DNS Server not Responding FIX

DNS Servers or a Domain Name Servers (DNS) are the Internet’s equivalent of a phone book. They maintain a directory of domain names and translate them to Internet Protocol (IP) addresses.

This is necessary because, although domain names are easy for people to remember, computers or machines, access websites based on IP addresses. And you and I both, hate numbers. They’re confusing and hard to remember!

Now when you type in a web address, e.g., www.techonloop.com, your Internet Service Provider views the DNS associated with the domain name, translates it into a machine-friendly IP address and directs your Internet connection to the correct website. Thereby letting you avoid the trouble of having to remember numbers.

DNS Server not Responding FIX

Occasionally, you can lose connection to the server, through either corrupt settings or problems on the server’s end. If you are having difficulties connecting to the DNS server, the chances are that you’ll see an error message pop up saying “DNS server not responding.” Now patience is key here because there are certain alternatives as to why your DNS server is refusing to respond. Once, however, that you do find the problem, the solutions are easy to carry out and execute.

Step 1: Verify your connection

To solve DNS Server not Responding error, you’ve got to start with the basics first, haven’t you? Most of the times your computer is unable to connect to the DNS server is because of the fact that the computer doesn’t have an active internet connection.

Now the problem here can be your device or your internet connection. You can narrow it down by using a different device and trying to open a web page while you’re on the same network. If you succeed, the problem is with your device, if not, the connection.

Working with connection problems

You did pay you bills, right?

Are you sure? If yes, then we try the DNS Server not Responding solution mentioned below. If no, well, you know what you have to do.

Power Cycle your modem and or router

Unplug your modem’s power cable as well as your router’s power cord. Allow them to sit unpowered for at least 30 seconds so that any residual charge is released and the memory is cleared. Reconnect your modem, and wait for it to connect fully. After it has powered on completely, reconnect the power cable to your router and allow it to boot up. This could take up to a minute.

• Once you have power cycled both devices, try connecting to a website again.

Working with problems into your computer

Try a different browser

This is one the quickest and the easiest method to solve DNS related problems on your computer. Simply try another browser. You can download a free one like Chrome or Firefox just to try and test if the problem persists with your computer.If they do, then the problem is likely not with the browser, but with some other setting on the computer.

• If the issues are resolved, then you can try troubleshooting your old browser. Often the problem stems from the proxy settings. Follow this guide to access the proxy settings for the browser you use, and be sure to set them back to Automatic.

Disable any extra connections

Occasionally, Windows will install additional connections that you won’t normally use. For best connectivity, you should only have the connections that you use regularly enabled. To open your Network Connections window, click the Start menu or press the ⊞ Win button and search for “ncpa.cpl.”

• Look for additional connections. You should see a list of all your connections. The most common cause for DNS issues is the existence of “Microsoft Virtual WiFi Miniport Adapter.” IF you see this, right-click it and select “Disable”.
• Test your connection again. Wait a few moments and then open your browser again. Try to visit a website. The DNS may take a few moments to load, but if the web page appears then the problem has been solved. If not, move on to the next step.

Flush your DNS

Sometimes a simple flush is all you need to clear up all the shit. Mind the pun. Don’t mind the pun 😉

But on a more serious note sometimes your DNS cache does get outdated and needs to be manually flushed. This can be done from the Command Prompt.

• To open the Command Prompt, press ⊞ Win+R and type cmd.
• Type ipconfig /flushdns. Wait for the command to process and then restart your computer.
• Test the connection again. If the problem persists, move on to the next step.

Change your DNS server

You can manually enter an alternative DNS server to attempt to connect to instead. To do so, open the “ncpa.cpl” window again and right-click on your active connection. Select “Properties.”

• In the Networking tab, scroll down until you find the “Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4)” entry. Click it to select it and then click the Properties button.
• Click the “Use the following DNS server addresses” option.
• Enter 208.67.222.222 into the “Preferred DNS server” field
• Enter 208.67.220.220 into the “Alternate DNS server” field.
• These are DNS servers maintained by OpenDNS, an open-source DNS service.

Try connecting in safe mode

Rebooting your computer into Safe Mode will only load the essential files for Windows, which will allow you to determine if another program or service such as your antivirus is causing the connection issues.

• You can try disabling your antivirus first and seeing if that fixes the issue. If so, then you should uninstall your antivirus and install a new one.
• Reboot your computer and hold down the F8 key while it is booting up.
• Select Safe Mode with Networking from the list of options.
• Test the connection. If you can successfully connect to the internet, then the problem lies with a program running on your computer. Examine the startup files and disable programs until you find the culprit.

Conclusion: DNS Server Not Responding

These are the methods you can use to try and fix the error “DNS Server not responding.” If you need some help figuring out the solution or if none of the above-mentioned solutions work for you, let us know down in the comments below, and we’ll help you out the best we can.