DNS is not working. Cannot find server DNS address

Sometimes, after rebooting the computer, or even for no obvious reason at all, instead of the main page of your favorite site, the frightening message “DNS server address not found” is displayed (sometimes the message is even more succinct “DNS server error”).

And in this article we will look at why the dns server does not respond, and what to do when Windows OS cannot find the dns address of the server.

Cannot find server dns address: possible causes of the problem

Among the most common causes of DNS server errors are:

1. Technical work on the site itself or on the side of the ISP that “hosts” the Internet resource.

2. Technical work on the side of your Internet provider.

3. Network settings on your computer have failed.

If a DNS server error “pops up” only on one site (and the rest of the web pages “load” without problems), then the problem is most likely on the side of this web resource and there is nothing you can do here: for sure, site administrators know about problems and will fix the problem as soon as possible.

If the DNS server is unavailable on several sites, then it is worth checking the loading of these resources from other computers/mobile devices: if the unfortunate error occurs on all PCs, then this is either a problem with the provider or a problem with your network device (for example, a router).

In this case, you should trust the complex network magic using auto-tuning and:

1. Turn off the power to the router, wait 30 seconds and turn on the router again.

2. Remove the network cable from the LAN port of the computer and reconnect the connector to the network card connector.

3. Restart your computer.

In most cases, after such “operations” Windows is able to find the dns address of the server, and your favorite sites work without problems.

If the browser still writes that the DNS server is not responding, then you will have to “uncover the heavy artillery.”

There are several other possible reasons for this error:

1. Viruses that automatically change the network settings of Windows 7.

2. An unlucky wizard who manually set .

3. DNS settings that are broken after uninstalling any system/network programs or problems with the automatic start of the DNS service.

How to fix the “DNS server unavailable” error?

1. DNS cache is a data storage on your computer in which the names of sites are recorded - this is necessary to speed up the connection to the desired resource. Perhaps clearing the cache will help - to do this, press “Win” + “R”, run the command “ipconfig /flushdns” in the terminal and try to access the site again.

2. If updating the cache did not help, you will have to manually register the DNS servers - most likely, these are problems on the provider’s side. To do this, open the command line terminal again via “Win” + “R” and execute “ncpa.cpl” - the “Network Connections” menu will open.

2.1. Select the one that is used to access the network -> Properties -> Internet Protocol Version 4 -> Properties.

2.2. If something is indicated in the “Primary” and “Alternative” servers, try checking the “Obtain DNS data automatically” box, apply the changes and reboot.

2.3. If initially there was a checkbox for automatic retrieval, then in the “Preferred DNS server address” indicate “8.8.8.8”, and in the “Alternative” - “8.8.4.4”.

So, you have specified Google Public DNS servers that work flawlessly. Apply the settings, restart your computer and try connecting to the desired site again.

If the computer cannot find the DNS server address when connecting through a router (and not directly), you need to find it in the tab with DNS servers and specify the same two addresses there. If there are more fields for addresses or other addresses are specified, do not be alarmed, just specify two addresses and save the settings.

3. If this does not help, perhaps the error appears due to a virus.

In this case, a full system scan with antivirus software, such as Dr.Web, Avira, Avast or Kaspersky, will help.

4. Check if the autostart of the DNS service works correctly. To do this, go to Control Panel -> Administration -> Services,

Find the DNS service in the list and check if “Automatic” is listed in the “Startup Type” column.

5. If after all the above measures the problem “cannot find the dns address of the server” is not resolved, you will need to reset the TCP/IP settings on the computer. Here you will find a free utility from Microsoft and instructions for use - https://support.microsoft.com/ru-ru/kb/299357

It is impossible to imagine our existence without access to sources of information that the Internet provides. DNS servers are the connecting link of a network of computers. Unfortunately, sometimes errors occur in their work. In these cases, access to the Internet is limited or non-existent. Therefore, every user will benefit from basic knowledge on the topic.

What is a DNS server and why errors may occur

In simple terms, we can call the DNS server the address book of the Internet. Each computer connected to the network receives an IP address in the form of a digital value similar to this - 127.0.0.1. Each published website has a domain name - http://hostus.ru. The main task of a DNS server is to convert (translate) a domain name into IP addresses and the reverse process.

