled network adapter again and select the “Enable” option.

fix dns server not responding 10 - enable adapter

Once enabled, see if you can access the internet.

8. Clear DNS Cache

Windows caches all the DNS requests so that you can connect to the websites faster. However, if the DNS cache is corrupted and not flushed out, you might face the DNS not responding error. You can easily solve this by clearing the DNS cache .

To do that, search for “command prompt” in the start menu and open it. Now, execute the below command and Windows will clear the DNS cache.

fix dns server not responding 11 - clear dns cache

After clearing the DNS cache, see if the problem is fixed.

9. Change DNS Server

More often than not, when you sign up with your ISP, they will configure your Internet settings to use their own DNS servers. Compared to other public DNS services like Google or Cloudflare, most probably, your ISP DNS server is pretty lackluster and error-prone. So, when facing DNS problems, you can try switching to other public DNS services.

Generally, you can change the DNS server manually from the network adapter options. However, there is an easier way to change the DNS server. That is by using free software called DNS Jumper. This software allows you to hop between several DNS services and check which works the best.

So, download DNS Jumper , open the application, select “Google Public DNS” from the “Choose a DNS Server” dropdown menu and hit the “Apply DNS” button.

fix dns server not responding 12 - change dns address

After changing the DNS server, try to visit the website of your choice. If you want to, you can follow the previous step and clear the DNS cache again.

10. Disable All Other Network Adapters

I’ve seen this often enough that I have to list it as a possible solution. When you have multiple network adapters, they might be in conflict with your main network adapter and cause problems. This especially happens when you’ve just installed a network driver or a network adapter. So, disabling all the other network adapters other than the one you are using might sometimes fix the issue.

To disable network adapters, open the control panel and go to “Networking and Sharing Center” -> “Change adapter settings”. Now, except your main network adapter, right-click on each adapter and select “Disable”.

fix dns server not responding 13 - disable other adapters

Once you’ve disabled all the network adapter except your main one, see if the DNS not responding problem still persists.

11. Apply Mac Address Manually

Generally, Windows is pretty good at the detecting and applying the MAC address to the network adapter. However, there are certain situations where this process goes haywire and cause problems. In those cases, you can try adding the mac address manually to the network adapter.

First, we need to find the MAC address of the adapter. To do that, open the command prompt and execute the below command.

You will see the mac address of your network adapter right next to “Physical Address”. Note it down in a text file.

fix dns server not responding 14 - copy mac address

Now, open the control panel and go to “Network and Sharing Center” -> “Change adapter settings”. Right-click on your network adapter and select “Properties”.

fix dns server not responding 15 - select network properties

In the properties window, click on the “Configure” button.

fix dns server not responding 16 - click configure button

Next, go to the “Advanced” tab and select “Network Address” option. Now, select radio option next to the blank field, and type in the MAC address that you copied earlier without any dashes. Click on the “Ok” button to save changes.

fix dns server not responding 17 - paste mac address

Reboot your computer and see if it fixes the issues.

12. Check Your Antivirus

Antivirus software is an essential part to keep you safe from a myriad of online and offline threats. Though Windows has built-in antivirus called Windows Defender, many use third-party antivirus software for greater protection. As part of that protection, they can sometimes be a bit too aggressive and block your internet causing the DNS not responding error. To fix that, you can simply uninstall your antivirus software.

To uninstall antivirus software, open the control panel and go to “Programs and Features”. From the list of installed software, find the antivirus software, right-click on it and select the “Uninstall” option. Follow the uninstallation wizard to uninstall the antivirus software.

After uninstalling the antivirus, reboot Windows and see if you can access the internet.

fix dns server not responding 18 - uninstall antivirus

13. Reinstall Network Drivers

Corrupted network drivers can cause all sorts of problems. By simply updating or reinstalling the drive, you might be able to fix DNS not responding error. You can download the latest network drivers from your motherboard manufacturer website. So, find a device that has access to the internet, like your mobile phone, and download the latest network driver from your motherboard manufacturer website.

Once you have the driver, copy it to your computer. Next, search for “Device Manager” in the start menu and open it. Here, expand Network Adapter section, right-click on your network adapter and select “Uninstall device”.

fix dns server not responding 19 - uninstall network driver

Reboot Windows.

After restarting, install the downloaded driver like any other Windows software and reboot Windows to apply the driver.

See if this fixes this issue.

14. Contact Your ISP

If all the above steps failed to solve the DNS not responding error, then the problem might be with your ISP. They might’ve misconfigured something. If that’s the case, then there is nothing you can do from your side. So, contact your ISP and explain the situation and they should be able to fix the issue for you.

