Websites Won’t Load, but the Internet Is Connected (DNS Problems)

Quick explanation: DNS works like your network’s phone book. It turns a website name like example.com into the number computers use to find it. If your internet is connected but websites won’t open, the “phone book” is often the problem, not your connection. It’s usually quick to fix.

Try these first: restart your computer, then restart your router or internet box (unplug it for 30 seconds). Check whether the problem happens on more than one device. If it’s fixed, you’re done. If not, keep reading.

Reported symptoms

• Your browser says “This site can’t be reached” or shows an error with “DNS” in it, but your computer says it’s connected.
• Apps like email or video calls also stop working, or only some of them work.
• Some websites open and others don’t, or pages take a long time to start loading.
• It happens on one computer, or on every device in the home or office.

Affected network equipment

Your computer or phone, your router or internet box (which usually tells devices which DNS server to use), an office server if your business has one, and your internet provider’s DNS service.

Possible causes

• Your device is set to use a DNS server that isn’t working, or someone typed in a wrong setting.
• Your router or office server can’t reach your internet provider’s DNS service.
• A firewall or security filter is blocking DNS (technicians: UDP and TCP port 53).
• Your device saved an old or wrong answer and keeps using it.
• A VPN app changed your settings and didn’t change them back.
• Only one website fails: that website’s own settings may be wrong, which you can’t fix yourself.

Diagnostic tools needed

A computer with the problem. On Windows, open Command Prompt: press the Windows key, type cmd and press Enter. On a Mac, open Terminal from Applications, then Utilities. If every device has the problem, you may also need the login for your router.

Step-by-step troubleshooting

1. Check that the internet itself works

Type this command and press Enter. If you see lines with “time=”, your connection works. On a Mac, press Ctrl+C to stop it.

ping 8.8.8.8

2. Check whether website names work

If this says it can’t find the host, but step 1 worked, you have a DNS problem.

ping example.com

3. See which DNS server your device uses

Look for “DNS Servers” (Windows) or “nameserver” (Mac). Just note it; you don’t need to change anything yet.

ipconfig /all

scutil --dns | grep nameserver

resolvectl status

4. Test your DNS, then a public DNS service

Run both. If the second one gives an answer and the first doesn’t, the problem is your router or office server, not the internet.

nslookup example.com

nslookup example.com 1.1.1.1

5. Clear your device’s saved DNS answers

This removes old answers your device saved. Then try the website again. On a Mac you’ll be asked for your computer password.

ipconfig /flushdns

sudo dscacheutil -flushcache; sudo killall -HUP mDNSResponder

resolvectl flush-caches

How to interpret the results

What you see	What it means
Step 1 gets no replies	Your internet connection is down, not DNS.
Step 1 works, but the first command in step 4 says “timed out”	The DNS server your device uses isn’t answering. Restarting the router often fixes this.
The first command in step 4 fails, but the second (1.1.1.1) works	Your router or office server’s DNS is the problem, not your internet.
Both commands in step 4 fail	Something is blocking DNS: a firewall, a security program or a VPN app.
Only one website fails, with “Non-existent domain”	That website’s own settings are likely wrong. Try it on your phone’s mobile data to confirm.
You see “Server: UnKnown” but also an address	That’s normal, not an error. DNS is working.

Confirmed root cause

This is a general guide, so there’s no single cause. When a real case with a confirmed cause is posted, it will be linked here.

Corrective action

• Wrong setting on one device: set its DNS back to “automatic” in the network settings.
• Router not answering: restart the router. If it keeps happening, check its DNS settings or ask your internet provider.
• Office server problem: ask whoever manages your server to check its DNS forwarders.
• Something is blocking DNS: pause the VPN or security program to test, then ask its support team or your IT person to fix the setting.
• Old saved answers: clear them with step 5.

How to verify the problem is resolved

• Websites open normally on more than one device.
• The first command in step 4 now returns an address.
• It still works after you restart the computer the next day.

Field engineer lessons learned

None yet. This section is filled in only from documented field cases.

Frequently asked questions

Why does my internet work but websites won’t load?

Usually because DNS, which turns website names into addresses, isn’t answering. If you can ping 8.8.8.8 but not example.com, the connection works and DNS is the problem.

Is “Server: UnKnown” in nslookup an error?

No. It only means the DNS server has no reverse name. If nslookup also shows an address, DNS is working.

Does flushing DNS fix the problem?

It fixes problems caused by old saved answers on your device. If the DNS server itself isn’t answering, you also need to fix the router, office server or blocked traffic.

Sources

• Microsoft Learn: nslookup and ipconfig command reference
• Apple Support: reset the DNS cache on Mac
• systemd: resolvectl manual page

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