The “DNS Server Not Responding” error occurs when your device cannot communicate successfully with a DNS server to resolve a domain name into an IP address.

DNS (Domain Name System) works like the internet's address book. When you enter a website address, your device uses DNS to find the server's IP address. If DNS resolution fails, your browser may display messages such as:

  • DNS Server Not Responding
  • DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_BAD_CONFIG
  • DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_NXDOMAIN
  • DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_NO_INTERNET
  • Server DNS Address Could Not Be Found

This problem can happen because of incorrect DNS settings, network connection issues, router problems, firewall restrictions, or an unavailable DNS server.

In this guide, you'll learn how to fix the DNS Server Not Responding error on Windows and troubleshoot related DNS issues affecting websites and servers.

Why Does the DNS Server Not Responding Error Happen?

Several problems can prevent your device from communicating with a DNS server.

Common causes include:

  • DNS server is temporarily unavailable.
  • Incorrect DNS server settings.
  • Router or modem connection problems.
  • Corrupted DNS cache.
  • Outdated network adapter drivers.
  • Firewall or antivirus blocking DNS requests.
  • VPN or proxy configuration issues.
  • Internet service provider DNS problems.
  • Incorrect network configuration.
  • Domain DNS records are missing or incorrectly configured.

Let's go through the solutions step by step.

1. Restart Your Router and Modem

A temporary router or modem problem can prevent your device from reaching the DNS server.

Restarting your network equipment can resolve temporary connection and DNS communication issues.

How to Fix It

  1. Turn off your router and modem.
  2. Disconnect their power cables.
  3. Wait approximately 30–60 seconds.
  4. Reconnect the power cables.
  5. Wait until the internet connection is fully restored.
  6. Open your browser and test the website again.

If you are using a separate modem and router, restart the modem first and then the router.

Also, check whether other devices connected to the same network experience the same problem.

If every device has the issue, the problem may be related to your router, internet connection, or ISP.

2. Flush the DNS Cache in Windows

Windows stores previously resolved DNS records in a local cache.

Sometimes outdated or corrupted DNS cache entries can cause website access problems.

You can clear the cache using Command Prompt.

How to Flush DNS

  1. Open the Start menu.
  2. Search for Command Prompt.
  3. Right-click it and select Run as administrator.
  4. Execute the following command:
ipconfig /flushdns

You should see a confirmation message indicating that the DNS Resolver Cache was successfully flushed.

Next, try accessing the website again.

You can also renew your IP configuration:

ipconfig /release
ipconfig /renew

These commands request a fresh IP configuration from your network's DHCP server. Your connection may temporarily disconnect while the process runs.

3. Change Your DNS Server Address

Your current DNS server may be unavailable or responding slowly.

Switching to a reliable public DNS provider can help determine whether the problem is related to your ISP's DNS service.

Popular public DNS providers include:

DNS ProviderPreferred DNSAlternate DNS
Google DNS8.8.8.88.8.4.4
Cloudflare DNS1.1.1.11.0.0.1
Quad9 DNS9.9.9.9149.112.112.112

How to Change DNS on Windows 11

  1. Open Settings.
  2. Select Network & Internet.
  3. Choose Wi-Fi or Ethernet, depending on your connection.
  4. Open your network's DNS server assignment settings.
  5. Click Edit.
  6. Select Manual.
  7. Enable IPv4.
  8. Enter your preferred and alternate DNS addresses.
  9. Save the changes.

For example, to use Google DNS:

Preferred DNS: 8.8.8.8
Alternate DNS: 8.8.4.4

Open your browser and check whether the DNS error is resolved.

If you use a managed business network, VPN, or custom DNS service, check with your network administrator before changing DNS settings.

4. Restart the DNS Client Service

Windows includes a DNS Client service that helps manage DNS resolution and caching.

If this service encounters a problem, DNS lookups may fail.

How to Check the DNS Client Service

  1. Press Windows + R.
  2. Type:
services.msc
  1. Press Enter.
  2. Find the DNS Client service.
  3. Check its status.

Windows manages this service automatically, and on many versions it cannot be manually stopped or restarted through Services.

If DNS resolution is still failing, restart the computer and test again.

You can also inspect DNS-related configuration using Command Prompt:

ipconfig /all

Check which DNS servers are assigned to your active network adapter.

5. Disable VPN or Proxy Temporarily

VPN and proxy services can change how your device handles DNS requests.

Incorrect VPN or proxy settings may prevent your computer from reaching the configured DNS server.

How to Fix It

Temporarily disconnect your VPN and test the website again.

To check proxy settings in Windows 11:

  1. Open Settings.
  2. Select Network & Internet.
  3. Open Proxy.
  4. Review the manual proxy configuration.
  5. Temporarily disable an unexpected proxy setting.

If DNS starts working after disabling the VPN or proxy, review its DNS configuration or contact the service provider.

Do not disable a required corporate VPN or proxy without checking with your network administrator.

6. Temporarily Check Firewall and Antivirus Settings

Firewall and antivirus software can sometimes block DNS traffic or interfere with network communication.

DNS queries normally use UDP port 53, while TCP port 53 is also used in certain situations.

How to Troubleshoot It

  1. Check your firewall's recent activity or security logs.
  2. Look for blocked DNS traffic.
  3. Verify that your DNS service and network applications are allowed.
  4. Check whether your antivirus has a web protection or network filtering feature.