Video: explanation of how a DNS server works

Unfortunately, sometimes there are glitches in the chain. Errors occur. There can be quite a few reasons, let’s look at the most common ones:

no internet connection;
incorrect router or modem settings;
incorrect firewall settings;
The network card driver is critically outdated;
computer infection with a virus;
work on the provider's DNS server;
software errors on the site.

Troubleshooting should begin by checking the simplest settings, and only if unsuccessful, proceed carefully to more complex actions.

Common DNS errors

Let's look at the most common errors that are usually easy to fix on your own. Typically the fix doesn't take too long.

The DNS server is not responding, the DNS server address cannot be found

Probably the most common problem.

This is what the error message looks like in the browser window

When an error appears as a result of an attempt to log in to a certain resource, and the others work fine, most likely problems arise on the site. There is no way to fix anything in this case. Be patient, maybe after a while everything will work as normal.

DNS errors may appear due to malfunctions in the router. And also the Internet provider may be to blame for their occurrence. Reboot or turn off the router for a while, perhaps this action will clear the error. There are no changes - try connecting the Internet cable to your PC or laptop directly, bypassing the router. If the action does not help, call your provider, the problem is probably on their side.

When all devices are working normally, but the error occurs on one computer, most likely it is due to the malfunction of the device itself. Consideration of such an error is worthy of a separate publication.

Windows can't contact the device or resource

Let's consider this option - the main applications continue to work, the Internet is connected, but the resource we need is unavailable, when accessing the site, a message appears on the screen: “The DNS address of the server cannot be found.”

The browser displays an error message

To find out the causes of the error, run network diagnostics:

Failure message when the system tries to connect to the DNS server

This error can have different causes. Methods for solving the problem are selected accordingly:

the antivirus program is not working correctly - try disabling it temporarily or installing another one;
DNS may be faulty - Windows client - open Control Panel, Administrative Tools, Services tab and restart the DNS client service, turn off and restart the computer.

If all of the above steps are unsuccessful, try resetting the DNS cache. Press Win+R, in the window that appears, type “ipconfig/flushdns”, start the process.

The DNS cache is cleared by running the command “ipconfig/flushdns”

After completing the steps, everything should work fine.

No access to DNS server

Users often encounter a situation where all devices are working normally, payment has been made to the provider, but there is no access to the World Wide Web. The cause of the error is incorrect Internet access settings. Everything can be fixed on your own.

To resolve the error, do the following:

In the "Start" menu, go to "Control Panel", item - "Administration", select section - "Services".
Select the services item in the Administration section, Windows Control Panel
Find the line “DNS client”, there should be an inscription: “Working”.
When DNS is running, the DNSP client line always contains the entry “Working”
If the line is empty, move the mouse cursor, press the left button, call the context menu by clicking “Properties”.
Next, in the “Startup type” column, specify: “Automatic”.
On the tab you must specify the startup type: “Automatic”

Click "Apply" and "OK".

In a situation where the service is running but there is no network access, the following actions should help:

Log in to the control panel, there open the tab: “Network and Sharing Center”.
Open the Network and Sharing Center tab in the Windows Control Panel window
In the “Changing adapter settings” section, call up the network connection context menu.
Select "Change adapter settings" under "Network and Sharing Center"
In the tab that appears, click on the “Properties” line.
On the “Local Area Connection” tab, select “Properties”
In a new tab, highlight the line “Internet Protocol 4 (TCP/IP 4)” and click “Properties” again.
Highlight “Internet Protocol 4 (TCP/IP 4)”, click “Properties”
In the next window that appears, check the box “Use the following DNS server addresses.”
Set the server IP address manually
In the “Preferred DNS server” line, type “8. 8. 8. 8.”
The line “Alternative DNS server” should be filled in like this “8. 8. 4. 4".
Click "OK".

If everything is done correctly, but there is no positive result, there is a high probability of Windows errors. Try performing a system restore to the last point when everything was working correctly. To do this, go to the Start menu, Control Panel, Recovery. Select a restore point, run the procedure, restart your computer.

If the browser continues to generate an error, the following actions are possible to solve the problem:

Such manipulations will help identify the application that interferes with the normal loading of sites.

