A DNS (Domain Name System) server is an important part of the internet’s infrastructure. It is in charge of converting domain names into IP addresses, which allows computers to communicate with one another and access websites or services hosted on those IP addresses.
When you enter a website URL into your browser, your device sends a query to a DNS server to determine the IP address of the server that hosts that website. The DNS server then returns the IP address, which your browser can use to connect to the server and retrieve the website content.
ISPs can provide DNS servers, or they can be self-hosted. They can also be hosted by third-party companies, which provides several advantages such as increased security and speed.
To summarize, the DNS server serves as a link between human-readable domain names and the IP addresses that computers use to communicate over the internet.
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Steps on How to Fix “DNS Server not Responding Error”
The “DNS server not responding” error typically indicates that there is a problem with the computer’s connection to the domain name system (DNS) server, which is used to translate website names into IP addresses. This can result in an inability to access certain websites, slow browsing speeds, or other connectivity issues.
Here are some steps that can help you fix this error:
1. Restart your modem and router: Sometimes, restarting your modem and router can resolve the issue. Unplug your modem and router, wait for 30 seconds, and then plug them back in.
2. Flush DNS cache: Clearing your computer’s DNS cache can sometimes resolve the issue. To flush the DNS cache on Windows, open the Command Prompt as an administrator and type “ipconfig /flushdns“. On a Mac, open Terminal and type “dscacheutil -flushcache“.
3. Change your DNS server: You can try changing your DNS server to a different one. You can use Google Public DNS, which is a free and public DNS service.
To change the DNS server on Windows, you need to follow these steps:
• Open the Control Panel.
• Go to Network and Sharing Center.
• Click on the active network connection (e.g. Ethernet or Wi-Fi).
• Click on Properties.
• Select Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4) and click on Properties.
• Select Use the following DNS server addresses.
• Enter the preferred and alternate DNS server addresses. (e.g. Google’s public DNS: 8.8.8.8 and 8.8.4.4)
• Click OK to save the changes.
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To change the DNS server on a Mac, you need to follow these steps:
• Go to Apple menu > System Preferences.
• Click on Network.
• Select the active network connection (e.g. Wi-Fi or Ethernet).
• Click on Advanced.
• Go to the DNS tab.
• Click the + button to add a new DNS server.
• Enter the preferred and alternate DNS server addresses. (e.g. Google’s public DNS: 8.8.8.8 and 8.8.4.4)
• Click OK and then Apply to save the changes.
4. Disable your firewall temporarily: Your firewall may be blocking the connection to the DNS server. You can temporarily disable your firewall to see if it is the cause of the issue.
5. Reset your network adapter: Resetting your network adapter can resolve issues with the connection to the DNS server.
To reset a network adapter on Windows, you need to follow these steps:
• Open the Command Prompt as administrator. To do this, click on the Windows Start button and type “cmd” in the search bar. Right-click on Command Prompt and select “Run as administrator”.
• Type the following command and press Enter: netsh winsock reset
• Type the following command and press Enter: netsh int ip reset
• Restart your computer.
These commands will reset the Winsock catalog and the IP stack to their default configuration, which can resolve many network-related issues. After resetting the network adapter, you may need to reconfigure any customized network settings, such as the DNS server or IP address.
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To reset a network adapter on a Mac, you need to follow these steps:
• Click on the Apple menu and select System Preferences.
• Go to Network.
• Select the active network connection (e.g. Wi-Fi or Ethernet) from the left-side menu.
• Click on the gear icon at the bottom-left corner and select “Make Service Inactive”.
• Wait for a few seconds and then click on the gear icon again and select “Make Service Active”.
This will effectively reset the network adapter and re-establish a connection to the network. If you’re still having network issues after resetting the adapter, you may need to restart your Mac or check your network settings for any configuration problems.
6. Disable extra network adapters: If you have multiple network adapters installed on your computer, try disabling the ones that you’re not using to see if it fixes the problem.
7. Reset your computer’s TCP/IP stack: On Windows, open Command Prompt as administrator and run the following two commands: netsh winsock reset and netsh int ip reset. On a Mac, open Terminal and run the following command: sudo killall -HUP mDNSResponder.
See also: Verify Domain Ownership via DNS Record
Originally posted on February 13, 2023 @ 12:17 pm