The Domain Name System (DNS) is often described as the Internet’s phonebook. It translates human-friendly domain names into the IP addresses computers use to identify each other on the network. It’s a crucial part of the web browsing experience, yet most users aren’t aware of its importance until something goes wrong.
DNS issues can disrupt your ability to access websites, slow down your internet connection, and lead to frustrating downtime.
In this post, we’ll explore common DNS problems and offer practical solutions to help you restore a smooth and efficient online experience. For those seeking more info, it’s essential to understand that DNS issues can often be resolved with simple steps.
Understanding DNS and Its Role in Internet Connectivity
Before diagnosing, look at what DNS does about your internet connection. Each time you type in the URL of any website in your browser, your computer sends a request to the DNS server. This server then maps the URL you typed in your browser to the correct IP address of the website you want to visit.
If there is an issue at any stage, you may experience problems such as slow loading time, site timeout, or even no access to specific websites.
There are many causes of DNS-related problems, including incorrect configuration of DNS settings, old cache files, or problems with your DNS server, which may be your ISP.
In any case, they may significantly affect the quality of your browsing experience. Fortunately, most DNS issues can be resolved without much technical know-how.
Common DNS Issues and How to Fix Them
DNS Server Not Responding
Among the most frequently occurring DNS problems, there is a situation when one receives a message stating, ‘DNS server not responding.’ This message commonly means that your computer cannot establish a connection with the DNS server to translate the website address to its IP address.
To remedy this, firstly switch off the router and the computer and switch them back on after a few minutes. It can be as simple as this step, which often helps address some temporary problems. If the problem persists, one can try changing a DNS server.
Some of the best and safest Public DNS services available are Google DNS or OpenDNS instead of your default DNS server provided by your ISP. You can change the DNS server through your network settings, and this is usually a solution to the problem, which is very easy to accomplish.
Website Not Found
Another inconvenience is when a particular site cannot be opened, but other sites may be opened without any problem. This typically occurs because your device’s DNS cache contains incorrect or outdated information.
This problem can be fixed by flushing the DNS cache. This process lets your computer release the existing DNS cache and pull new data from the DNS server.
In Windows, this can be done by typing ipconfig /flushdns in Command Prompt. For Mac users, the procedure uses Terminal with the command sudo killall -HUP mDNSResponder. If the issue persists, refresh the webpage after clearing the DNS cache as a final step.
Slow Internet Speeds
Sometimes, the DNS has a problem so that the internet connection can be faster. This is incredibly annoying when your DNS server is slow or busy because it will take your browser a long time to resolve domain names.
Thus, changing the DNS server to which the program refers may be helpful to get a faster connection. Some DNS services, such as Google’s Public DNS, are created with an emphasis on quick and reliable performance. Instead, go to the network settings and add the DNS server addresses.
In the case of Google DNS, the number that would be inputted would be 8. 8. 8. 8 and 8. 8. 4. 4. After doing this, you should have observed an increase in the browsing speed of your internet connection.
Security Concerns
DNS can be helpful in internet security. If your DNS queries are intercepted or redirected, your computers are at risk of being phished or containing malware. The use of a secure DNS service, especially DNS over HTTPS (DoH), can help protect your activities online.
DoH shields your DNS queries from unauthorized interference through encryption to ensure that third parties cannot monitor or alter them.
Some browsers, including Firefox, support DoH, and enabling this feature is quite simple in the browser’s options. Using a safer DNS service is recommended, which will increase the level of protection and anonymity on the Internet.
When to Seek Professional Help
As mentioned before, most DNS problems can be addressed using the steps listed above; however, there may be cases where the problem could be more straightforward. If you have attempted to solve the problem but have not found any, you should consult the ISP or a technician.
If DNS issues appear frequently, they can signal a significant problem with your network settings or even hardware malfunction.
For businesses, frequent DNS issues may result in extensive downtime, which can translate to significant losses. Here, it is important to seek the help of an IT expert to analyze the situation and correct it.
They can assist in finding the source of the problem and devise less fragile measures, such as configuring a separate DNS server or using DNS services for the enterprise.
Conclusion
DNS issues are not uncommon, but they are not things that cannot be solved. You are learning how DNS functions and how to correct common problems on your own will help you deal with most of these problems.
Many things can be done to enhance your connection, such as clearing the DNS cache, changing DNS servers, and enabling secure DNS protocols.
And remember, if some problems are more chronic, you may always ask for help from professionals. Doing so makes it possible to achieve faster, less problematic, and safer Internet use.