Another cause of the error may be outdated network adapter drivers. Find its model. On the manufacturer's website, download new programs and install.

If none of the above helped, then your computer is attacked by a virus, do the following:

Download the healing utility Dr. Web CureIt or another with similar functionality.
Perform a full scan of your computer.
Remove infected files.

There is one more error worth noting. Sometimes when you try to access the Internet, you can see the message: “Unable to resolve the DNS server address.” Most often, the error is associated with repair work on the DNS service that provides network access services. Check your Internet connection by connecting another computer or laptop to it. If the error appears on all devices, contact your provider. In the case where the error is specific to one device, your actions are similar to correcting the “no access to DNS server” error. Your system appears to be sending incorrect queries to the DNS server.

Software errors

These include DNS failures caused by software errors in servers and individual sites.

A temporary DNS error has occurred

This message is caused by DNS problems in Exchange 2013. Microsoft Exchange Server is a messaging and collaboration software product. It is not entirely clear what “Temporary server error” means. Please try again later. PRX 3". At the end there is also PRX 1, PRX 3, PRX 7. Unfortunately, there is no documentation.
There are different ways to solve the problem. If your computer has a built-in network card and an additional external one installed, disable the one that is not in use. To do this you need to do the following:

start the PC or reboot if the computer is turned on and when starting the BIOS, press the F12 or Del key;
To enter the settings, use the F1, F10 and other keys - if you don’t know which one to choose, read the text “Press... to enter Setup”, where the desired combination will be written;
in the parameters, open the section with the word Integrated, where you will need the line On Board LAN or something similar;
change the status of the line to Disabled to deactivate it;
Don't forget to use the Save and Exit button to save your changes.

BIOS panel, through which changes are made to the hardware configuration

Be careful, if you do not have confidence in your actions, do not experiment with the computer BIOS, it is better to invite a specialist.

When there is only one network card or disabling the second one does not help clear the error, try the following actions:

Failed to resolve DNS domain controller name

A specific error that is rarely encountered by ordinary PC users. Typical for systems included in Windows domain networks running Active Directory. AD represents a set of processes and services that allows you to centrally manage the local network infrastructure. All computers on the network are united into a common domain. The error occurs when trying to introduce a new server to the domain. The system displays the message “Failed to resolve DNS - domain controller name.”
Try the following:

Couldn't load the page because the site wasn't found in DNS

The error mainly relates to the work of webmasters. When registering a new domain, DNS servers do not know its address. Until information about it appears on the DNS servers, the website, mail, and other elements will not work. The DNS server registered for the domain acts as a “herald”, thanks to which the site address will become known to other servers. First, domain information appears on the hosting DNS. If you are the owner of a website, and when you try to open it, the error “the address for the domain of this website was not found on the DNS server” is displayed, contact your hosting administration.

A similar error may occur when transferring a domain to another hosting. In this case, the domain name of the site is the same, but the IP address changes. To solve the problem, you need to contact your hosting administration.

Other common mistakes

In addition to those already discussed, other problems may arise related to the DNS server.

Table: common DNS errors and how to resolve them

Event ID	Error message	Possible errors and corrective action
408	The DNS server cannot open a socket for the IP address. Make sure this is one of the valid server computer addresses.	If the IP address is valid, check to see if another device or program is trying to use the DNS service port (53).
413	The DNS server will send queries to other DNS servers on a port other than the default (TCP port 53).	This issue occurs on computers with multiple network adapters (when the DNS server is configured to use only a portion of the available IP addresses). In addition, it may be that responses from remote DNS servers attempt to use a port that the local DNS server is not configured to use, causing problems in replicating zone data across WAN connections (through firewalls). To ensure that the configured port is used for all connections, change the configuration of the IP interfaces so that one of the following conditions is true: All IP addresses are used. Only one of the IP addresses is used.
414	The server computer does not have a primary DNS suffix configured.	For example, the server name is dns 1 instead of dns1.company.net. This configuration may result in incorrect or failed calls. To fix this issue, connect the DNS server to your domain or provide a fully qualified DNS name that is appropriate for your workgroup.
708	The DNS server did not find any primary or secondary zones. The server starts in cache-only mode and is not authoritative for any of the zones.	If creating only a caching DNS server was the main goal, then nothing needs to be done. Otherwise, this message implies that you need to configure zones on the server.
3150	The DNS server wrote the new version of the zone "zonename" to the file filename. The new version can be viewed by going to the tab.	This event occurs when the DNS server is configured to act as a root server. If this is not the desired result, you will need to remove the root zone (.) to prevent these messages from appearing.
6527	The zone "zonename" expired before the zone was successfully transferred or updated from the primary server that is the source of the zone. The zone has been disabled.	The secondary DNS server has lost its network connection to the primary server, so replication cannot occur. Solve the network problem. On the secondary server, delete and recreate the zone with the correct IP address for the same or a new primary server. The primary server has an incorrect zone configuration in the SOA record. Fix this by using one of the suggested actions. Make sure that the Refresh Intervals value is less than the Expires After value. Decrease the Retry Interval value. Increase the Expires After value. Add the secondary server to the Notify List.

