DNS Server Not Responding: 9 Fixes for Any Device
“DNS server not responding” means names cannot be turned into IP addresses. These fixes work on Windows, Mac, phones and routers.
The message “DNS server not responding” means your device can reach the network, but it cannot turn website names like google.com into IP addresses. Websites fail to load even though WiFi looks connected.
DNS server not responding means your device can reach the network but cannot turn website names into IP addresses. Restart the modem and router, then switch to a public DNS like 1.1.1.1 or 8.8.8.8.
The cause is usually a stuck router, a bad DNS server from your provider, or a setting on your device. Work through the fixes below, starting with the quickest.
What DNS does
DNS is the phone book of the internet. When you type a website name, your device asks a DNS server for its IP address. At home that request usually goes to your router, which forwards it to your internet provider or a public DNS service.
If any step in that chain fails, you see DNS errors, even though the connection itself is fine. For me, the phone book picture is the one that makes DNS click.
Quick fixes
- Restart the modem and router. Unplug both for 30 seconds, then start the modem first.
- Try another device or browser. If every device fails, the problem is the router or ISP. If one fails, focus on that device.
- Disable VPN and proxy apps. They can override DNS and break lookups.
- Flush the DNS cache. Windows: open Command Prompt as admin and run
ipconfig /flushdns. Mac: runsudo dscacheutil -flushcache; sudo killall -HUP mDNSResponderin Terminal.
My first stop is always the restart, before I touch any settings.
Change your DNS servers
Switching to a reliable public DNS fixes most lasting DNS errors:
| Provider | Primary | Secondary |
|---|---|---|
| Cloudflare | 1.1.1.1 | 1.0.0.1 |
| 8.8.8.8 | 8.8.4.4 | |
| Quad9 | 9.9.9.9 | 149.112.112.112 |
- Windows: Settings, Network and internet, your connection, Hardware properties, DNS server assignment, Edit, Manual, then enter the servers.
- Mac: System Settings, Network, your connection, Details, DNS, then add servers.
- Android: Settings, Network, Private DNS, then enter a hostname such as one.one.one.one or dns.google.
- iPhone: Settings, Wi-Fi, (i), Configure DNS, Manual.
- Router (all devices): see how to change DNS on your router.
When the fix sticks, it is usually the public DNS that did it, not the restart.
Deeper fixes on Windows
- Reset the network stack: in an admin Command Prompt run
netsh winsock resetandnetsh int ip reset, then restart. - Update or reinstall the network adapter driver in Device Manager.
- Turn off extra adapters such as old VPN or virtual adapters in Network Connections.
- Temporarily turn off third-party antivirus firewalls to test whether they block DNS.
The network stack reset is the one I save for last.
When it is your provider
If every device fails, the router lights look normal, and public DNS servers do not help, your provider may have an outage. Check their status page from mobile data, or call support. A quick check on mobile data tells me more than another hour of settings.
How to tell if it’s really DNS
A quick test separates DNS problems from a dead connection. Open Command Prompt or Terminal and run ping 8.8.8.8. Then run ping google.com. When both pings fail, I stop blaming DNS and look at the connection itself.
- Both work: DNS is fine; the problem is the browser or a site.
- The IP works but the name fails: it’s DNS.
- Neither works: your internet connection is down.
Antivirus, VPN and DNS
Security software and VPNs often take over DNS. If you see “DNS server not responding” only when they’re running, that’s your clue. Update the software, check its network protection settings, or temporarily disable it to confirm. Some VPNs leave DNS broken after disconnecting until you restart the computer.
The clue is timing: if the error only shows up with the VPN on, that is where I look.
Change DNS on a single Windows PC
- Open Settings, Network & internet, then your connection (WiFi or Ethernet).
- Click Hardware properties or the connection, then Edit next to DNS server assignment.
- Choose Manual and turn on IPv4.
- Enter 1.1.1.1 and 1.0.0.1 (or 8.8.8.8 and 8.8.4.4).
- Save and try a website again.
The single-PC change is the quick test; the router change is the lasting one.
DNS problems on only one network
If DNS errors only happen at home but not on mobile data or at work, your router or ISP DNS is the cause. Restart the router, then change DNS on the router so every device benefits. If they only happen at a café or hotel, you may need to sign in to the network’s login page first.
A fault that follows one network is a network problem, not a device problem.