Hope that helps. If you think I missed any other fix to list here, then comment below and share it with me.

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Vamsi Krishna

Vamsi is a tech geek who enjoys writing how-to guides and tinkering with computers and software in general. He especially loves using Windows and writing about it. You can check out his Windows guides at WindowsLoop .

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IMAGES

  1. How To Fix DNS Server isn't Responding Problem

    how to solve problem dns server isn't responding

  2. How to fix "The DNS server isn't responding" problem Windows Network Diagnostics (Troubleshooting)

    how to solve problem dns server isn't responding

  3. How to fix "DNS server isn't responding" error in Windows 10

    how to solve problem dns server isn't responding

  4. Fix DNS Server Is Not Responding Problem In Windows 7/8/10

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  5. [FIXED] DNS server isn't responding [10 Ways to Fix It]

    how to solve problem dns server isn't responding

  6. How to Fix "DNS Server Not Responding" Error in Windows 10, 8, 7?

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VIDEO

  1. Fix The DNS Server Isn't Responding

  2. The DNS Server isn’t responding” on Windows 10/11 [FIX..]

  3. Creating a SLOW DNS SERVER ACCOUNT DETAILS TUTORIAL GUIDE (fixing page not responding)

  4. حل مشكلة DNS server not responding وعدم اتصال الكمبيوتر بالانترنت

  5. How To Fix DNS Server isn't Responding in Windows 11 PC or Laptop

  6. [Solved] How To Fix DNS Server isn't Responding Problem

COMMENTS

  1. How to Fix a "DNS Server Is Not Responding" Error on Windows

    Other options include deleting your DNS cache, trying another device on the same network or another DNS server, updating your network adapter drivers, turning off your antivirus or IPv6, deactivating other network adapters, and booting your PC in safe mode.

  2. How to Fix DNS Server Not Responding Errors

    Step-by-Step: Run Network Troubleshooter in Windows 7 or 8 Fix DNS Server Not Responding Problems Resolve TCP/IP and DHCP Failures Handle DNS Provider Problems Avoid Internet Blockages From Antivirus Programs Recover or Replace a Malfunctioning Router or Modem

  3. How to Fix "DNS Server Not Responding" Error (11 Methods)

    Hostinger Academy Subscribe How to Fix DNS Server Not Responding Error Now let's take a more in-depth look at the steps on how you can fix the "DNS server not responding" issue. 1. Troubleshoot Network Problems Running network diagnostics is the first step to fix "the DNS server isn't responding" error.

  4. How to Fix DNS Server Not Responding Problem (with Pictures)

    Part 1 Troubleshooting Download Article 1 Try connecting with a different device. If you can connect a phone, tablet, or computer to the network and access the webpage that you're having trouble with on your primary device, the issue is definitively with the device and not the router.

  5. DNS Server Not Responding

    An easy solution may be to simply change the web browser you are using or even simpler still, simply restart your computer. Yup, simply turning it off and then turning it on again could fix the issue.

  6. 8 Ways to Fix DNS Server Not Responding Errors

    You can fix a "DNS Server Not Responding" error by resetting your internet connection and computer. If the error keeps appearing, you can also flush your DNS cache and change the DNS...

  7. How to Fix DNS Server Not Responding on Windows 11

    1. Disable Third-Party Antivirus If you have a third-party antivirus installed on your computer, like Avast AVG, or McAfee, it might be the reason why you're receiving this error. Sometimes, it can interfere with your network and cause various errors such as DNS issues. Related: What Is DNS and Why Is It Important?

  8. How to Fix DNS Server Not Responding: 11 Methods to Try

    Danica Simic Software & Data Engineer 10 min read Edited by Sonja Vitas Content Editor November 15, 2023 4:58 PM "DNS server not responding" error message means that your browser is unable to connect to the DNS server that translates website names into IP addresses.

  9. How to the Fix "DNS Server Not Responding" Error

    Disable IPv6 Change the Default DNS Server on Your Windows Computer 1.

  10. How to Fix the "DNS Server Not Responding" Error on Windows

    Table of Contents Use a Different Web Browser Restart Your Router Delete Your DNS Cache Turn Off Your Firewall Disable Your Antivirus Turn Off IPv6 Change Your DNS Servers Disable Your Other Network Connections Update Your Network Adapter Drivers Resolve DNS Server Issues on Your Windows 10/11 PC Use a Different Web Browser

  11. DNS Server Not Responding Error? Here's How To Fix It (13 Ways)

    Navigate to System Preferences > Network and select your primary internet connection in the sidebar. Click Details (or Advanced on older Macs) then select DNS. At the bottom of the DNS servers list, click the + button and enter your new DNS address. Make sure to click Apply before leaving the Network screen.