At first glance, the problems listed in the article seem complex and almost unsolvable. But having carefully understood the topic, everything can be corrected on your own. This will require patience and time. But the main thing you need is desire.

This article will discuss the situation when, when connecting to the Internet, the system reports that the DNS server is not responding. Fixing this problem is quite simple; all you need to do is follow the recommendations from the article.

To fix the problem you will need to follow these instructions:

1. Open "Start" and go to menu "Control Panel" .

2. In a new window, go to the section "Administration" and then open the link "Services" .

3. Find in the list of services "DNS client" and check if this service is running. If not, then right-click on it, and then go to the item "Properties" .

4. In the window that appears, in the column "Startup type" set the parameter "Automatically" . Save your changes before exiting.

If everything is fine with this service, then you additionally need to perform some more actions:

1) Open "Start" and go to menu "Control Panel" . Open section "Network and Sharing Center" .

2) In the new window, pay attention to the right side and open the menu "Change adapter settings" .

One of the most common errors related to connecting to the Internet in Windows is the error: “The DNS server is not responding.” At the same time, access to the Internet is lost. The connection icon will most likely have a yellow triangle, and in the browser, when you try to open the site, you will most likely see the error “The DNS address cannot be found,” “err name not resolved,” or something like that. This problem is caused by a malfunction of the DNS server, which is responsible for redirected IP addresses to the domain. If we talk about the reasons for this error, the culprit may be either the computer itself, or the router, or equipment on the provider’s side.

The “DNS server is not responding” error itself appears as a result of diagnosing Windows networks. Running diagnostics is very simple. Just right-click on the Internet connection icon and select “Diagnose problems.”

Sometimes, an error may appear: “The computer settings are configured correctly, but the device or resource (DNS server) is not responding.”

These are the mistakes. If you don’t know what to do, now we’ll look at some effective tips that should help you get rid of these errors. As a result, the Internet on your computer will work and sites will begin to open. The solutions will be the same for Windows 10, Windows 8, and Windows 7.

How to fix the "DNS server is not responding" error?

To get started, I recommend following a few simple solutions. Chances are they will help without you having to deal with more complex settings.

If you have internet connection via router or modem (via Wi-Fi or cable), and you see the “DNS server is not responding” error, then simply try rebooting the router. Turn off the power to the router for about a minute and turn it back on. It doesn’t matter what router you have, TP-Link, D-link, ASUS, or something else.
Restart your computer or laptop. In this case, it doesn’t matter whether your Internet is connected through a router, or via cable directly from the provider. Just reboot.
If the Internet is connected through a router, then check if the Internet works on other devices. Is there an error with the DNS server response?
When connecting through a router, if possible, you can connect the Internet directly to the computer. For check.
Try to remember why the DNS error appeared and problems with Internet access. Maybe after changing some settings, or installing programs.

If these tips don't help, then try the solutions I'll write about below.

Checking the DNS client service

In a new window, look for the “DNS Client” service, right-click on it, and select “Properties”.

The startup type should be "Automatic". And if your “Run” button is active, then click on it. Next: “Apply” and “Ok”.

If your service was disabled and you enabled it, then after restarting your computer the Internet should work.

