9 Ways to Fix “DNS Server Not Responding” Fast

TL;DR

The “DNS server not responding” error means your device can’t communicate with a DNS resolver, so domains fail to load. Causes range from resolver outages to misconfigurations or cache corruption. In this guide, you’ll find 9 proven fixes for Windows and macOS. For data teams running crawlers, APIs, or uptime monitors, Ping Network’s universal bandwidth layer ensures your jobs stay stable even under rate limits, geo restrictions, or DNS hiccups.

What the “DNS Server Not Responding” Error Means

The Domain Name System (DNS) translates domains like example.com into IP addresses. If DNS fails, your browser can’t find the server, and pages won’t load.
Common causes:

• DNS resolver outage or overload
• Local network misconfiguration
• Outdated drivers or OS bugs
• Firewall/antivirus blocking DNS queries
• Corrupted cache or malware

Quick Fixes First

Power off both devices, wait 30 seconds, then restart. Test again.

Switch to a public DNS like Google or Cloudflare.

Windows:
Control Panel → Network and Sharing Center → Change adapter settings → Right-click adapter → Properties → IPv4 → Use the following DNS:

• Preferred: 8.8.8.8 or 1.1.1.1
• Alternate: 8.8.4.4 or 1.0.0.1

macOS:

• System Settings → Network → Your Network → Details → DNS → Add 1.1.1.1, 1.0.0.1 or 8.8.8.8, 8.8.4.4 → Apply

Remove corrupted entries.

• Windows (Admin): ipconfig /flushdns
• macOS (Terminal): sudo killall -HUP mDNSResponder

Network Stack Fixes

Turn off protection briefly to test DNS. If resolved, add allow rules for DNS traffic and re-enable security.

Run a full system scan with trusted antivirus. Remove threats, then retest.

Prevent Future DNS Errors

For Data Teams: Keep Crawls and APIs Stable With Ping Network

If DNS issues interrupt web scraping, SEO audits, uptime monitoring, or API calls, you need infrastructure built for scale.

Ping Network provides:

• Real residential IPs in 150+ countries for natural traffic patterns
• On-demand scaling to absorb concurrency spikes
• API-first controls for rotation, geo targeting, and session stickiness
• Decentralized resilience with 99.9999% uptime
• Cost efficiency with pay-as-you-go pricing

Combined with proper DNS configuration, Ping ensures your pipelines stay stable even when resolvers fail or rate limits hit.

👉 Book a call with our team to see how Ping Network can power your infrastructure.
📖 Read the docs

FAQ

Yes, if your ISP’s DNS is slow. Public resolvers can reduce lookup latency.

Only for testing. If DNS works with firewall off, add DNS rules and re-enable security.

Use both if properly configured. If IPv6 causes issues, test with it off, then re-enable once fixed.

Clear cache, try another resolver, and test with nslookup or dig. If issues are regional, route via Ping Network to check geo-specific differences.

Not locally—but routing through Ping Network’s residential IPs can bypass regional DNS problems and avoid blocks during data collection.

Conclusion

The “DNS server not responding” error can usually be fixed with simple steps like flushing the cache, switching resolvers, or updating network settings. For everyday users, these nine methods solve most cases.

For businesses running crawlers, APIs, and automation at scale, pairing these fixes with Ping Network’s universal bandwidth layer ensures continuous reliability:

• Global coverage with residential IPs
• Instant scalability
• Developer-ready API controls
• Decentralized uptime resilience

👉 Solve DNS errors and keep your data pipelines running — Book a call today.