  12. Troubleshooting DNS Servers

    Run the following command: Windows Command Prompt Copy nslookup <name> <IP address of the DNS server> For example: Windows Command Prompt Copy nslookup app1 10.0.0.1 If you get a failure or time-out response, see Checking for recursion problems. Flush the resolver cache.

  13. Fix "DNS Server Isn't Responding" in Windows 10

    Method 1. Restart your router Method 2. Change your DNS server Method 3. Update your network adapter drivers Method 4. Flush your DNS and clear DNS cache Method 5. Manually enter your MAC address Method 6. Temporarily disable your antivirus Method 7. Disable peer-to-peer Windows 10 updates Method 8. Disable Internet Protocol version 6 (IPv6)

  14. DNS Server Not Responding in Windows 10 [SOLVED]

    1. Change the DNS server manually Press Windows key + R, type ncpa.cpl, and click the OK button. Right-click your network and choose Properties. Select Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4) and click the Properties button. Now, select the Use the following DNS server addresses option.

  15. How To Fix DNS Server Not Responding Errors (Mac & Windows)

    Restart Your Device and Router Use the netsh Command in Windows Disable Your Antivirus Software and Firewall Flush DNS Settings Change Computer DNS Settings Manually Set DNS on Your Router Install the Latest Windows Network Driver Reset the Network Adapter on Mac Disable Internet Protocol Version 6 DNS Server Errors and Their Fixes What Is DNS?

  16. How To Fix "DNS Server Isn't Responding/This Webpage Is ...

    Here is how: Open the Device Manager by typing in devmgmt.msc in the Run Command box. Open Device Manager. Expand "Network adapters" by clicking on it, then right-click on the wireless adapter and then click Update driver from the context menu. Update network driver.

  17. How to diagnose and fix DNS problems

    Test your DNS server. A more advanced test is to manually ask your DNS server for the IP address of the domain you're trying to access. If the server can't find the IP or displays an error, that ...

  18. How to Fix "The DNS Server Isn't Responding" Error in Windows 10

    0:00 / 7:42 In this video I will explain what the error "The DNS Server Isn't Responding" actually means and how to fix it. I will show you how to fully diagnose your er...

  19. DNS Server Not Responding (4 Easy Solutions)

    The DNS server not responding error could be probably caused by an incorrect DNS server address. So you can follow these to correct your DNS server address: 1) On your keyboard, press the Windows logo key and R at the same time to invoke the Run box. 2) Type control and press Enter. 3) Click Network and Sharing Center in Large icons.

  20. How To Fix "DNS Server Not Responding" Error? (12 Methods)

    Frequently Asked Question Quick Fixes for DNS Server Not Responding Methods to fix DNS Server not Responding error (Windows) Check out different browsers Turn on your computer in Safe Mode Check with antivirus and Firewalls Restart your internet Modem or Router Update your Network Adapters with the latest version available

  21. 14 Ways to The DNS Server Isn't Responding" in Windows 10

    Go to " C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc", select "All files" from the drop-down menu, select "hosts" file and click on the "Open" button. Your hosts file should look like the one in the image below. If not, delete any extra entries, save the file and try to access the blocked websites. 5. Restart Your Router.

  22. How To Fix 'DNS Server Not Responding' Error On Windows 10

    Methods to Fix the DNS Server Isn't Responding. Method 1: Switch To Different Browser. Method 2: Disable Antivirus Firewall. Method 3: Restart Router. Method 4: Change DNS Server. Method 5: By Clearing DNS Cache. Frequently Asked Questions. Conclusion.

  23. Ways to Fix DNS Server Not Responding Windows 11 Edition

    In the 'Preferred DNS Server' field, enter '8.8.8.8', and in the 'Alternate DNS Server' field, enter '8.8.4.4'. 4. Flush and Renew DNS Cache. If the problems you're experiencing with DNS are due to a corrupt DNS cache or incorrect settings, you might be able to resolve them by flushing and renewing your DNS. To see if the problem is with your ...

  24. Fix: The DNS server isn't responding Problem in Windows 11

    Fix 1 - Modify the DNS Server Address. Step 1: Open the Run command box by pressing the Win + R keys together on the keyboard. Step 2: Type ncpa.cpl in the run box and click OK to open the Network Connections page. Step 3: On the Network Connections page, right-click on the Wi-Fi adapter if you are using Wi-Fi for the internet.