If you’ve been browsing the web for quite some time, you’ve probably stumbled upon the ERR_NAME_NOT_RESOLVED error while casually browsing websites on Chrome. This can undoubtedly be a frustrating error because you aren’t able to access your favorite websites. It’s actually a fairly common error, and fortunately, there are several ways you can fix it.
This article will show you different ways you can fix the ERR_NAME_NOT_RESOLVED error if or when it pops up on your screen.
What Is the Meaning of This Error?
The ERR_NAME_NOT_RESOLVED error is perhaps one of the most common errors on Google Chrome. It happens when there’s an issue with the Domain Name System (DNS) of the site you want to visit. The DNS plays a very important role: it resolves domains, consequently allowing you access to websites you want to check out. This error is triggered when there’s trouble resolving the domain name.
On another note, this error may also appear because of faulty configuration on your router or PC.
4 Ways to Fix the Error
Fortunately, there are a couple of ways you can remedy the problem. But first, there are a few things you need to check to ensure that the cause isn’t faulty configuration. To do so, you need to:
- Make sure that the URL you’re entering is correct.
- Check if your internet connection is working and active.
- Inspect your modem or router for any faults that could possibly be causing the error to appear.
- Try restarting Google Chrome. If it still doesn’t remedy the issue, try opening the same site on a different browser.
- Refresh the page several times.
Once you’ve checked everything else and ensured that everything is working as they should, this means the fault lies somewhere else. In that case, follow any of the steps below:
Try Google DNS
Since your DNS is having trouble resolving the domain name like usual, you can try using Google DNS instead to see if it can fix the problem. This is because Google DNS is the one that provides Public DNS servers with 99% uptime. Here’s what you need to do:
1. Press the Windows key + R key at the same time. Once the dialogue box appears, type and enter ncpa.cpl.
2. A new window should pop up showcasing a list of your Network connections.
3. Look for your active network adaptor. Right-click on it and select Properties.
4. Double-click on the option that says Protocol Version 4.
5. Tap on Use the following DNS server address and change the two options to 8.8.8.8 and 8.8.4.4.
6. Tap on OK and then check if the steps worked.
Clear Your Chrome DNS Cache
If the fix above didn’t work, there’s another set of steps you can try out: clear Chrome’s DNS cache. This cache is the databank where you’ll find a list of the IP addresses of all the websites you’ve visited using your browser. If you clear this cache and get rid of all the IP addresses stored there, there’s a chance that your DNS issue will be fixed, too.
1. The first step is to launch Google Chrome and open up a new tab.
2. On the search field, type in chrome://net-internals/#dns
3. From there, click on the button that says Clear host cache. All the stored IP addresses will thus be removed completely.
Delete Your Browser’s Cookies
Follow the steps below to clear your browser’s cookies:
1. Click on the three vertical dots on your browser, typically located on the top-right corner.
2. Select Settings and then keep scrolling until you see Show Advanced Settings. Click on that next.
3. Then, tap on Clear Browsing Data and select Cookies and other site data.
4. On the Time range drop list, select All time.
5. All the cookies in your browser will be removed after this step. Restart your computer and check if you’re still seeing the same problem.
Update Your Firewall’s Settings
Last but not least, you can try updating your Firewall’s settings to see if the issue will be rectified. You see, it’s highly possible that your anti-virus or firewall is blocking the connection, ultimately causing the ERR_NAME_NOT_RESOLVED error to appear. Try disabling your anti-virus or firewall to see if the issue persists.
Conclusion
The next time you’re seeing the ERR_NAME_NOT_RESOLVED error appear when you’re trying to visit a website, follow one of the steps above to fix the problem. If one of the troubleshooting steps doesn’t work, you can move on to another one until the error is fixed.
