A reader recently inquired about how to resolve the DNS PROBE-FINISHED NXDOMAIN issue.
When your browser is unable to connect to the website you’ve requested, Chrome displays this error message. This error is displayed in other browsers with different messages.
We’ll show you how to fix the DNS PROBE FINISHED NXDOMAIN error and prevent it in the future in this article.
The DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_NXDOMAIN Error: What Does It Mean?
The DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_NXDOMAIN error is a Google Chrome error message that appears when the browser is unable to locate the website you’re attempting to visit.
The DNS (Domain Name System) is unable to locate or connect to the website’s IP address, resulting in this error.
The website domain name is then assumed to be invalid by your browser. ‘Non-existent domain’ is what the NXDOMAIN part of the error means.
Please see our guide on how domain names and DNS work if you’d like to learn more (visual explanation).
You might think there’s a problem with your WordPress site if you get this error when trying to access it.
The good news is that your website is almost certainly up and running. Your computer is unable to connect to it, which is the issue.
Now that we’ve established that, let’s look at how to troubleshoot and resolve this issue.
What Causes the DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_NXDOMAIN Error?
The DNS PROBE FINISHED NXDOMAIN error can be fixed in a number of ways. It’s critical, however, to verify that the error is genuine.
Check that you typed the domain name correctly before proceeding.
For example, if you typed a domain name incorrectly, your browser may be unable to locate it and display this error.
You should double-check the domain name even if you clicked on a link. It’s possible that the link’s creator typed it incorrectly.
Click the ‘Reload’ or ‘Try again’ button if you’re sure the domain name is correct.
Then, to see if the problem is with your device or your WIFI connection, try accessing the website from a mobile phone (4G network).
If the website does not load on your phone, you should contact your WordPress hosting provider right away because your site is down.
If, on the other hand, the website loads fine on your phone, the problem is most likely with your computer or WiFi connection.
Let’s see if we can figure out what’s going on here.
Restarting your computer should be the first step. Turn your internet modem on and off if that doesn’t work. These steps may resolve DNS and network-related problems automatically.
If the error persists, try the methods below. Starting with the first one and working your way through them is recommended.
- Delete the Cache in Your Web Browser
- Disable Chrome’s Experimentation Mode
- DNS Cache Cleaning on Your Computer
- Your IP Address Must Be Released and Renewed
- Google’s Public DNS Servers are a good choice.
- Examine the host file on your computer.
Delete the Cache in Your Web Browser
Go to chrome://settings/clearBrowserData in Chrome to clear your cache. This should prompt you to clear your cache in a popup window.
Set the time range to ‘All-time,’ then check only the box for ‘Cached images and files.’ After that, select ‘Clear data’ from the drop-down menu.
If you don’t use Chrome, we have instructions for all major browsers in our article on clearing your browser cache.
Now go back to the website and try it out once more. If the DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_NXDOMAIN error persists, move on to the next solution.
Chrome’s experimental features should be turned off.
The DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_NXDOMAIN error could occur if you’ve enabled any of Chrome’s experimental features.
To disable these, open your browser and go to chrome://flags/, then click the ‘Reset all’ button at the top.
If the error still appears on the website you want to visit, move on to the next step.
Clear the DNS Cache on Your Computer
Your computer frequently saves (caches) the IP addresses of websites you’ve visited in the past. The DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_NXDOMAIN error can occur if the website’s IP address has changed.
This article will show you how to clear your DNS cache.
To begin, look for the Command Prompt app. Go ahead and take a look at it.
Use the ‘Run as administrator’ option if you aren’t logged in as an administrator.
Next, type ipconfig/flushdns into the Command Prompt app and press Enter on your keyboard. After that, you should see a success message.
Now go back to the website and try again. Try the next solution if the error message DNS PROBE FINISHED NXDOMAIN still appears.
Your IP Address Can Be Released and Renewed
The next step is to update your computer’s internet IP address.
Open the Command Prompt app, as instructed in the previous step. Then, in this order, type the following commands. After each one, press Enter.
ipconfig /release
ipconfig /flushdns
ipconfig /renew
After you’ve entered the first and third commands, you’ll see quite a few lines of information. This is perfectly normal.
If the DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_NXDOMAIN error persists, move on to the next step.
Google’s Public DNS Servers can be used.
By default, your computer connects to your internet service provider’s DNS server (ISP). Alternatively, you can use Google’s public DNS server.
Open your Control Panel in Windows, then navigate to Network and Internet » Network and Sharing Center. Then, on the left, click the ‘Change adapter settings link.
Select Properties from the context menu when you right-click on your current connection.
Then, right-click on Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4) and select Properties.
After that, select ‘Use the following DNS server addresses and enter the following DNS servers:
8.8.8.8 is the preferred DNS server.
8.8.4.4 is an alternative DNS server.
Then, to save your changes, click the OK button.
Check to see if the DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_NXDOMAIN error has been resolved. If that doesn’t work, try the last option.
Check the ‘hosts’ file on your computer.
The hosts’ file is a file that maps domain names to IP addresses on your computer. The DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_NXDOMAIN error can be caused by an incorrectly recorded website in this file.
This file can be found in File Explorer on Windows. To find the Windows folder on your computer, open File Explorer first. It’s usually found on the C: drive. The file can be found in the /private/etc/hosts/ folder for Mac users.
Then go to System32 » drivers » and so on. To open the hosts file, first, locate it and double-click on it. If you’re asked to select an app, choose Notepad.
Check the hosts file to see if the website’s address is listed. If that’s the case, delete it along with the IP address it’s associated with. After that, save the file.
The DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_NXDOMAIN error should no longer appear for that site after you’ve done this.
We hope you found this article helpful in resolving the DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_NXDOMAIN error.