DNS Server Not Responding How to Fix It

DNS Server Not Responding: How to Fix It

You run the Windows network troubleshooter and it reports that the DNS server isn't responding, or that your computer appears to be correctly configured but the DNS server is not responding. In the browser, pages fail with errors such as DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_NO_INTERNET or DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_NXDOMAIN.

DNS is the internet's phone book: it turns a name like google.com into a numeric address. When it fails, the connection may be fine but no website can be found by name. These steps work on Windows 11 and Windows 10, starting with the quickest.

Step 1: Check Whether It Is Really DNS

Open Command Prompt (search for cmd) and run:

ping 8.8.8.8

Then run:

ping google.com

• The first works, the second says it could not find the host - DNS is the problem. Carry on with this guide.
• Both fail - the connection itself is down. See Wi-Fi connected but no internet or, if no device in the house is online, router connected but no internet.

Step 2: Restart the Router and the PC

The router usually passes DNS requests on to your provider, and a router that has been running for weeks can stop doing that properly. Unplug the router (and modem, if separate) for 30 seconds, plug the modem in first, then the router, and restart the PC once the router is up.

Step 3: Flush the DNS Cache

Windows keeps a cache of recent DNS answers; a stale or bad entry can keep a site from loading.

1. Search for cmd, right-click Command Prompt and choose Run as administrator.
2. Run:

ipconfig /flushdns

You should see "Successfully flushed the DNS Resolver Cache." Close and reopen the browser and test again.

Step 4: Switch to a Public DNS Server

If your provider's DNS servers are down or slow, using a public DNS service often fixes the problem at once.

Windows 11:

1. Open Settings > Network & internet.
2. Select Wi-Fi then Manage known networks and your network, or select Ethernet and your connection.
3. Next to DNS server assignment, select Edit, choose Manual and turn on IPv4.
4. Enter 1.1.1.1 as Preferred DNS and 8.8.8.8 as Alternate DNS, then select Save.

Windows 10: open Control Panel > Network and Sharing Center > Change adapter settings, right-click your connection, choose Properties, select Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4) > Properties, choose Use the following DNS server addresses and enter the same two addresses.

1.1.1.1 is Cloudflare's public DNS and 8.8.8.8 is Google's. To undo this later, set it back to Automatic (DHCP). If every device in the house has the problem, set the same addresses in the router's DHCP or internet settings instead, so all devices use them.

Step 5: Turn Off VPN, Proxy and Browser DNS Settings for a Test

• Disconnect any VPN app. A VPN handles DNS itself and a broken VPN connection can stop all name lookups.
• In Settings > Network & internet > Proxy, make sure Use a proxy server is off unless your workplace needs it.
• Chrome and Edge can use their own "secure DNS" setting. In Chrome, check Settings > Privacy and security > Security > Use secure DNS; if it points to a custom provider, switch it back to the default option for a test.

If the problem goes away, fix or reinstall the VPN or security software rather than leaving it turned off.

Step 6: Reset the Network Stack

In Command Prompt as administrator, run these one at a time, then restart the PC:

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

These reset Windows networking to its defaults. They do not delete files, but some VPN software may need to be set up again.

Step 7: Check the DNS Client and DHCP Client Services

1. Press Windows + R, type services.msc and press Enter.
2. Find DNS Client and DHCP Client. Both should show Running with a startup type of Automatic.

If either one is stopped, restart the PC. If it is still stopped after a restart, something has changed the system configuration - run a full scan with Windows Security, because some malware tampers with network settings. See signs your computer has malware.

Step 8: Reinstall the Network Driver or Use Network Reset

If DNS still fails on this PC only:

1. Open Device Manager, expand Network adapters, right-click your Wi-Fi or Ethernet adapter and choose Uninstall device, then restart. Windows reinstalls it automatically.
2. As a last resort, use Network reset: on Windows 11 Settings > Network & internet > Advanced network settings > Network reset, on Windows 10 Settings > Network & Internet > Status > Network reset. Write down your Wi-Fi passwords first - the reset removes saved networks, and VPN software may need reinstalling.

Still Not Fixed?

If DNS fails on every device even with 1.1.1.1 set on the router, your provider may have a wider outage or block outside DNS servers - check its status page from mobile data and contact it. If only one website fails while others load, the problem is likely that site, not your DNS. If pages load but everything is slow on one PC, see internet slow on a PC but fine on other devices.

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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

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