DNS Server Not Responding on Windows 11? 10 Fixes

You open a website and nothing loads. Windows Network Diagnostics says "Your computer appears to be correctly configured, but the device or resource (DNS server) is not responding." The connection icon may even show you are online. The DNS server not responding error is one of the most common internet problems on Windows, and in most cases one of the ten fixes below solves it in a few minutes. Start at the top: the fixes are ordered from fastest to most thorough.

What "DNS Server Not Responding" Means

Every time you type a name like netspeedm.com, Windows asks a DNS server for the matching IP address. Usually that server is your router, which passes the question to your internet provider (ISP). If no answer comes back in time, the browser has nowhere to connect, and Windows reports that the DNS server is not responding. Your connection itself may be fine: apps that connect by IP address, or that already have the answer cached, can still work.

The usual causes are:

• The router or modem has hung and stopped forwarding DNS requests.
• Your ISP's DNS servers are down or overloaded.
• A corrupted DNS cache or IP lease on the PC.
• A VPN, proxy, antivirus or firewall blocking DNS traffic.
• An outdated or misbehaving network adapter driver.

First: Is It the PC, the Router or the ISP?

Two minutes of checking saves you from trying fixes in the wrong place:

The ping test is the most useful: it tells you whether the connection works and only name lookups fail.

ping 1.1.1.1
ping google.com

10 Fixes for DNS Server Not Responding

1. Restart the router and modem

   Unplug both for 30 seconds, plug the modem in first, wait until its lights settle, then plug in the router. This clears a hung DNS forwarder, which is the single most common cause. Restart the PC too.

2. Flush DNS and renew the IP address

   Right-click Start, choose Terminal (Admin) and run:

   Commands

   ipconfig /flushdns
   ipconfig /release
   ipconfig /renew

   This clears stale lookups and asks the router for a fresh address. More detail in how to flush DNS on Windows 11.

3. Turn off VPN, proxy and third-party firewall

   Disconnect any VPN. Open Settings > Network & internet > Proxy and turn off Use a proxy server. If you use a third-party antivirus with a web shield or firewall, pause it for a minute and test again. If the error disappears, add an exception or update that program.

4. Run the network troubleshooter

   Open Settings > System > Troubleshoot > Other troubleshooters and run Network and Internet. It resets the adapter and can repair simple configuration problems on its own.

5. Switch to a public DNS server

   If your ISP's servers are unreliable, use a public one. Open Settings > Network & internet > Wi-Fi (or Ethernet) > your network > DNS server assignment > Edit > Manual, turn on IPv4 and enter:

   • Cloudflare: 1.1.1.1 and 1.0.0.1
   • Google: 8.8.8.8 and 8.8.4.4
   • Quad9: 9.9.9.9 and 149.112.112.112

   This fixes the error for most people when the ISP is the problem. Step-by-step screens: change DNS server on Windows 11.

6. Reset Winsock and the TCP/IP stack

   Commands

   netsh winsock reset
   netsh int ip reset

   Restart the PC afterwards. This repairs network settings that other software may have changed.

7. Restart the DNS Client service the safe way

   On Windows 11 the DNS Client (Dnscache) service cannot be stopped from Services, and you should not disable it. A full restart of the PC restarts it. If the service shows as stopped in services.msc, system files may be damaged: run sfc /scannow in Terminal (Admin).

8. Update or reinstall the network adapter driver

   Right-click Start > Device Manager > Network adapters. Right-click your Wi-Fi or Ethernet adapter and choose Update driver. If that finds nothing, choose Uninstall device and restart; Windows reinstalls the driver. The newest drivers usually come from the laptop or motherboard maker's website.

9. Turn off IPv6 for a test

   Some routers handle IPv6 DNS badly. Press Win+R, type ncpa.cpl, right-click your adapter > Properties and untick Internet Protocol Version 6 (TCP/IPv6). If the error stops, update the router firmware and turn IPv6 back on later. Microsoft does not recommend leaving IPv6 off for good.

10. Network reset

    The last step on the PC: Settings > Network & internet > Advanced network settings > Network reset. It reinstalls every adapter and removes saved Wi-Fi networks and VPN adapters, so have your Wi-Fi password ready. See reset network settings on Windows 11.

Check Which DNS Server You Are Using

Run ipconfig /all and look for DNS Servers under your active adapter. If it shows your router (often 192.168.0.1 or 192.168.1.1), the router forwards to your ISP. To check from one screen, open IP Address App: the adapter list shows your IP, gateway and DNS servers, and its DNS Lookup tool tests whether a domain resolves, so you can confirm the fix worked without guessing.

If Every Device Has the Problem

When phones, TVs and PCs all fail, the PC is not the problem. Try these on the router:

• Set public DNS on the router instead of each device. Log in to the router (the address is on its label) and look for DNS under WAN or Internet settings.
• Update the router firmware. Old firmware is a common cause of DNS drops.
• Check for an ISP outage on your provider's status page or social media, using mobile data.

Related DNS Errors

In Chrome and Edge the same problem often shows as DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_NXDOMAIN or DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_NO_INTERNET. The fixes overlap, but NXDOMAIN can also mean the site name does not exist; see how to fix DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_NXDOMAIN.

FAQ

Conclusion

Most "DNS server not responding" errors clear after a router restart and ipconfig /flushdns. If the error returns, the ISP's DNS servers are the likely culprit, and switching to 1.1.1.1 or 8.8.8.8 fixes it for good. Keep a tool that shows your DNS settings at hand, and explore more network apps for Windows.

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