If you temporarily disable a security feature for testing, do so only briefly on a trusted network and re-enable it immediately afterward.

Do not permanently disable your firewall or antivirus to fix DNS problems.

7. Reset Windows Network Settings

If your network configuration is corrupted, resetting network components may help resolve DNS problems.

Open Command Prompt as administrator and execute:

netsh winsock reset
netsh int ip reset
ipconfig /flushdns

Restart your computer after running these commands.

These commands reset Winsock and TCP/IP configuration and clear the DNS cache.

If the problem continues, consider using Windows network reset:

  1. Open Settings.
  2. Go to Network & Internet.
  3. Select Advanced network settings.
  4. Open Network reset.
  5. Select Reset now.
  6. Restart your computer.

Important: A network reset can remove or reset network adapters and saved network configurations. You may need to reconnect to Wi-Fi or reconfigure VPN software afterward.

8. Update Your Network Adapter Driver

An outdated or corrupted network adapter driver can cause connectivity problems, including DNS resolution failures.

How to Update the Driver

  1. Right-click the Start button.
  2. Open Device Manager.
  3. Expand Network adapters.
  4. Right-click your active network adapter.
  5. Select Update driver.
  6. Choose Search automatically for drivers.

You can also download the latest compatible driver from your computer or network adapter manufacturer's official website.

Restart your computer after updating the driver and test DNS resolution again.

9. Check Whether the Problem Is With Your Internet Service Provider

Sometimes your device and router are working correctly, but your ISP's DNS servers are unavailable.

To identify this problem, test DNS resolution using a different DNS server.

Open Command Prompt and run:

nslookup google.com

This command displays the DNS server used for the lookup and the resolved IP address.

You can also query a specific DNS server:

nslookup google.com 8.8.8.8

If the first query fails but the second succeeds, your configured DNS server may be experiencing problems.

If both queries fail, investigate your internet connection, firewall, and network configuration.

If the issue affects multiple devices and persists after restarting your router, contact your ISP.

10. Check DNS Configuration for Your Website or Domain

If you manage a website and visitors report DNS errors, the problem may be related to your domain's DNS configuration rather than their local computer.

Incorrect or missing DNS records can prevent browsers from locating your website.

Check the domain's DNS records using:

dig example.com

To check the IPv4 address:

dig A example.com

To check the nameservers:

dig NS example.com

To check the mail server records:

dig MX example.com

Verify that:

  • Your domain's nameservers point to the correct DNS provider.
  • Required A records point to the correct server IP.
  • Required AAAA records contain valid IPv6 addresses.
  • CNAME records point to valid hostnames.
  • DNS records have not been accidentally deleted.
  • Your domain registration has not expired.

If you recently changed nameservers or DNS records, allow time for the changes to propagate.

Also check whether your DNS provider reports an outage or configuration problem.

11. Check DNS Records and DNS Propagation

After updating DNS records, different DNS resolvers may temporarily return different results because of caching and record TTL values.

This can make a website accessible from one network but unavailable from another.

You can compare DNS responses using:

nslookup example.com 8.8.8.8

And:

nslookup example.com 1.1.1.1

You can also use dig:

dig @8.8.8.8 example.com
dig @1.1.1.1 example.com

Compare the returned IP addresses and DNS responses.

If the records are inconsistent, check your DNS provider's configuration and the TTL of the affected records.

Do not repeatedly change DNS records while waiting for propagation. First verify that the intended records are correct.

12. Contact Your Hosting Provider or DNS Provider

If you have tried the troubleshooting steps and your domain still does not resolve, the issue may be outside your computer or application.

Possible causes include:

  • DNS provider outage.
  • Incorrect nameserver configuration.
  • Domain expiration or registrar restrictions.
  • Missing DNS records.
  • Authoritative DNS server problems.
  • Incorrect server IP address.
  • DNSSEC configuration errors.

Contact your domain registrar, DNS provider, or hosting provider and ask them to verify the domain's DNS configuration and authoritative nameserver response.

How to Prevent DNS Server Errors

You can reduce DNS-related problems by following these practices:

  • Use reliable DNS resolvers.
  • Keep your router firmware updated.
  • Maintain correct network adapter settings.
  • Avoid unnecessary VPN and proxy configuration changes.
  • Keep domain DNS records accurate.
  • Monitor domain and DNS provider availability.
  • Verify nameserver changes before applying them.
  • Keep your domain registration active.
  • Monitor DNS records after website migrations.
  • Maintain a record of your current DNS configuration.

These practices help prevent avoidable DNS issues and make troubleshooting easier.

Final DNS Troubleshooting Checklist

Before considering the issue resolved, verify the following:

  • Router and modem are working correctly.
  • Internet connection is active.
  • DNS cache has been flushed.
  • DNS server addresses are correct.
  • VPN and proxy settings are not interfering.
  • Firewall is not blocking DNS requests.
  • Network configuration is working correctly.
  • Network adapter drivers are updated.
  • ISP DNS servers are responding.
  • Website DNS records are correct, if you manage the domain.
  • Nameservers point to the correct DNS provider.

Still Getting the DNS Server Not Responding Error?

If the DNS Server Not Responding error continues after trying these solutions, the issue may require a deeper investigation of your network configuration, DNS provider, domain records, or hosting environment.

I can help troubleshoot DNS issues affecting websites, Laravel applications, WordPress projects, and custom PHP applications.

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