The DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_NXDOMAIN error indicates a failure in resolving a website’s IP address through the Domain Name System (DNS).

In this article, we will explore the causes of this error and provide practical solutions to fix it, ensuring a smoother internet browsing experience.

What Is DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_NXDOMAIN?

The DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_NXDOMAIN error is a common issue that occurs when the DNS fails to resolve a domain name into an IP address.

The DNS is crucial for directing internet traffic, as it connects domain names with their corresponding web servers. When DNS can’t successfully perform this task, this error occurs, indicating that the domain is non-existent (NXDOMAIN.)

This problem can occur due to internet connection issues, firewall blocking access, DNS misconfiguration, unresponsive servers, and more.

How DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_NXDOMAIN Error Looks in Different Browsers

The DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_NXDOMAIN error appears differently in various web browsers. Here’s how it typically looks in the most common browsers.

DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_NXDOMAIN Problem in Chrome

In Google Chrome, this error usually shows a message stating “This site can’t be reached” followed by “DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_NXDOMAIN”.

DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_NXDOMAIN in Mozilla Firefox

Firefox displays a more general error page, often with a message like “Hmm. We’re having trouble finding that site” or a similar indication that the DNS resolution failed.

DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_NXDOMAIN in Microsoft Edge

Similar to Chrome and Firefox, Edge may show a message like “Hmmm… can’t reach this page” alongside the technical error code.

DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_NXDOMAIN in Safari

For Safari users on Apple devices, the error typically appears as “Safari Can’t Find the Server”, indicating a DNS resolution issue.

Main Causes of the DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_NXDOMAIN Error

The DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_NXDOMAIN error can be attributed to several key causes:

• Expired Domain Name: If a website’s domain name has expired and not been renewed, it cannot be resolved by DNS servers, leading to this error. It’s essential for domain owners to keep track of renewal dates to avoid this issue.
• DNS Cache: Sometimes, your device’s DNS cache might hold outdated or incorrect information about a domain, causing resolution errors. Clearing the DNS cache can often resolve this issue.
• DNS Gaps and Settings Misconfiguration: Incorrect DNS settings or gaps in the DNS configuration, either on your local network or at your ISP, can prevent proper domain name resolution. This misconfiguration could stem from incorrect DNS server addresses or other related settings.
• Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) Attacks: In rare cases, a DDoS attack targeting a specific domain or DNS server can disrupt normal DNS operations, leading to this error. DDoS attacks flood the server with traffic, making it unable to respond to legitimate DNS queries.

Other Common Causes

• Internet Connection Problems: A simple yet common cause is an unstable or non-functional internet connection. If the device is not properly connected to the internet, DNS resolution cannot occur.
• Site Name Incorrectly Typed: Typing errors in the website’s URL can lead to this error, as the DNS system tries to resolve IP addresses to non-existent domains.
• Firewall Blocking Access: Sometimes, the firewall settings on your computer or network might block access to certain websites, leading to DNS resolution errors.
• Antivirus or VPN Interference: Some antivirus software or VPN services can alter network settings or block certain internet traffic, which can inadvertently cause issues with DNS resolution.

How to Fix the DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_NXDOMAIN Problem on Windows and Other Operating Systems

The DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_NXDOMAIN error commonly occurs on all operating systems and not just web browsers. Below, we listed actionable tips to fix the problem on Windows and other operating systems.

1. Release and Renew IP Address

The IP address serves as the identification number for each device on a network. The ISP may use Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) to assign a dynamic IP address to your devices. Those addresses change periodically, but sometimes, they don’t change properly, which is why it’s necessary to release and renew IP addresses manually.

How to Release and Renew IP Address on Windows

1. Open the Start menu and type “cmd” in the search bar.
2. Click on Command Prompt to open it.
3. Type ipconfig /release and hit Enter to release your current IP.
4. Then type ipconfig /renew to request a new IP address

How to Release and Renew IP Address on Mac

1. Open System Preferences and select Network.
2. Choose your active network and click Advanced.
3. Go to the TCP/IP tab and press Renew DHCP Lease​ to renew the address

How to Release and Renew IP Address on Ubuntu

1. Navigate to the Terminal by searching through your applications menu or using the shortcut Ctrl + Alt + T.
2. Type the command sudo dhclient -r and press enter. Remember that you need to enter your password when using sudo commands
3. Renew the IP address by typing sudo dhclient and hit enter. This will request a new IP address from the DHCP server.
4. Type in ifconfig or ip a to verify the new IP address assigned to your computer.

How to Release and Renew IP Address on Android

1. Navigate to your Android Settings
2. Tap Connections and then tap Wi-Fi
3. Navigate to the connection you’re connected to and tap the Gear icon on the right.
4. At the bottom of the screen tap the Forget trash can icon
5. Go back to Wi-Fi settings
6. Tap the i icon on the right side of the network you want to connect to and tap Renew Lease. Tap Renew Release again once the pop-up window opens.

