{"id":13636,"date":"2019-04-19T11:18:13","date_gmt":"2019-04-19T11:18:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.driversupport.com\/knowledge-article\/dns-server-unavailable-heres-how-to-fix-it\/"},"modified":"2024-02-28T17:53:48","modified_gmt":"2024-02-28T23:53:48","slug":"dns-server-unavailable-heres-how-to-fix-it","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.driversupport.com\/knowledge-article\/dns-server-unavailable-heres-how-to-fix-it\/","title":{"rendered":"DNS Server Unavailable? Here’s How To Fix It"},"content":{"rendered":"

If your internet isn\u2019t working, and you\u2019re getting a \u201cDNS Server Unavailable\u201d error in Windows, here\u2019s what could be causing it.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Your DNS Server is actually unavailable.<\/span><\/li>\n
  2. You\u2019ve configured your network adapter for a different network<\/span><\/li>\n
  3. The driver for your network card is incorrect<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

     <\/p>\n

    <\/span>What is a DNS?<\/span><\/span><\/h2>\n

     <\/p>\n

    A DNS is a \u201cDomain name system\u201d which essentially translates a website name into an IP address to retrieve information. Think of it as a big directory that makes the internet work! However, it runs in a decentralized system, meaning pieces of it are all over the place, and there\u2019s a ton that can go wrong. Let\u2019s check to see what could be causing the issue!<\/span><\/p>\n

     <\/p>\n

    <\/span>How to Troubleshooting DNS Server Unavailable Message<\/span><\/span><\/h2>\n

     <\/p>\n

    The root of such irritating messages can often be traced back to the server outage. In such cases, the DNS server is temporarily unavailable. Most of the time, these problems can be corrected by changing browsers, switching a few of your firewall settings, or restarting your router.<\/span><\/p>\n

     <\/p>\n

    <\/span>Try a different web browser<\/span><\/span><\/h3>\n

    In order to rule out that the connection problem isn\u2019t being caused by your web browser, carry out a test by attempting to logon on to the desired web page with alternative applications. Web browsers like Mozilla Firefox, Google Chrome, Microsoft Internet Explorer, and Apple Safari make up some of the most conventional options. If you\u2019re able to solve the problem simply by switching browsers, then check your preferred application\u2019s settings and make sure you\u2019re using the latest version of it. Certain circumstances may require uninstalling the program and reinstalling it again. Chances are, this won\u2019t fix your issue, but it could help us diagnose it further.<\/span><\/p>\n

     <\/p>\n

    <\/span>Deactivate firewall and antivirus<\/span><\/span><\/h3>\n

    In case you aren\u2019t able to achieve your desired results simply by changing browsers, then the next step is to rule out Windows Firewall as the possible culprit. Pull up the control panel and temporarily deactivate the firewall. If you\u2019re now able to access the desired website, then it looks like you\u2019ve identified the Firewall as the source of the problem. Next, check its configuration. Should the error persist even after deactivating the firewall, then the DNS server may yet prove to be the cause of the problem.<\/span><\/p>\n

     <\/p>\n

    <\/span>Restarting the router<\/span><\/span><\/h3>\n

    Connection problems can often be solved by restarting the server. Most devices include a power button specifically for this purpose. Should this fail to yield any results, then it looks like a hard reboot may be in store; this is done simply by pulling out the power plug. Wait around 30 seconds until all of the electrical components have completely powered down before starting up the device again. Should you receive the error message \u2018DNS server not responding\u2019 after having completed the first two steps, then the only choice remaining is to choose an alternative DNS server.<\/span><\/p>\n

     <\/p>\n

    <\/span>Selecting another DNS server<\/span><\/span><\/h3>\n

    If you have ruled out common causes of error such as the router software crashes or conflicts with Windows Firewall, then changing your DNS server could be the solution.<\/span><\/p>\n

     <\/p>\n

    Typically, the DNS server address of the internet provider is automatically used, but this server can sometimes be slow or easily overloaded. A few clicks is all it takes to replace your internet provider\u2019s DNS server with your desired server. Using a public DNS server is also an option; just look on specific DNS server lists. Google operates a fast, free, and very reliable public DNS server.<\/span><\/p>\n

