What is a DNS server error?

A DNS server error can be very annoying because it means that you are unable to access certain websites. If you are experiencing a DNS server error, there are many things that you can do to correct the problem. Keep on reading to find out more about DNS server errors and how to fix them.

What is a DNS?

What is a DNS and how does it work? DNS stands for “Domain Name System” and is used to assign internet addresses to domain names. It’s actually like a phone book, which assigns numbers to names. Every website hosted on a web server has its own unique IP address and DNS converts the domain names of websites into IP addresses. This creates a connection with the web server hosting that website, and allows the browser to load the page. A more simple explanation would be that DNS simply translates the address that you type on your browser from human language to computer language. Without this translation, your PC wouldn’t be able to read and understand the address and you wouldn’t be able to visit that particular website. If the DNS server fails to get the IP address that corresponds to the domain name, it is called a DNS server error.

How to fix a DNS server error

Clear DNS cache Every time you load a website in your browser, you actually send a request to DNS name servers to perform an IP address translation. These IP addresses are stored in your PC inside the 'DNS cache'. Therefore, the next time that you try to load the same website, the DNS retrieves the information from the cache so as to save time. The problem is that if the DNS has at some point failed to retrieve the IP address of a site, then this negative attempt will get stored inside the cache. This means that the cache will actually contain no information about the website and any subsequent attempts to load the website will also fail. To clear the DNS cache, you need to enter command prompt and type the command ipconfig /flushdns. Clear your browsing history and cookies If you are using Internet Explorer, go to "Tools" in the menu and select "Internet Options". Next, click on "General", then "Browsing History and press the "Delete" button. After that, click on the "Delete Files", "Delete Cookies" and finally, "Delete history". Check DNS settings Find information from your ISP about the correct DNS settings. If your DNS info is incorrect, then simply change the DNS settings and hopefully, this will fix the problem.