Let’s roll up our sleeves and get techy together on fixing that “Your DNS server might be unavailable” error!
Imagine we’re cozied up with our computer, sipping on some freshly brewed coffee, and this DNS error pops up. Fret not! I’d guide you through how we’d troubleshoot and resolve this together, step by step.
Step 1: Check Internet Connection
First, I’d make sure we are connected to the internet. I’d click on the little network icon on the bottom right of the taskbar, just to be sure we’re not in “Airplane mode” or disconnected from our Wi-Fi/Ethernet.
Step 2: Restarting the Router
Let’s try the classic “turn it off and on again” trick with our router. I’d unplug it, wait for about 10 seconds just to make sure all the power drains out, and then plug it back in. We’d give it a minute or two to re-establish a connection and see if that resolves our DNS woes.
Step 3: Flush the DNS
If the error persists, our next move is to flush the DNS. Here we go:
- I’d press the
Windows key + Xand select “Windows PowerShell (Admin)” to get us into the command line interface with admin privileges. - Then, I’d type in
ipconfig /flushdnsand hitEnter. A message should pop up saying that the DNS resolver cache was cleared. That’s us telling the computer to forget all it knows about DNS settings temporarily.
Step 4: Changing the DNS Server
Sometimes, the default DNS server provided by our ISP (Internet Service Provider) can be unreliable. I’d guide us to switch to a different DNS server, perhaps Google DNS or Cloudflare.
Here’s how we’d do it together:
- I’d navigate us to the “Control Panel” > “Network and Sharing Center” > “Change adapter settings”.
- We’d right-click on our internet connection (might be Wi-Fi or Ethernet, depending on how we’re connected) and select “Properties”.
- I’d click on “Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4)” and then click on the “Properties” button.
- Here, I’d toggle to “Use the following DNS server addresses” and input the addresses of a different DNS server. For Google DNS, it would be
8.8.8.8and8.8.4.4. For Cloudflare, it would be1.1.1.1and1.0.0.1. - Then, a smooth click on “OK”, and we’ve switched DNS servers!
Step 5: Check Firewall/Antivirus Settings
Sometimes, firewall or antivirus settings can interfere with network connections. I’d make sure our firewall or antivirus isn’t blocking our connection. We might try disabling it momentarily (just to check, and then promptly re-enable it) to see if that’s the culprit.
Step 6: Network Troubleshooter
If we’re still stuck, I’d run the Windows Network Troubleshooter, as sometimes it can pinpoint and even fix issues automatically.
- Click on “Start” and then the settings gear.
- Go to “Update & Security” > “Troubleshoot” > “Additional troubleshooters”.
- Here, I’d click on “Internet Connections” and let the wizard work its magic.
Step 7: Checking Browser Proxy Settings
Lastly, I’d ensure that our web browser isn’t configured to use a proxy server in its settings, which might disrupt DNS settings, especially if it’s a malicious or unstable proxy.
And that would be our tech adventure into resolving the “Your DNS server might be unavailable” error! Hopefully, after these steps, we’re back online, surfing smoothly, and our DNS troubles are a thing of the past!