    <\/span>How to Change Your Router\u2019s DNS Server<\/span><\/span><\/h3>\n

    <\/span>Step 1: Log in to your Router<\/span><\/span><\/h4>\n

    To get to your router settings, you\u2019ll need to know<\/span><\/p>\n

      \n
    1. What router you have<\/span><\/li>\n
    2. What the IP address of your router is<\/span><\/li>\n
    3. Where the settings are located for your DNS services<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

       <\/p>\n

      To figure out what router you have, you may need to look at the router itself. <\/span><\/p>\n

       <\/p>\n

      To get the IP address of your router, open the command line (Win key + R), write ipconfig in the opening line, and enter it.<\/span><\/p>\n

       <\/p>\n

      You\u2019ll get something like this:<\/span><\/p>\n

       <\/p>\n

      Windows IP Configuration<\/span><\/p>\n

       <\/p>\n

      Ethernet adapter Ethernet 2:<\/span><\/p>\n

       <\/p>\n

      \u00a0\u00a0Connection-specific DNS Suffix \u00a0. : xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx<\/span><\/p>\n

      \u00a0\u00a0IPv6 Address. . . . . . . . . . . : xxxx:xx:xxx:xxx:xxxx:xxxx:xxxx:xxxx<\/span><\/p>\n

      \u00a0\u00a0Temporary IPv6 Address. . . . . . : xxxx:xx:xxx:xxx:xxxx:xxxx:xxxx:xxxx<\/span><\/p>\n

      \u00a0\u00a0Link-local IPv6 Address . . . . . : xxxx:xx:xxx:xxx:xxxx:xxxx:xxxx:xxxx<\/span><\/p>\n

      \u00a0\u00a0IPv4 Address. . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.117<\/span><\/p>\n

      \u00a0\u00a0Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0<\/span><\/p>\n

      \u00a0\u00a0Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : xxxx:xx:xxx:xxx:xxxx:xxxx:xxxx:xxxx<\/span><\/p>\n

      \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>192.168.1.1<\/b><\/p>\n

       <\/p>\n

      That last line should probably be 192.168.1.1 – that\u2019s the most common router IP. Sometimes it\u2019s something else.<\/span><\/p>\n

       <\/p>\n

      Go to your browser and type in that address and try to login. If you did not set a username and password, you\u2019ll be able to find the defaults in Google for your router name.<\/span><\/p>\n

       <\/p>\n

      Locate the IP Configuration settings (may have a different name) and find the DNS section. Change the DNS Servers to one of the following options.<\/span><\/p>\n

       <\/p>\n

      Google DNS: 8.8.8.8. and 8.8.4.4. <\/span><\/p>\n

      OpenDNS: 208.67.220.220 and 208.67.222.222<\/span><\/p>\n

       <\/p>\n

      <\/span>Changing DNS server address<\/span><\/span><\/h3>\n

       <\/p>\n

      If you can\u2019t access the router, you can just change your personal DNS configuration by opening your Internet Settings and reconfiguring it yourself.<\/span><\/p>\n

       <\/p>\n

      Right click your network and select Open Network & Internet Settings<\/span><\/p>\n

      \"switch<\/p>\n

      Select \u201cChange Connection Properties\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

      \"network<\/p>\n

      Change Adapter Settings<\/span><\/p>\n

      \"adapter<\/p>\n

      Right click your network controller and select Properties<\/span><\/p>\n

      \"network<\/p>\n

      Find the TCP IPv4 and select \u201cProperties\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

      \"configure<\/p>\n

      And change your DNS Servers. You can view examples of which public DNS servers you can use in the section above.<\/span><\/p>\n

       <\/p>\n

      If you need to use TCP IPv6 DNS addresses, you can use your favorite search engine from a mobile device to find examples of reliable servers there.<\/span><\/p>\n

       <\/p>\n

      <\/span>Troubleshooting Network Driver Issues<\/span><\/span><\/h2>\n

      If you\u2019re having problems with any of the above steps, update your drivers for your:<\/span><\/p>\n