2. Restart DNS Client Service

How to Restart DNS Client Service on Windows

1. Click the Windows button and search for “cmd” in the text box. Hit enter.
2. In Windows Command Prompt enter “net stop dnscache” to stop the service.
3. After waiting a few seconds enter “net start dnscache” and hit enter.

This will restart the DNS service on your computer. Go to your preferred browser and enter the domain you want to visit to see if the error was fixed.

How to Restart DNS Client Service on MacOS

1. Navigate to Terminal
2. In the Terminal type in the following command: sudo dscacheutil -flushcache; sudo killall -HUP mDNSResponder and hit enter.
3. Type in your password
4. Your DNS cache is reset. Go to your browser and see if the error disappeared.

Keep in mind that older versions of MacOS use different commands to flush DNS cache. Here’s how to do it in older versions:

• El Captain and newer: sudo dscacheutil -flushcache; sudo killall -HUP mDNSResponder
• Yosemite: sudo killall -HUP mDNSResponder
• Lion, Mountain Lion and Mavericks: sudo dscacheutil -flushcache
• Snow Leopard: sudo lookupd -flushcache
• Tiger: lookupd -flushcache

How to Restart DNS Client Service on Ubuntu

Restarting DNS on Ubuntu depends on whether you want to flush DNS in Systemd-resolved or Dnsmasq. The former is a caching service that is preinstalled on newer versions of Ubuntu and Linux Mint, while Dnsmasq is a DNS and DHCP server commonly found in home network.

How to Restart DNS Client Service on Systemd-resolved

1. Navigate to terminal
2. Run sudo systemd-resolve –flush-caches. Make sure to enter the password too.
3. Verify that your cache has been cleared by using the following command systemd-resolve –statistics.

If you want to restart DNS client service in dnsmasq follow the instructions below.

1. Navigate to the terminal
2. Enter sudo systemctl restart dnsmasq to restart the service. By restarting this service, you’ll also flush the DNS cache.

3. Change DNS Servers

Changing to an alternative DNS server may help fix the DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_NXDOMAIN error, particularly when the default DNS server from your Internet Service Provider (ISP) is having problems.

Popular options for free alternative DNS servers are Google DNS (addresses 8.8.8.8 and 8.8.4.4) and Cloudflare DNS (addresses 1.1.1.1). These servers are widely used and offer reliable service.

How to Change DNS Server on Windows?

1. Go to the Network Connections page by navigating to the Windows search box and typing ncpa.cpl. Press enter.
2. Right-click on the connection in use and click Properties.
3. Once in the Properties window, click Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4) and click Properties.
4. Select the Obtain an IP address automatically and Use the following DNS server Addresses option located in the Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4) Properties page
5. Type in the desired DNS server addresses in the Preferred DNS Server and Alternate DNS Server textboxes. You can use Google’s, Cloudflare’s, or some other preferred DNS server address.
6. Tick the Validate settings upon exit checkbox and click OK.
7. Restart your device so that the settings you changed take effect.

How to Change DNS Server on MacOS?

1. Navigate to the Apple menu and then System Preferences. Then select Network
2. Select your primary network connection click Advanced and then DNS.
3. Click the plus button and add a new DNS server address. Click OK and then Apply.
4. Restart your internet connection and check if the error has been resolved.

Change DNS Nameserver via GUI

1. Open Settings: Click on the Network tab in the left menu.
2. Access Connection Settings: Click the cogwheel next to the connection you wish to configure.
3. Modify IPv4 Settings: Navigate to the IPv4 tab.
4. Disable Automatic DNS: Turn off the switch next to the DNS field.
5. Enter New DNS Addresses: Type the addresses of the new DNS servers (e.g., Google’s public DNS nameservers).
6. Apply Changes: Click Apply to save the new settings​​.

Change DNS Nameserver via Command Line

1. Access Netplan Directory: Type cd /etc/netplan in the terminal.
2. Edit Configuration File: Use ls to find the YAML file with the network configuration (e.g., 01-network-manager.yaml), then open it with a text editor like nano (sudo nano 01-network-manager.yaml).
3. Modify DNS Settings: In the file, locate the nameservers section and replace the current addresses with the new DNS server addresses.
4. Apply Changes: Save the file and exit the text editor, then apply the changes by typing sudo netplan apply in the terminal.
5. Verify Changes: Check if the new DNS servers are active by running resolvectl status | grep “DNS Server” -A2

4. Reset Chrome Flags

To reset Chrome Flags to their default settings, follow these steps:

1. Open Google Chrome: Launch the Chrome browser on your computer.
2. Navigate to Chrome Flags: In the address bar, type chrome://flags, and press Enter. This will open the Chrome Flags page.
3. Reset to Default: At the top of the page, you’ll see a button labeled “Reset all”. Click on this button to reset all the experimental features and flags to their default settings.
4. Restart Chrome: After resetting the flags, you will need to restart Chrome for the changes to take effect. You can do this by closing and reopening the browser.

Resetting Chrome Flags is a useful step when troubleshooting browser-related issues, as it ensures that no experimental or non-standard settings are causing problems.

5. Disable VPN and Antivirus Temporarily

Disabling your VPN or antivirus temporarily can help fix the DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_NXDOMAIN error.

