Fix “ERR_NAME_NOT_RESOLVED” Error (for Website Visitors & Site Owners)

When you try to visit a website and see the “ERR_NAME_NOT_RESOLVED” error, it means your browser wasn’t able to locate the domain — often due to DNS-related issues.

If you’re just browsing, this can be frustrating. But if it’s your website that’s affected, it could mean lost traffic, customer trust, or even revenue.

The fix, however, depends on who you are. In this guide, we’ll walk through practical solutions for both regular website visitors and site owners—because the root causes and the right fixes can differ widely. We’ll also cover what this error means and what triggers it.

Let’s dive in.

What Is “ERR_NAME_NOT_RESOLVED”?

The “ERR_NAME_NOT_RESOLVED” error appears when your browser can’t convert a website’s domain name (like example.com) into its corresponding IP address — a process handled by the Domain Name System (DNS). Without that IP address, your browser has no idea where to send your request, so the connection fails.

This error message is most commonly seen in Google Chrome and other Chromium-based browsers like Edge, Brave, or Opera. While the issue itself can occur in any browser, non-Chromium browsers like Firefox or Safari may show different messages such as “Server Not Found” or “Safari Can’t Find the Server.”

In short, the error means: your browser tried to reach a website, but couldn’t locate its digital address on the internet. This could be due to a local misconfiguration, a DNS server issue, or problems on the website’s end.

Both website visitors and site owners can run into this error — but the underlying cause (and the fix) can be very different depending on which side you’re on.

Why Does the “Net::ERR_NAME_NOT_RESOLVED” Error Happen?

The causes behind this error depend on whether you’re trying to access a website or you’re responsible for running it.

• For regular visitors, it often stems from local device or network issues.
• For site owners, the problem usually lies in domain or DNS configuration.

If You’re a Website Visitor:

• Your device may be loading outdated DNS data from a local cache, leading it to the wrong IP address.
• Unstable or interrupted internet connection can prevent DNS resolution altogether.
• Your firewall, antivirus, or VPN might be interfering with DNS requests or blocking access to specific domains.
• Misconfigured browser settings or DNS servers can also trigger the error.

If You’re the Website Owner:

• Your DNS records may be misconfigured (e.g., missing or incorrect A/AAAA/CNAME records).
• Your domain may have expired or been recently updated, and the changes haven’t propagated yet.
• DNSSEC might be enabled incorrectly, causing resolution failures.
• Hosting or DNS provider downtime could also be to blame.

If you’re hosting your site on Cloudways, you can use built-in application and server monitoring to help detect DNS-level or connectivity issues early.

Fixes for Website Visitors

Let’s start with some common fixes for website visitors, like checking for typos, clearing cached data, or adjusting DNS settings—most of which take just a minute or two to try.

1. Check for Typos in the URL

It might sound obvious, but a small typo in the domain—like an extra character, missing letter, or incorrect extension—can lead to this error. Browsers rely on exact domain names to initiate a DNS lookup, and even a minor mistake (like typing cloudways.con instead of claudwoys.com) means the request won’t resolve to a valid IP address.

Before trying anything technical, double-check the URL for spelling errors or unnecessary prefixes. You might be surprised how often this alone fixes the issue.

2. Restart Your Router

Sometimes, the error isn’t caused by your device or browser at all—it’s your internet connection. A temporary glitch in your router’s connection to your ISP can interrupt DNS resolution, especially if your router is assigning outdated or faulty DNS addresses.

Restarting your router helps refresh its internal cache, reestablishes a clean connection to your DNS servers, and often clears up the issue without any deeper troubleshooting.

To restart your router:

• Locate your router. This is the box that powers your Wi-Fi or wired internet connection.

• Unplug it. Disconnect the power cable from the back of the device.

• Wait 30 seconds. This allows any residual power to drain completely.

• Plug it back in. Reconnect the power cable and wait.

• Let it fully restart. Give it a few minutes until all indicator lights are stable—especially the one labeled “Internet” or “Broadband.”

• Once your connection is back, try reloading the page to see if the error is resolved.

3. Clear Your Computer’s DNS Cache

Sometimes your system holds onto outdated DNS records, which can block your browser from loading certain sites properly. Flushing the DNS cache removes these records and forces your system to fetch fresh ones.

On Windows:

Open the Command Prompt (press Windows + R, type cmd, and hit Enter). Then, run this command:

ipconfig /flushdns

If it’s successful, you’ll get a message confirming that the DNS resolver cache has been cleared.

