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Are you encountering DNS errors when browsing the web or connecting to the internet? The Domain Name System (DNS) is a server that translates website addresses, allowing your browser to connect. Sometimes, you may lose connection to the server due to incorrect settings or server issues. If you're facing difficulties connecting, check the first step in this guide to troubleshoot the problem.
Steps
Verify the Connection
Connect another device to the network. Before diving into fixes, try this quick step to narrow down the problem. This will help you determine if the issue is with your device or the network itself. You can quickly test the connection with another device, either wired or wireless.
- You could use another computer, a phone, or a tablet—anything that can access the internet to check the network status.
Try accessing a website on a second device. If you still encounter a DNS error, the issue is likely with your router or internet service provider. If the second device connects successfully, the issue is with your own device.
Restart the modem and router regularly. Unplug both the modem and router. Allow them to rest for about 30 seconds to clear electrical charges and refresh their memory. Plug the modem back in and wait for the connection to be fully established. After powering up the modem, reconnect the power cable to the router and restart it. This process may take a few minutes.
- Once both devices are rebooted, try accessing a website. If the issue persists, proceed to the next section of the article.
If using a mobile device, go to > settings > mobile data and reset the configuration.
Troubleshooting for Computers
Try using a different browser. This is the quickest way to check for DNS connection issues. Download a free browser like Firefox or Chrome and try to connect to the internet. If the issue persists, the problem is not with the browser but likely due to some configuration on your computer.
- If the issue is resolved, you can troubleshoot the old browser. Typically, the problem stems from proxy settings. Go to the browser's proxy settings and set it to Automatic.
Disable the secondary connection. Occasionally, Windows automatically sets up secondary connections. To ensure optimal connectivity, only enable the connections you frequently use. Open the Network Connections window by accessing the Start menu or pressing the ⊞ Win key and search for "ncpa.cpl".
- Locate the secondary connection. You might see a list of connections, and a common cause of DNS errors is the presence of the "Microsoft Virtual WiFi Miniport Adapter". If you see it, right-click and select "Disable".
- Check the connection again. Wait a moment, then open your browser and try accessing a website. It might take a few minutes to load DNS, but if the website loads, the issue has been resolved. If not, proceed to the next step.
Clear DNS cache. Sometimes, the DNS cache becomes outdated and needs to be manually cleared. You can do this via the Command Prompt.
- To open the Command Prompt, press ⊞ Win+R and type cmd.
- Type ipconfig /flushdns. Wait for the command to complete, then restart your computer.
- Test the connection again. If the issue persists, move on to the next step.
Change DNS servers. You can manually enter alternative DNS servers to test your connection. Do this by opening the "ncpa.cpl" window, right-clicking the connection, and selecting "Properties".
- In the Networking tab, scroll down to find the "Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4)" entry. Click on it, then select the Properties button.
- Select "Use the following DNS server addresses".
- Enter 208.67.222.222 in the "Preferred DNS server" field.
- Enter 208.67.220.220 in the "Alternate DNS server" field.
- These DNS servers are managed by OpenDNS, an open-source DNS service.
Try connecting in Safe Mode. Restart your computer and boot into Safe Mode, which loads only essential files for Windows, allowing you to identify if a program or antivirus service is causing the connection issue.
- You can disable the antivirus program and see if the issue resolves. If it does, consider uninstalling it and replacing it with a different program.
- Restart your computer and press F8 during startup.
- Select Safe Mode with Networking from the options list.
- Test the connection. If you're able to access the internet, the issue likely lies with software on your computer. Check the startup files and disable programs one by one to find the culprit.
Troubleshooting the Router
Connect your computer directly to the modem. If you're using a router to create a local network, disconnect your computer from the router and plug the Ethernet cable directly into the modem's Ethernet port.
- Try loading a website. If the DNS error persists, the issue is likely with your internet service provider. Contact them and report the DNS server problem.
- If you're able to access the website, the issue lies with the router. Reconnect the router to the modem, then connect your computer to the network to continue troubleshooting.
Enter an alternative DNS server. You can modify the router settings to manually connect to an alternative DNS server. This helps verify whether the DNS server provided by your ISP is experiencing issues.
- Access your router's configuration page. Every router has a different method to open this page, but you typically need to enter the IP address in your browser's address bar. Look up online guides for detailed instructions.
- Navigate to the Internet settings section. Look for a field labeled "Domain Name System (DNS) Address".
- Set it to manual mode and enter the DNS servers you want to use.
- Enter OpenDNS's DNS (Primary - 208.67.222.222, Secondary - 208.67.220.220) or Google's DNS (Primary - 8.8.8.8, Secondary - 8.8.4.4).
- Click Apply or Save Changes. Wait a few moments for the router to implement the changes.
- Test the connection. Open a browser on your computer and try accessing a website. If you can connect normally, the issue was with the DNS.
Reset the router. Sometimes, router settings may malfunction. The quickest way to resolve the issue is by resetting the router to its default settings. This will also reset your wireless network settings and any previous configurations.
- To reset the router, use a paperclip or a similar pointed object to press and hold the Reset button on the back of the device.
- Reconfigure the router. After the reset, you will need to set up your wireless network again (if applicable), and reset your administrator account and password.