Some VPN services may interfere with your DNS settings, which is why you should temporarily disable the software to ensure it’s not causing the error.

Depending on which VPN service you use, open the VPN application and look for the turn off option. Sometimes, it’s displayed as a toggle switch that you need to turn off. Keep the VPN service disabled until you test if the DNS issue is resolved.

VPN service may not be the only program causing this problem. Antivirus software could also be causing the error, which is why it’s necessary to temporarily disable it to confirm whether it’s causing the error or not.

Navigate to your antivirus software, go to the control panel, and find the option to disable or pause the antivirus protection. Usually, this option is in the “Real-time protection” bar or similar.

6. Check Your Local Hosts File

Checking and editing your local hosts file is a useful step in troubleshooting the DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_NXDOMAIN error. Here’s how you can do it on different operating systems:

How to Check Your Local Hosts File in Windows?

1. Open Notepad as Administrator: Click on the Start menu, type Notepad, right-click on it, and select “Run as administrator”.
2. Open the Hosts File in Notepad: In Notepad, click on the File menu > Open. Navigate to C:WindowsSystem32driversetc and select the host file.
3. Edit the Hosts File: Add new entries or modify existing ones in the format IP_address domain.com www.domain.com. Save the changes with Ctrl + S or via the File menu​

How to Check Your Local Hosts File in MacOS?

1. Open Terminal: You can find Terminal in Finder > Go > Utilities, or use Spotlight Search (Command + Space) and type Terminal.
2. Open the Hosts File in Terminal: Use the command sudo nano /private/etc/hosts to open the hosts file in the Nano text editor.
3. Edit the Hosts File: Move the cursor to the desired location in the file and add or modify entries in the format IP_address domain.com www.domain.com. Save and exit by pressing Control + O to write out the changes, then Control + X to exit Nano

How to Check Your Local Hosts File in Ubuntu?

1. Open Terminal: You can do this by either using the keyboard shortcut Ctrl + Alt + T or by finding the Terminal in your applications menu.
2. Open the Hosts File in Terminal: Type the command sudo nano /etc/hosts to edit the hosts file using the Nano text editor. Since this file is protected, you’ll need to use sudo to open it with administrative privileges.
3. Edit the Hosts File: In Nano, use your arrow keys to navigate to the point where you want to add or change an entry. Enter the desired mappings in the format IP_address domain.com www.domain.com. For example, to map a domain called example.com to a specific IP address, you would add a line like 123.45.67.89 example.com www.example.com.
4. Save and Exit: After making your changes, press Ctrl + O to save the file, followed by Enter to confirm. Then press Ctrl + X to exit Nano.

7. Check DNS of Your Domain

Checking the DNS of your domain involves verifying the domain’s DNS records to ensure they are correctly configured and pointing to the right server. Here are general steps you can follow:

1. Use Online DNS Lookup Tools: There are several online tools available that can help you check the DNS records of your domain. Examples include mxtoolbox.com, dnschecker.org, or Google’s Dig tool. These tools allow you to enter your domain name and select the type of DNS record you want to check (e.g., A, MX, CNAME, TXT).

2. Select DNS Record Type to Check: Depending on what you want to verify, choose the appropriate DNS record type. Common types include:

1. A Record: Maps a domain to the physical IP address of a server.
2. MX Record: Specifies the mail servers for accepting emails on behalf of your domain.
3. CNAME Record: Maps a domain to another domain name (aliasing).
4. TXT Record: Often used for verification purposes and email spam prevention.

3. Perform the DNS Lookup: After selecting the record type, perform the lookup. The tool will display the DNS records and their values for your domain.
4. Review the Results: Check if the DNS records are pointing to the correct IP addresses or values. For example, an A record should point to the IP address where your website is hosted.
5. Resolve Any Discrepancies: If you find that the DNS records are not correctly set, you’ll need to log in to your domain registrar or DNS hosting provider’s control panel to make the necessary changes.
6. Wait for DNS Propagation: After making changes to DNS records, keep in mind that it may take some time (up to 48 hours, typically much less) for the changes to propagate across the internet.
7. Recheck the DNS Records: Once enough time has passed for DNS propagation, recheck the DNS records using the same online tools to ensure your changes were successfully applied.

8. Restart Your Computer

Restarting your computer is a straightforward process and can often resolve a variety of network and software-related issues, including the DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_NXDOMAIN error.

How to Fix DNS_FINISHED_NXDOMAIN on WordPress, GoDaddy, and Namecheap?

Regardless of the hosting provider you use, whether it’s WordPress, GoDaddy, Namecheap, or any other, the steps to fix the DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_NXDOMAIN error are generally the same. This error is not specific to the hosting service but rather related to DNS settings or client-side issues.

Final Word

Successfully addressing the DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_NXDOMAIN error involves careful examination of DNS settings, ensuring domain registration validity, and clearing local caches. If you managed to fix this error, it’s time to set up your website and host it online.

Choose from our lists of best website builders and best web hosting services to make the best decision for your online presence.

Next Steps: What Now?

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