If you’ve ever seen the message “Windows 10 Not Responding,” you know something has gone wrong. There are other associated messages you might see as well. As you can see by the messages, most of them have to do with DNS server issues.
- DNS server not responding in Windows 10
- Windows 10 file explorer not responding
- File explorer not responding in Windows 10
- Windows 10 DNS server not responding
What is a DNS Server?
In short, a DNS server is a computer server that contains a database of public IP addresses and their associated hostnames. This serves to resolve, or translate, those names to IP addresses as requested. DNS servers run special software and communicate with each other using special protocols.
The purpose of these servers is to simplify things. For instance, it’s easier to remember a domain or hostname than it is to remember an IP address that consists of a bunch of numbers. We like to simply type in the URL we’re looking for, such as SoftwareKeep.com. That works for us, but it doesn’t work well for computers. They prefer that string of numbers. When you type in the URL you want, the DNA server translates that to whatever IP address is associated with that particular URL. Boom. You are transported to that website.
In most cases, this works the way it should. When it doesn’t, you may see an error that says Windows 10 DNS server not responding. What can you do about DNS server errors? There are a couple of ways to handle this.
How to Fix DNS Server Issues
Remember, to access any website, you need to access the DNS server first. After the DNS server receives your request, you’ll be directed to the website. What to do if the DNS server is not responding in Windows 10? The fastest way to fix DNS server settings is manual. Once you do this, you disable your router and test the connection again. If the issue persists, you can try some other things we’ll discuss later.
Change DNS Server to OpenDNS or Google DNS
- Open Network Connections. Press Windows Key + X on your keyboard and choose the Network Connections option.
- Locate your network connection, right-click, choose Properties from the menu.
- Select Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4) and click the Properties button.
- Choose “Use the following DNS server addresses option.”
- As the Preferred DNS server enter 8.8.8.8. As for the Alternate DNS server, you need to enter 8.8.4.4. If you want, you can also use 208.67.222.222 as Preferred and 208.67.220.220 as an Alternate DNS server.
- Click OK to save changes.
Other DNS Fixes
Some users have reported DNS servers not responding to errors while using a wireless network. You can fix that simply by updating your router’s firmware.
WARNING: This is an advanced process you may want to leave to your Internet service provider. Before updating your router’s firmware, always back up its settings. Check your instruction manual to see how this is done for your particular router.
You may be able to fix DNS with some command prompt commands:
- Open Command Prompt as administrator.
- When Command Prompt opens, enter:
- netsh int IP reset
- netsh Winsock reset
- ipconfig /flushdns
- ipconfig /renew
- Restart your computer.
These commands reset your IP and clear the DNS cache.
Another way you can fix the "DNS server not responding error on Windows 10" error is by restarting your modem. Press the power button on your modem to turn it off, then wait for 30 seconds and turn it on again. Check to see if the problem continues once the modem has been fully restarted.
Third-party applications like antivirus or VPN tools can interfere with your Internet connection. To fix the DNS server not responding error on Windows 10 errors with this issue you will need to use Safe Mode. This is a special mode in Windows that runs only basic software and drivers. To enter Safe Mode on Windows 10:
- Open the Start Menu and click the Power button. Hold down the Shift key on your keyboard and click Restart.
- You’ll see three options available. Choose Troubleshoot.
- Select Advanced options > Startup Settings and click the Restart button.
- When your PC restarts you’ll see a list of options available. Select Safe Mode with Networking by pressing F5 on the keyboard.
- Safe Mode will now start.
When Safe Mode starts, see if your network connection works. If there are no problems with your Internet connection in Safe Mode, third-party software is probably causing the problem. The next goal is to find the software causing the problem. Once you have determined where the problem is, it’s time to find the offending software and remove or disable it so it can no longer cause issues.
You can also disable peer-to-peer networking. This may work. If not, your router configuration can cause DNS issues. To fix the DNS server not responding error on Windows 10, reset your router to default settings by opening your router’s configuration page and choosing the Reset option.
Export the configuration so you don’t need to configure your networks again. An alternative way to reset your router is to press and hold the reset button for a few seconds. Both methods produce the same result.
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