Changing DNS server settings in connection properties

Next, we will check the DNS server settings in the properties of the connection through which the computer is connected to the Internet. If some addresses are registered there, then you can try to set automatic retrieval, or register DNS addresses from Google. This method very often allows you to get rid of the “DNS server is not responding” error.

We need to open a window with all connections. To do this, you can right-click on the Internet connection icon and select "Network Center...". Next, go to “Change adapter settings”.

Next, right-click on the connection through which you are connected to the Internet (to the router), and select “Properties”. If the connection is via Wi-Fi, then this is a “Wireless Network” connection, if via cable, then it is “Ethernet” (LAN connection).

For example, I have a problem with DNS when connecting via a Wi-Fi network through a router.

In the new window, highlight "IP Version 4 (TCP/IPv4)" and click "Properties". If you have some kind of DNS server registered in the new window, then you can try to set automatic retrieval of addresses and check your Internet connection after restarting the computer.

But most often the following helps: put a switch next to “Use the following DNS server addresses”, and enter Google DNS:

Click "Ok" and restart the computer.

This solution helps very often. If you have a problem with obtaining DNS on all devices that are connected through one router, then these addresses can be registered in the router settings, then they will be applied to all devices. As a rule, this can be done in the settings of your router, in the “Internet” or “WAN” section. Where the parameters for connecting to the provider are set.

For example, I'll show you how to do this on a TP-Link router:

Clearing the DNS cache and other network settings

You just need to launch the command line and run several commands in turn to clear the DNS address cache and other network settings. This method is suitable for both Windows 10 and Windows 7 (8).

The command line must be run as administrator. If you have Windows 10, then simply right-click on the start menu and select "Command Prompt (Admin)". In Windows 7, you can type "cmd" in the search, right-click on "cmd" in the search results, and select "Run as administrator."

We copy and execute the following commands one by one:

ipconfig /flushdns

ipconfig /registerdns

ipconfig /release

On Windows 10, you can also try . It's practically the same.

After this, restart your computer.

Update: disable or remove Avast antivirus

In the comments, Sergey wrote that only removing Avast antivirus helped him. If you have this particular antivirus installed, then it may have caused the DNS server to stop responding.

From my own experience, I can say that Avast antivirus very often interferes with Windows network settings, which causes various problems with connecting to the Internet. Either the Internet stops working after uninstalling the antivirus, or there is a DNS error, or .

You can first try stopping the antivirus completely. If this does not solve the problem, then remove it. You can reinstall it, but without additional modules. I wrote how to do this in the article linked above. (about solving a problem with IP parameters).

What to do if you can't fix the error?

If you did everything correctly, but Windows still says that the DNS server is not responding, then I have a couple more tips:

Try temporarily disabling your antivirus or its built-in firewall (web antivirus, firewall).
If you cannot fix this error in any way, then call the support of your Internet provider. It’s not uncommon for problems with DNS to be their fault.

Be sure to write if you managed to get rid of this error. Write which method helped. Maybe some other solution worked for you that is not in the article. Well, leave your feedback in the comments.

Beginner users of high-speed Internet access, due to their lack of any experience in working with computer networks, periodically encounter various problems that a more experienced user or IT specialist could solve “one or two times.” One of these common problems is the error: DNS server is not responding.
The most interesting thing is that Internet access itself usually works fine, Skype and ICQ also work, but the pages in the browser do not open. What to do?

Let's first figure it out - what kind of server is this and what is it for?!

What is DNS, how does it work?!

As you already know, the names of sites on the global page are written in letters so that they can be easily read and subsequently easily remembered. But the computer network itself (both local and Internet) is built on digital IP addresses. That is, behind a beautiful symbolic name there is a set of numbers hidden.

So here it is DNS(from English Domain Name System- Domain Name System) is a complex stepwise hierarchical system that stores all information about the symbolic names of nodes on the Internet and quickly allows you to transfer an address from one type to another. For example, you want to visit the site privet.ru and enter it in the browser. Your computer sends the DNS server a request like:

"What is the IP address of the site? privet.ru?"