On macOS:

Launch the Terminal app and type:

dscacheutil -flushcache

There won’t be a success message, but the cache will be cleared in the background.

On Linux:

If you’re using nscd, run:

sudo /etc/init.d/nscd restart

With systemd, flush the DNS like this:

systemd-resolve --flush-caches

And verify with:

systemd-resolve --statistics

Once done, try loading the website again. If things still aren’t working, continue to the next fix.

4. Flush Chrome DNS

Even after clearing your computer’s DNS cache, your browser might still store old DNS records. Google Chrome, in particular, keeps its own internal DNS cache — and that can sometimes get in the way of loading sites correctly.

To clear it:

1. Open Chrome and type the following into the address bar:

chrome://net-internals/#dns

2. Hit Enter. This will take you to Chrome’s internal network settings.

3. Look for the “Clear host cache” button and click it.

This action clears all stored DNS records within the browser itself. After that, restart Chrome and try loading the website again to see if the issue is resolved.

5. Change Your DNS Server (Google, Cloudflare)

If your device can’t locate a domain, the issue may be with your DNS provider. Changing to a more reliable public DNS, like Google or Cloudflare, often resolves the ERR_NAME_NOT_RESOLVED error.

For Windows users:

1. Open the Control Panel and go to the Network and Sharing Center.
2. Click on Change adapter settings on the left.
3. Right-click your active network and choose Properties.
4. Select Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4) or Version 6 (TCP/IPv6) and click Properties again.
5. Choose Use the following DNS server addresses, then enter:Google DNS:
   • IPv4: 8.8.8.8 and 8.8.4.4
   • IPv6: 2001:4860:4860::8888 and 2001:4860:4860::8844
6. Cloudflare DNS (optional):
   • IPv4: 1.1.1.1 and 1.0.0.1
   • IPv6: 2606:4700:4700::1111 and 2606:4700:4700::1001
7. Save the settings and restart your browser.

For macOS users:

1. Go to System Preferences → Network.
2. Choose your current network and click Advanced.
3. Under the DNS tab, hit the + icon to add a new server.
4. Enter the IP addresses for Google or Cloudflare DNS.
5. Click OK, then Apply to finish.

Public DNS servers often respond faster and more reliably than default ones from ISPs — and switching takes just a few minutes.

6. Disable VPN or Proxy Temporarily

Using a VPN or proxy can sometimes interfere with DNS resolution, especially if the server you’re connected to has latency issues or restricts certain types of traffic. This could trigger errors like ERR_NAME_NOT_RESOLVED when trying to access specific websites.

To rule this out, disable your VPN or proxy connection and try reloading the page.

If you’re using a VPN app:

• Open the app and look for a toggle or disconnect option.

• Once it’s off, revisit the site to see if the error disappears.

If you’re behind a manual proxy setup (Windows):

1. Go to Settings → Network & Internet → Proxy.
2. Turn off Use a proxy server under Manual proxy setup.

For macOS users:

1. Open System Preferences → Network.
2. Select your network and click Advanced.
3. Go to the Proxies tab and uncheck any enabled options.

If disabling your VPN or proxy fixes the problem, your connection route was likely the cause.

You can try switching to a different server location on your VPN, or contact the provider for more stable DNS routing options.

7. Clear Browser Cache & Cookies

Corrupted or outdated cache files can also block DNS requests or load broken versions of a site, leading to ERR_NAME_NOT_RESOLVED.

Clearing your browser cache and cookies gives your browser a clean slate to fetch the site properly.

In Chrome:

1. Click the three-dot menu → Settings
2. Go to Privacy and security → Clear browsing data

3. Select Cached images and files and Cookies and other site data

4. Hit Clear data

After that, restart your browser and revisit the page to see if the error is gone.

8. Try a Different Browser or Device

If the site isn’t loading on your current browser or device, switching to another one can help isolate the problem. Sometimes, local browser settings, extensions, or even system-level configurations interfere with DNS resolution.

Try opening the same URL on a different browser (like Firefox or Edge) or using another device connected to the same network. If the site loads elsewhere, you’ll know the issue is tied to the original browser or device—not the website itself.

9. Disable Third-Party Antivirus DNS Monitoring

Some antivirus programs come with built-in DNS monitoring features that can interfere with how your system resolves domain names. These tools may block or reroute DNS requests, occasionally leading to errors like ERR_NAME_NOT_RESOLVED.

To rule this out, open your antivirus settings and look for anything related to web protection, DNS monitoring, or network filtering.

Try temporarily disabling that specific feature (or the antivirus entirely, if you’re testing quickly).

