The DNS Server isn't Responding

As our readers know SysToSys is a platform to publish everyday technical issues faced by different network engineers.

Today, we present a new article about an error code -The DNS server isn't responding.

You might be wondering how did I get this error message. Let me narrate the incident.

After being unable to access the Internet on my Windows 11 laptop, I ran Windows Troubleshooter.

You can run Windows Troubleshooter by right-clicking the network adapter at the taskbar. Then click on Troubleshoot Problems to start Windows Troubleshooter.

Windows Troubleshooter ran a few tests and finally gave me the error report.

The error report was:

Network Adapter

Troubleshooting has completed

Troubleshooting was unable to automatically fix all of the issues found. You can find more details below.

Problems found

The DNS server isn't responding.                   Detected

You can see the screenshot of the problems found by the Windows Troubleshooter.

Now let us check the meaning of the error code.

Why Do I Get the Error- The DNS Server isn't Responding?

You might be wondering how did I get this error message.

You can understand from the screenshot that Windows Troubleshooter has no solution. So, it is up to me.

I fixed the problem by following manual troubleshooting. This tutorial will teach you how to fix the error the DNS server is not responding.

How to Fix the Error- The DNS Server isn't Responding?

I explained the scientific troubleshooting for every DNS-related issue in my previous tutorial -Ping Request Could Not Find Host Please Check the Name and Try Again.

To resolve the DNS server isn't responding error, follow the steps below.

1. Flush the DNS Cache and Re-register DNS names
   
   The first step to resolve the DNS Server isn't Responding is to flush the current DNS cache on your computer and re-register it.
   
   You can perform this task by executing two commands on DOS. Let us check how to do it on a Windows computer.
   
   
   1. Start Windows Search by pressing Windows and Q keys together.
      
      
   2. Type Command Prompt and right-click on it. Click Run as Administrator.
      
      
      
      
   3. Type the following command on the DOS window and press the Enter key.
      
      
      
      ipconfig /flushdns
      
      
      
      
      
   4. Type the following command and press the Enter key.
      
      
      
      ipconfig /registerdns
      
      
      
      
      
   5. Restart your computer and check for the issue.
   
   
   
   If Windows still reports the error- the DNS Server isn't Responding, we need to power cycle the network.
   
   
   
2. Power Cycle the Network
   
   The second step to fix the DNS Server isn't Responding error is to conduct a network Power Cycling.
   
   Let us check how to do it.
   
   
   1. Power off the modem and disconnect the Ethernet cable.
      
      
   2. Power off the router and disconnect the Ethernet cable.
      
      
   3. Restart your computer.
      
      
   4. Wait for two minutes and power on the router. Reconnect the Ethernet cable.
      
      
   5. Wait for one minute and power on the modem. Reconnect the Ethernet cable.
   
   
   Now check whether you can access the Internet from your computer. If you can't access the Internet, run the Windows Troubleshooter ( right-click on the wireless icon at the system tray and click on Troubleshoot problems).
   
   
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   If you still receive the error( the DNS Server isn't Responding), you must assign Google DNS to your computer to fix it.
   
   
   
3. Assign Reliable DNS to Your Computer
   
   Why do we get the error the DNS server is not responding? It is because the current DNS server assigned is not reliable.
   
   We can fix it by assigning a more reliable and faster DNS. My recommendations are Google DNS and Open DNS.
   
   You can choose any one of them.
   
   
   

   OpenDNS	208.67.222.222 208.67.220.220
   Google Public DNS	8.8.8.8 8.8.4.4

   
   
   
   Let me show you how to assign Google DNS to a Windows computer to fix the error - The DNS Server isn't Responding.
   
   
   
   1. Press Windows and X keys together. Click Settings from the menu.
      
      
   2. Click Network & Internet
      
      
   3. Click on Change adapter options
      
      
      
      
   4. Right Click on the Active connection and click Properties
      
      
   5. Select Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4) and click the Properties button
      
      
      
      
   6. Select the radio button Use the following DNS server addresses
      
      
      
      
   7. Type 8.8.8.8 as the preferred DNS server. Type 8.8.4.4 as the alternate DNS server address.
      
      
   8. Click the OK button to save the changes. Reboot your computer.

I hope this guide will help you fix the error -The DNS server is not responding on a Windows computer.