DNS checks information against its database or contacts higher-level servers. The resulting result will be like this:

"The site privet.ru has an IP address of 190.16.99.134"

It is sent back to the computer that sent the request. Thus, if the DNS server does not respond or there are some problems with it, the user will not be able to open any site or page. And yes, Internet access itself will work great, like all programs that access hosts directly via IP. But the browser will not open the page.
If the DNS server does not respond, then the Google Chrome browser (and all others on this platform) will display an error: net err name not resolved. Example:

That is, the browser cannot perform the resolv operation - that is, it cannot convert a letter address into a digital one and displays the message "Name not resolved".

Let's look at what options there may be to solve the DNS problem.

If the DNS server does not respond, change it!

Each more or less large provider has its own DNS servers. And all network settings are made in such a way that when a subscriber connects, he automatically receives everything he needs to work. Including the addresses of the necessary servers. But not everyone can boast of a stable job. Some telecom operators generally leave their DNS at the “as is” level, without paying due attention to it. But in the end, it works very poorly, problems constantly arise with it and it crashes, causing users to receive errors like “The DNS server is not responding.” The use of public servers from the largest IT companies in the world will help solve the problem. I prefer to use Google public servers:

8.8.8.8
8.8.4.4

Or from Yandex:

77.88.8.8
77.88.8.1

How to register them in Windows 10?! Very simple! Click the Start button and open Operating System Settings. We need the "Network and Internet" section:

In the menu on the left, you need to select the type of connection through which you access the Internet, and on the right, click on the link “Configure adapter settings.” The Windows Network Connections window should open:

Right-click on the connection icon and select “Properties” from the menu that appears. The following window will open:

Here you need to find and double-click on the line “IP version 4 (TCP/IPv4)” to open the Internet Protocol properties window:

Here you need to check the “Use the following DNS server addresses” checkbox at the bottom of the window. After this, two fields below will become available, in which you need to enter DNS IP addresses. Above you see an example with Google servers, and below - from Yandex:

After that, click on the OK button to apply the changes. Now we launch the browser again. The "err name not resolved" error should be resolved.

The antivirus has blocked DNS and it is not responding!

In some cases, the cause of problems with access to the Internet is an overly active antivirus, or rather its network module - Firewall or Firewall. He may not like any request and will easily block access to a particular site on the Internet. Or, as an option, it can block the operation of the Windows DNS client and it will not be able to send or receive requests, which means that the normal operation of the PC on the global web will be paralyzed and the error “DNS server is not responding” will begin to appear.

Therefore, when such a picture appears, for diagnostic purposes, it is worth trying for a short time disable Firewall antivirus, as well as a module Web Antivirus, if it is present in your security system.

In the case where your Firewall is installed separately, you must also suspend its operation for the duration of the diagnostics.

If after this the problems with the DNS stop and the sites begin to open normally, the reason must be looked for in the firewall rules. By the way, don’t forget to turn it back on, otherwise you risk getting a number of other problems due to malware activity on the network.

Windows DNS client does not work

A special network module, the DNS client, is responsible for how the Windows operating system contacts the DNS server. It is he who is responsible for sending and receiving requests for domain names. But sometimes it can start to fail. First you need to restart it. Right-click on the computer icon on the desktop and select the “Manage” menu item:

In the “Computer Management” window that opens, select the “Services” section. A complete list of all available Windows 10 system services will be displayed on the left. Find the DNS client line in it:

We check that the status column has the value “Running”. After that, right-click on the line and select the “DNS client” item. In the menu that appears, select "Restart".

Comment: If the client is disabled or suspended for any reason, you must enable it again. To do this, double-click on this line to open the service properties:

We check that the startup type is set to “Automatic”. After that, click on the “Run” button. Checking Internet access.

When all else fails

If, despite all the steps taken above, your pages still cannot open, your browser writes “net err name not resolved,” and Windows throws up the error “DNS server is not responding,” then a global failure of the operating system is most likely to blame. To finally verify this, try connecting another PC, laptop or tablet instead of your computer. If everything works perfectly on it, then only restoring Windows will help. To use it, go to Windows 10 Settings and select the "Update and Security" section:

Here you need to go to the “Recovery” subsection and find the “Return the computer to its original state” item. Click on the "Start" button and follow the instructions of the wizard. After the procedure has worked, you will receive a working operating system with system files completely restored to their original state. You can check Internet access.