DNS server not responding in Windows 11 or 10

Check the connection before the resolver

Open Command Prompt and inspect the adapter actually carrying your connection. Record its address, gateway, and DNS servers. A disconnected adapter or a self-assigned 169.254 IPv4 address on a network expecting DHCP calls for link or address-assignment diagnosis first; clearing DNS will not supply a lease.

Do not infer internet access from the Wi-Fi icon. If other devices also cannot reach ordinary sites, investigate the shared network before resetting this PC.

ipconfig /all

Ask a specific DNS question

Run the example lookup, then replace www.microsoft.com with the failing hostname, without https:// or a path. These read-only queries do not need administrator rights. Record the server used and the complete result.

An address answer shows that this query received DNS data, not that the website is healthy. A timeout means no timely answer arrived; it does not distinguish filtering from an unavailable resolver. A nonexistent-domain answer points toward the name or DNS data rather than proving a general connection failure.

nslookup www.microsoft.com

Interpret the comparison

If only one hostname fails on several devices, give that exact name and response to its owner or network administrator. If many names fail only on this PC, compare its configured DNS servers with the intended network configuration.

If the lookup succeeds but one browser fails, test another browser and review that browser’s secure-DNS or proxy configuration. nslookup does not use the Windows client cache, and an application can take a different resolution path. A successful command therefore does not rule out an application-specific problem.

Clear cached answers only when the evidence fits

When a record recently changed or an application still uses an old failed lookup, inspect the Windows cache with ipconfig /displaydns. If a stale client answer is plausible, open Command Prompt as administrator and run ipconfig /flushdns once. Retry the original application afterward.

If nslookup still times out, repeated flushing is unlikely to help: the direct query already bypasses that cache. Follow the linked command reference for the scope and limits of the flush.

Keep network changes narrow

On a personal PC, an approved alternate network can help separate a local network problem from a PC problem. Record any VPN comparison and reconnect it after testing. On a managed device, send the results to IT instead of changing DNS servers.

Do not replace corporate resolvers with public ones as a universal fix. Internal names can depend on the organization’s DNS and VPN. Avoid disabling security software or IPv6 simply because a browser used the word DNS.

Verification

• Repeat the exact failing hostname in both nslookup and the original application.
• Confirm a second unrelated site also works, then restore any temporary VPN or browser setting.
• If only work names still fail, preserve the VPN state and resolver address for the administrator rather than declaring the connection repaired.

When to stop

Stop changing settings when the failure affects several devices, involves managed DNS or VPN policy, or persists across approved networks with valid addressing. Provide the hostname, timestamp, configured resolver, and lookup response; do not publish full network configuration containing private details.

Review the safe troubleshooting workflow before any broader recovery step.