DNS Server Not Responding – How to Fix the Error in Windows 10

As a full-stack developer, I know firsthand how critical a reliable internet connection is for both work and personal tasks. Whether you‘re pushing code to GitHub, deploying a new web app, or just trying to binge the latest season of your favorite show on Netflix, there‘s nothing more frustrating than seeing an error message instead of the content you requested.

One of the most common culprits behind internet connectivity issues is the "DNS Server Not Responding" error. When you encounter this error, it means that your computer was unable to translate a human-friendly website name like "www.google.com" into the numeric IP address required to actually connect to and load the site.

In this in-depth guide, I‘ll be sharing my expertise as a developer to help you understand what causes this error and provide step-by-step instructions to troubleshoot and fix it. Let‘s dive in!

Understanding the DNS Query Process

Before we get into the solutions, it‘s important to have a solid grasp on how the Domain Name System (DNS) actually works behind the scenes. DNS is essentially the phone book of the internet, allowing us to browse the web using memorable domain names instead of trying to remember the IP address of every site we want to visit.

Here‘s a high-level overview of what happens when you type a URL into your web browser:

1. Your browser checks its local cache to see if it already has the IP address for the requested domain name. If it finds a match, it will use that cached IP to load the site.

2. If there is no cached IP address, your browser sends a query to the DNS server configured on your device (typically assigned by your ISP or a public DNS provider like Google or Cloudflare).

3. The DNS server first checks its own cache for the IP address. If it has a recent record, it will return that IP to your browser and the site will load.

4. If the DNS server doesn‘t have the IP cached, it will start a recursive query to track down the correct IP address. It will contact one of the 13 root name servers, which will direct it to the top-level domain (TLD) name server for the requested domain (.com, .org, etc.).

5. The TLD name server will then direct your DNS server to the authoritative name server for the specific domain, which will finally provide the correct IP address.

6. Your DNS server will cache that IP address for future requests and return it to your browser, allowing the site to load.

All of these queries and responses typically happen in a matter of milliseconds, so we rarely even think about the complex process going on in the background. However, when something goes wrong with your DNS configuration, you‘ll quickly notice the dreaded "DNS Server Not Responding" error.

To put some numbers to this process, let‘s look at some DNS benchmarking statistics. According to DNSPerf, the average DNS query time globally is around 32 ms, but this can vary significantly depending on your location, ISP, and chosen DNS provider. For example, query times in the US average around 28 ms, while queries in India take closer to 36 ms on average.

Choosing a fast and reliable DNS provider can have a measurable impact on your browsing speed and overall internet performance. In one case study, a website was able to shave nearly 200 ms off its average page load time simply by switching from its default ISP-provided DNS to Cloudflare‘s 1.1.1.1 service.

Troubleshooting DNS Errors in Windows 10

Now that we‘ve covered some DNS fundamentals, let‘s get into the actual troubleshooting process. I‘ll be focusing specifically on Windows 10 for this guide, but many of these steps can be adapted for other operating systems as well.

1. Check Your Network Connection

Before diving into DNS settings, it‘s always a good idea to rule out more general network connectivity issues first. Check to see if you have a stable connection to your router or modem by looking at the network icon in your system tray. If you see a yellow exclamation mark or a red X, you may need to reset your network hardware or contact your ISP for assistance.

You can also try running the built-in Windows Network Diagnostics tool by right-clicking on the network icon and selecting "Troubleshoot problems". This will automatically detect and attempt to resolve any connectivity issues.

2. Switch to a Different DNS Server

If your network connection seems fine, the next step is to try switching to a different DNS server. By default, most devices use the DNS servers automatically assigned by your ISP, but these servers can sometimes be slow, unreliable, or even vulnerable to attacks.

Fortunately, there are many fast and secure public DNS servers available for free, such as:

• Google: 8.8.8.8 / 8.8.4.4
• Cloudflare: 1.1.1.1 / 1.0.0.1
• OpenDNS: 208.67.222.222 / 208.67.220.220
• Quad9: 9.9.9.9 / 149.112.112.112

To change your DNS server in Windows 10:

1. Open the Control Panel and click "Network and Internet" > "Network and Sharing Center".
2. Click on your active network connection (e.g. Wi-Fi or Ethernet).
3. Click "Properties", then select "Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4)" and click "Properties" again.
4. Select "Use the following DNS server addresses" and enter the primary and secondary DNS addresses for your chosen provider.
5. Click OK to save the changes, then flush your DNS cache by opening a Command Prompt and typing ipconfig /flushdns.

Restart your browser and check to see if the "DNS Server Not Responding" error has been resolved.

3. Clear Your DNS Cache

Even if you‘ve switched to a new DNS server, your device may still have outdated or incorrect DNS records cached locally. Clearing this cache will force your device to request fresh DNS information from the new server.

To flush your DNS cache in Windows 10, simply open a Command Prompt as an administrator and run the command ipconfig /flushdns. You should see a message confirming that the cache has been successfully flushed.

In some cases, you may also need to clear your browser‘s internal DNS cache. Instructions for this process will vary depending on your browser, but in Chrome you can type chrome://net-internals/#dns into your address bar and click the "Clear host cache" button.

4. Disable IPv6

While IPv6 is the future of internet addressing, many networks and websites are still not fully compatible with this newer protocol. If your device is configured to prefer IPv6 over the older IPv4 standard, it could lead to DNS resolution issues.

To disable IPv6 in Windows 10:

1. Open the Control Panel and click "Network and Internet" > "Network and Sharing Center".
2. Click on your active network connection, then click "Properties".
3. Uncheck the box next to "Internet Protocol Version 6 (TCP/IPv6)" and click OK.
4. Restart your device and test your internet connection again.

