How to Fix the “DNS Server Not Responding” Error

DNS (Domain Name System) is the internet’s address book: it turns example.com into the numeric address your device actually connects to. ‘DNS Server Not Responding’ means your device asked for a lookup and got nothing back — so pages will not load by name even though the connection itself may be fine.

What causes ‘DNS Server Not Responding’

• The DNS server your router hands out (usually your provider’s) is down or overloaded.
• The router itself needs a restart or has a firmware glitch.
• Your device’s DNS cache holds stale or bad records.
• A VPN, firewall, or security suite is intercepting or blocking DNS.
• The network adapter has a misconfiguration, or its driver is faulty.
• IPv6 is enabled but not properly supported by your router.

Step-by-step fix (Windows)

1. Restart the router and PC

Unplug the router for 30 seconds, plug it back in, wait for steady lights, then restart the PC. This clears the most common cause — a router that has lost contact with its upstream DNS.

2. Flush the DNS cache

Open an administrator Command Prompt and run:

1. ipconfig /flushdns — clears cached lookups.
2. ipconfig /registerdns — re-registers the connection.
3. ipconfig /release then ipconfig /renew — gets a fresh address and DNS assignment.
4. net stop dnscache then net start dnscache — restarts the DNS Client service.

3. Switch to a public DNS server

This bypasses a broken provider DNS entirely.

1. Open adapter propertiesWindows 11: Settings › Network & Internet › (Wi-Fi or Ethernet) › Hardware properties › DNS server assignment › Edit › Manual. Windows 10: Change adapter options › right-click the adapter › Properties › TCP/IPv4 › Properties.
2. Enter public DNSPreferred 1.1.1.1, Alternate 1.0.0.1 (Cloudflare); or 8.8.8.8 and 8.8.4.4 (Google); or 9.9.9.9 (Quad9).
3. Apply and flush againClick OK, then run ipconfig /flushdns once more and test.

Full walkthrough: how to change DNS settings.

4. Disable extra network adapters and IPv6

• In Change adapter options, right-click any adapters you are not using (extra virtual adapters from VPNs or VM software) and choose Disable.
• In your active adapter’s Properties, untick Internet Protocol Version 6 (TCP/IPv6), click OK, and test.

5. Update or roll back the network driver

Device Manager › Network adapters › right-click your adapter › Update driver. If the error started right after a driver update, choose Properties › Driver › Roll Back Driver instead.

6. Temporarily disable security software

Turn off third-party antivirus/firewall and any VPN, then test. If DNS works, re-enable them one at a time to find the culprit, then update or reinstall that product rather than leaving it off.

On a Mac

1. Renew the DHCP leaseSystem Settings › Network › your connection › Details › TCP/IP › Renew DHCP Lease.
2. Set public DNSDetails › DNS › add 1.1.1.1 and 8.8.8.8 with the + button, remove old entries, click OK.
3. Flush the cacheTerminal: sudo dscacheutil -flushcache; sudo killall -HUP mDNSResponder

If it still fails

• Boot into Safe Mode with Networking (Windows). Working DNS there means a startup program or security tool is the cause.
• Connect the PC directly to the modem with Ethernet, bypassing the router. If DNS works, the router is faulty or needs a firmware update.
• Check the router admin page for a manually set DNS that points to a dead server — set it to ‘Auto’ or to 1.1.1.1.
• Contact your provider to confirm their DNS servers are operational; occasionally they have an outage.

Common mistakes

• Changing DNS on the PC but leaving a bad manual DNS set in the router, so other devices still fail.
• Entering only one DNS address — always set a primary and a secondary.
• Forgetting to flush the cache after changing DNS, so old failures persist.
• Disabling the ‘DNS Client’ service permanently; restart it instead.