DNS Server Not Responding? How to Fix It Fast

Quick Fix

Change your DNS to Google’s servers. Go to your network adapter settings, select “Use the following DNS server addresses,” and enter 8.8.8.8 as primary and 8.8.4.4 as secondary. This bypasses your ISP’s potentially broken DNS servers.

You’re trying to browse the web, and suddenly you get “DNS server not responding.” Your internet connection seems fine – maybe Discord still works, or you can ping IP addresses – but websites just won’t load. Super frustrating.

DNS is basically the phone book of the internet. When it stops working, your computer can’t translate website names (like google.com) into the IP addresses it needs to connect. The good news? This is almost always fixable in a few minutes.

What Causes “DNS Server Not Responding”?

Several things can break your DNS connection:

• ISP’s DNS servers are down – Your internet provider’s servers are having issues
• Router problems – Your router’s DNS cache got corrupted
• Outdated network drivers – Old drivers can cause connectivity issues
• Firewall or antivirus blocking – Security software interfering with DNS
• Corrupted DNS cache – Your computer’s DNS cache has bad data
• Wrong DNS settings – Manually configured DNS that’s no longer working
• Malware – Some malware redirects DNS to malicious servers

How to Fix DNS Server Not Responding

1. Restart Your Router and Modem

The classic IT fix actually works surprisingly often. Your router might have corrupted its DNS cache.

1. Unplug your modem (the box that connects to the wall/cable)
2. Unplug your router (if separate from modem)
3. Wait 30 seconds
4. Plug in the modem first and wait for all lights to stabilize (1-2 minutes)
5. Plug in the router and wait for it to fully boot
6. Try loading a website

If you have a combo modem/router, just unplug that one device.

2. Change Your DNS Servers

This is the most reliable fix. Switching from your ISP’s DNS to a public DNS like Google or Cloudflare often solves the problem immediately.

Windows 10/11:

1. Press Windows + R, type ncpa.cpl, press Enter
2. Right-click your active network connection (Ethernet or Wi-Fi)
3. Select Properties
4. Double-click Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4)
5. Select “Use the following DNS server addresses”
6. Enter these addresses:
   • Preferred DNS: 8.8.8.8 (Google)
   • Alternate DNS: 8.8.4.4 (Google)
7. Click OK on both windows
8. Try loading a website

Alternative DNS servers you can use:

• Cloudflare: 1.1.1.1 and 1.0.0.1 (fastest)
• OpenDNS: 208.67.222.222 and 208.67.220.220
• Quad9: 9.9.9.9 and 149.112.112.112 (security-focused)

3. Flush Your DNS Cache

Your computer stores DNS lookups to speed things up. Sometimes this cache gets corrupted and needs to be cleared.

1. Press Windows key, type cmd
2. Right-click Command Prompt and select Run as administrator
3. Type these commands one at a time, pressing Enter after each:

ipconfig /flushdns
ipconfig /registerdns
ipconfig /release
ipconfig /renew
netsh winsock reset

4. Restart your computer
5. Try loading a website

You should see “Successfully flushed the DNS Resolver Cache” after the first command.

4. Disable IPv6 (Temporarily)

Sometimes IPv6 causes DNS issues, especially on older routers or certain ISP configurations.

1. Press Windows + R, type ncpa.cpl, press Enter
2. Right-click your active network connection
3. Select Properties
4. Uncheck “Internet Protocol Version 6 (TCP/IPv6)”
5. Click OK
6. Try loading a website

If this fixes it, you can leave IPv6 disabled – most things work fine without it. Or contact your ISP about IPv6 issues.

5. Temporarily Disable Firewall and Antivirus

Security software sometimes blocks DNS requests, especially after updates or misconfigurations.

1. Temporarily disable your third-party antivirus (right-click system tray icon)
2. Disable Windows Firewall temporarily:
   • Search for “Windows Defender Firewall”
   • Click “Turn Windows Defender Firewall on or off”
   • Turn off for both private and public networks
3. Try loading a website
4. Important: Re-enable these after testing!

If this fixes it, add exceptions for your browser or check your security software’s DNS filtering settings.

6. Update Network Adapter Drivers

Outdated or corrupted network drivers can cause all sorts of connectivity problems.

1. Press Windows + X and select Device Manager
2. Expand Network adapters
3. Right-click your network adapter (e.g., “Intel Wireless” or “Realtek Ethernet”)
4. Select Update driver
5. Click “Search automatically for drivers”
6. If no update is found, try the manufacturer’s website for the latest driver
7. Restart your computer

7. Reset TCP/IP Stack

This resets all your network settings to default, which can fix deep-rooted connectivity issues.

1. Open Command Prompt as Administrator
2. Run these commands:

netsh int ip reset
netsh winsock reset catalog

3. Restart your computer
4. You may need to reconfigure your network settings after this

8. Try a Different Browser

Sometimes the issue is browser-specific, not a system-wide DNS problem.

1. Try opening a website in a different browser (Chrome, Firefox, Edge)
2. Clear your main browser’s cache:
   • Chrome: Ctrl+Shift+Delete > Clear browsing data
   • Firefox: Ctrl+Shift+Delete > Clear Now
   • Edge: Ctrl+Shift+Delete > Clear now
3. Try incognito/private mode to rule out extensions

9. Check for Malware

Some malware changes your DNS settings to redirect you to malicious sites. If nothing else works:

1. Run a full scan with Windows Defender
2. Download and run Malwarebytes (free version is fine)
3. Check your DNS settings again – malware might have changed them
4. Check your hosts file: C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc\hosts
   • It should only have commented lines (starting with #)
   • Delete any suspicious entries

If You’re on Wi-Fi

Wi-Fi adds extra troubleshooting steps:

• Move closer to the router – Weak signal can cause DNS timeouts
• Forget and reconnect – Go to Wi-Fi settings, forget your network, reconnect with password
• Try Ethernet – If Ethernet works but Wi-Fi doesn’t, the problem is your wireless connection
• Check other devices – If other devices work fine, the problem is your computer specifically

FAQ

Why does DNS keep failing even after I fix it?

If DNS issues keep returning, your ISP might have unreliable DNS servers. Permanently switch to Google (8.8.8.8) or Cloudflare (1.1.1.1) DNS – they’re faster and more reliable than most ISP DNS servers anyway.

Is it safe to change DNS servers?

Yes, completely safe. Public DNS servers like Google, Cloudflare, and OpenDNS are used by millions of people. They’re often faster and more secure than ISP DNS servers.

Can my router cause DNS problems?

Absolutely. Old or cheap routers often have DNS issues. If problems persist, try configuring DNS directly on your devices rather than relying on the router’s DNS settings. Or consider upgrading your router if it’s more than 5 years old.

Does VPN affect DNS?

Yes, VPNs typically use their own DNS servers. If DNS works when VPN is off but not when it’s on, the VPN’s DNS servers might be having issues. Check your VPN’s settings or try a different VPN server.

Wrapping Up

“DNS server not responding” sounds technical, but the fixes are straightforward. Changing to Google or Cloudflare DNS solves it for most people – and you should probably do that anyway since they’re faster than ISP DNS.

If changing DNS doesn’t work, flush your cache and restart your router. These three steps fix the problem 90% of the time. The more advanced fixes are there for stubborn cases, but you probably won’t need them.