Keep in mind that disabling IPv6 is only a temporary workaround, and may not be feasible or desirable in all situations. Many services and applications are beginning to rely on IPv6, so it‘s best to leave it enabled unless you‘re consistently experiencing DNS issues.

5. Update Your Network Adapter Driver

Outdated or corrupted network drivers can also cause DNS resolution problems. To check for driver updates in Windows 10:

1. Open the Start menu and type "Device Manager", then click the first result.
2. Expand the "Network adapters" section, then right-click on your primary network adapter (e.g. Wi-Fi or Ethernet).
3. Click "Update driver" and follow the prompts to search for and install any available updates.

If no updates are found, you can also try uninstalling the adapter entirely by right-clicking it and selecting "Uninstall device". Reboot your computer and Windows will automatically attempt to reinstall the latest driver.

6. Reset Your Network Configuration

If you‘ve tried all of the above steps and are still experiencing DNS issues, it may be necessary to reset your network configuration back to its default state. This will remove any custom DNS settings, proxy configurations, or static IP assignments that could be causing conflicts.

To reset your network in Windows 10, open a Command Prompt as an administrator and run the following commands in order:

ipconfig /release
ipconfig /flushdns
ipconfig /renew
netsh winsock reset
netsh int ip reset

Reboot your device once the commands have completed, then re-test your internet connection. Keep in mind that you may need to re-enter any custom network settings after performing this reset.

Advanced DNS Troubleshooting

If you‘re still experiencing DNS issues after exhausting the basic troubleshooting steps, there are a few more advanced techniques you can try before calling in professional reinforcements.

Using DNS Benchmarking Tools

DNS benchmarking tools can help you identify slow or unreliable DNS servers by comparing the performance of multiple providers. One popular option is Namebench, an open-source tool that tests your chosen DNS servers from multiple locations and provides detailed latency and reliability metrics.

To use Namebench:

1. Download and install the latest version from the official site.
2. Launch the program and select the DNS servers you want to test (or let it automatically detect your current servers).
3. Choose a set of benchmark parameters, such as the number of queries and the maximum duration.
4. Start the benchmark and wait for the results.

Namebench will provide a detailed report on the performance of each DNS server, including average query times, cache hit ratios, and error rates. It will also recommend the fastest combination of primary and secondary servers based on your location and network conditions.

Analyzing DNS Records

If you‘re experiencing DNS issues with a specific domain or website, it can be helpful to analyze the actual DNS records being returned by your server. This can help identify misconfigurations, outdated records, or even DNS hijacking attempts.

One common tool for analyzing DNS records is dig, a command-line utility built into macOS and Linux systems. To use dig on Windows, you can install it as part of the BIND toolset.

To look up the A record (IPv4 address) for a domain using dig, simply open a terminal or command prompt and type:

dig example.com A

Replace example.com with the actual domain you want to query. The output will include the IP address, TTL (time to live), and authoritative nameservers for that record.

You can also use dig to query other common DNS record types, such as:

• AAAA: IPv6 address
• MX: Mail exchange server
• CNAME: Canonical name (alias)
• TXT: Arbitrary text data

For example, to find the MX records for a domain, you would use:

dig example.com MX

Analyzing these records can help you verify that your DNS is configured correctly and pointing to the expected IP addresses or servers.

DNS Security and Privacy Concerns

While public DNS servers like Google and Cloudflare are generally fast and reliable, they do come with some privacy trade-offs. When you use a third-party DNS service, you‘re essentially trusting that provider with a record of every website you visit.

Some DNS providers monetize this data by selling aggregated browsing statistics to advertisers, while others may use it to build detailed user profiles for targeted marketing. If you‘re concerned about this level of data collection, you may want to consider running your own private DNS server or using a provider with a strong privacy policy.

Another potential risk of using public DNS is the possibility of man-in-the-middle attacks, where a malicious actor intercepts and modifies your DNS queries to redirect you to fake or malicious websites. This is known as DNS spoofing or cache poisoning.

To mitigate this risk, many DNS providers now support encrypted protocols like DNS over HTTPS (DoH) and DNS over TLS (DoT). These protocols encrypt your DNS queries and responses, making it much harder for attackers to intercept or tamper with your data.

Major web browsers like Chrome and Firefox now support DoH by default, automatically upgrading your DNS queries to HTTPS if your configured server supports it. However, this can also lead to some unexpected behavior, such as bypassing local DNS filters or parental controls.

If you‘re experiencing issues with DoH or just want to disable it for testing purposes, you can type about:config into your Firefox address bar, search for network.trr.mode, and set the value to 0 to disable DoH. In Chrome, you can disable DoH by launching the browser with the --disable-features=dns-over-https flag.

Conclusion

Troubleshooting DNS issues can be a complex and frustrating process, especially for non-technical users. However, by following the step-by-step procedures outlined in this guide, you should be able to resolve the most common causes of the "DNS Server Not Responding" error in Windows 10.

Remember to start with the basics, like checking your network connection and switching to a reliable DNS provider, before moving on to more advanced techniques like flushing your cache or resetting your network configuration. If you‘re still experiencing persistent DNS errors, don‘t hesitate to reach out to your ISP, a professional IT technician, or the support forums for your specific DNS provider.

As a full-stack developer, I know how important it is to have a fast, reliable, and secure internet connection. By taking the time to optimize your DNS settings and troubleshoot any issues that arise, you can ensure that you‘re always able to access the resources and services you need, whether you‘re deploying a mission-critical application or just trying to stream your favorite show. Happy coding!