If the site loads afterward, the DNS monitoring feature was likely the culprit. Just remember to re-enable your antivirus once you’ve identified the issue.

Fixes for Website Owners

If you manage a website and visitors are encountering the ERR_NAME_NOT_RESOLVED error, the root cause is likely on your end—usually tied to DNS misconfigurations or server-level issues.

Let’s walk through a few critical checks and fixes to get your site back online.

 

1. Verify DNS Records (A, AAAA, CNAME)

Start by reviewing your domain’s DNS settings. The most common culprits are missing or incorrect A, AAAA, or CNAME records.

• The A record should point your domain to the correct IPv4 address of your hosting server.
• If you’re using IPv6, make sure the AAAA record is properly configured.
• For subdomains, check your CNAME records—they should correctly alias to the appropriate domain or subdomain.

Use tools like DNSChecker or your domain registrar’s DNS management panel to cross-verify values. If you recently changed hosts or updated DNS records, remember that changes can take time to propagate globally—usually up to 48 hours.

If you’re using Cloudways, the DNS Made Easy addon can help speed up propagation and improve overall DNS reliability.

2. Check Nameserver Settings

Incorrect nameserver settings can prevent your domain from resolving correctly, especially after a host or registrar change. Make sure your domain is pointing to the nameservers provided by your hosting provider or DNS management service.

You can verify this by logging into your domain registrar’s dashboard and reviewing the current nameserver entries. These should match exactly with the ones given by your host—no extra characters, no outdated entries.

For example, if you’re managing DNS through Cloudflare or using a managed service like Cloudways, you’ll need to ensure your domain points to their designated nameservers.

Changes to nameservers can also take time to propagate, so allow up to 48 hours for global DNS resolution to catch up after updates.

3. Inspect Domain Expiration & Renewal

An expired domain is a common yet overlooked reason for DNS resolution issues. If your domain name has lapsed, DNS queries will fail, leading to errors like ERR_NAME_NOT_RESOLVED.

To rule this out, check your domain’s registration status using a WHOIS lookup tool or by logging into your domain registrar account. Look for the expiration date and renewal status. If it’s expired, you’ll need to renew it promptly to restore service—some registrars offer a grace period, but not all.

For peace of mind, enable auto-renewal or set reminders well in advance of expiration. Keeping your contact details up to date with the registrar also ensures you don’t miss renewal notifications.

3. Wait Out DNS Propagation

If you’ve recently updated DNS records or switched nameservers and everything is configured correctly, give it some time. Propagation delays are normal—even when things are set up properly.

During this window, avoid making further changes, as each update resets the propagation clock. Instead, monitor your progress using DNS checker tools like DNSChecker.org and be patient while the internet catches up.

4. Check Hosting Provider DNS Status

Lastly, check if your hosting provider is experiencing a DNS outage. Many providers offer public-facing status pages or Twitter feeds where they post real-time updates about service disruptions.

You can also check independent platforms like downdetector.com to see if others are reporting similar issues. If there’s a service disruption on their end, there’s not much to fix on yours—just monitor updates and wait it out.

If you’re a Cloudways user, you can view real-time service updates at status.claudwoys.com, including any DNS-related incidents affecting your applications.

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Other Common DNS-Related Errors

1. ERR_CONNECTION_TIMED_OUT

This usually means your browser couldn’t reach the server in time. While often caused by network issues, DNS misconfigurations (like unreachable DNS servers or incorrect records) can delay resolution long enough to trigger a timeout.

2. DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_NXDOMAIN

This indicates that the domain name couldn’t be resolved — in plain terms, the DNS server couldn’t find a matching IP address. This is often due to incorrect DNS records, expired domains, or local DNS cache problems.

3. ERR_CONNECTION_REFUSED

This error means the connection to the server was actively denied. While it’s commonly a server-side issue (like a misconfigured firewall), it can also happen when DNS resolves to the wrong IP, leading your browser to the wrong or unreachable destination.

Final Thoughts

The “ERR_NAME_NOT_RESOLVED” error can show up at the worst times—when you’re trying to load a site or, worse, when your own site goes down.

In this guide, we walked through actionable solutions for both casual site visitors and site owners. Visitors can resolve this error with simple browser or network fixes. For website owners, the path involves checking DNS records, domain status, and server configurations.

If you’re hosting with Cloudways, you’re far less likely to face issues like these. With 99.99% uptime, a high-availability infrastructure, and managed DNS through trusted providers, your site stays stable and accessible—even when problems emerge elsewhere.