How To Fix DNS_PROBE_STARTED Error

The DNS_PROBE_STARTED error is a common issue you might encounter while browsing the internet. This error indicates your browser is having trouble connecting to the DNS server. Essentially, your computer can’t find the website you’re trying to visit because it can’t resolve the domain name into an IP address.

Fixing this error quickly is important because it prevents you from accessing websites. If you’re running an online business or need to access critical information, this error can be particularly disruptive. Although seeing this error is inconvenient, it isn’t something to panic about. However, a quick resolution ensures uninterrupted browsing and prevents potential losses or delays.

In this tutorial, we’ll walk you through several methods to fix the DNS_PROBE_STARTED error. We’ll explore how to change your DNS server addresses, refresh your DNS settings, clear your browser cache and cookies, update your network drivers, temporarily disable antivirus and firewall, and restart your router or modem.

By following these steps, you can resolve the DNS_PROBE_STARTED error and resume browsing the Internet without interruptions.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• The DNS_PROBE_STARTED error means your browser can’t find the website’s address.
• Common causes include DNS server issues, network adapter or router problems, antivirus or firewall interference, and corrupted browser cache and cookies.
• Fixing this error involves various steps, including changing your DNS server addresses, refreshing your DNS settings, clearing browser cache and cookies, reinstalling network drivers, temporarily disabling antivirus/firewall, and restarting your router/modem.

What Is DNS_PROBE_STARTED Error?

When you see the DNS PROBE STARTED error, your computer wants to find the website’s IP address but is stuck in the process. It’s like being stuck in the middle of looking up a phone number and never finding it. This can happen for a few reasons, such as problems with your internet connection or issues with the settings on your computer.

To understand this error better, let’s talk about DNS. DNS stands for Domain Name System. It’s like the internet’s phone book. When you type a website’s domain name into your browser, DNS helps your computer find the website’s address; that’s a series of numbers called an IP address.

Let’s make it simpler. Imagine you want to visit a friend’s house, but you only know their name, not their address. You’d look up their address in a phone book. That’s what DNS does for your computer. It translates the website’s name (like www.hosted.com) into an IP address (such as 123.45.67.89), so your computer can find and connect to the website, whether a WordPress website or a custom site.

The DNS PROBE STARTED error can happen in any web browser. Here’s how it appears in Google Chrome:

The DNS_PROBE_STARTED error can appear in various ways depending on your browser. However, it doesn’t matter which browser you’re using, the error usually means the same thing: your computer is having trouble finding the website’s IP address.

Keep in mind that the DNS_PROBE_STARTED is not the only error that is about DNS. There are many others as well. Here are some common DNS errors you might encounter while browsing the internet:

• DNS_PROBE_STARTED
• DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_NXDOMAIN
• DNS_PROBE_BAD_CONFIG
• DNS SERVER NOT RESPONDING
• DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_BAD_CONFIG
• DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_NO_INTERNET

Although the wording may vary slightly, the essence of the error is the same: you’re encountering DNS server-related issues.

Common Causes Of DNS_PROBE_STARTED Error

Various things can impact and trigger the DNS probe error. Below are some of the most common causes you should know about:

1. DNS Server Issues: Sometimes, the DNS servers provided by the Internet Service Provider (ISP) might be down or experiencing problems. When this happens, your browser can’t translate website names into IP addresses, causing the DNS_PROBE_STARTED error.
2. Network Adapter Or Router Problems: Your network adapter or router might be misconfigured or facing issues. Problems like outdated drivers or incorrect settings can disturb your internet connection, leading to this error.
3. Antivirus Or Firewall Interference: Antivirus programs and firewalls are designed to shield your device, but sometimes they can be too strict. They might block necessary connections, preventing your browser from reaching the DNS server.
4. Browser Cache & Cookies: Your browser stores temporary files and cookies to speed up your browsing experience. However, if these files get corrupted, they can cause connectivity issues like the DNS_PROBE_STARTED error. In this case, clearing your cache and cookies can often resolve the problem.

Understanding these common causes will equip you to troubleshoot and fix the DNS_PROBE_STARTED error using one of the various methods below.

How To Fix DNS_PROBE_STARTED Error In Windows

Change Your IPv4/IPv6 DNS Address

As we already said, when you face the DNS_PROBE_STARTED error, your computer is having a problem finding the website’s IP address. One effective way to fix this issue is to change your DNS server addresses.

We also call this changing IPv4/IPv6 DNS addresses. Without digging into all the details, these network protocols have a little technical difference. Here, IPv6 is the latest version of IPv4; however, IPv4 is still the most popular. Now, let’s understand why changing DNS server addresses works and how you can do it.

Sometimes, the default DNS servers provided by your Internet Service Provider (ISP) might be slow or unreliable. Switching to a more reliable and efficient DNS server can improve your connection.

Another reason is that your ISP’s DNS servers might block certain websites or might be blocked themselves due to regional restrictions. In this case, using a different DNS server can bypass these blocks.

Furthermore, DNS servers update their records at different rates. If your default DNS server has outdated information, switching to a different one can provide the correct, updated information. Here’s how you can change your DNS server addresses:

Press Win + R. Write control panel, and press Enter. It’ll open the Control Panel for you.

Go to Network and Internet → Network and Sharing Center. Click on the Change adapter settings option in the left sidebar. It will take you to the Network Connections window.

Now, right-click on the network connection you use, (e.g., Wi-Fi or Ethernet) and then select Properties.

In the Wi-Fi Properties window, select the Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4) or Internet Protocol Version 6 (TCP/IPv6) list item and click Properties. Remember, if you’re using IPv4, you’ll select Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4).

However, if you use IPv6, you’ll choose Internet Protocol Version 6 (TCP/IPv6). Whatever list item you choose, make sure it’s checked; otherwise, you won’t be able to click on the Properties button.

After that select Use the following DNS server addresses to switch to the public DNS server. We are using Google’s DNS server here.

IPv4 users can use:

• Preferred DNS server: 8.8.8.8
• Alternate DNS server: 8.8.4.4

 For IPv6, you can use:

• Preferred DNS server: 2001:4860:4860::8888
• Alternate DNS server: 2001:4860:4860::8844

Lastly, click OK to save the modifications. Then restart your computer to apply the changes.

Go back to the website and see if the error is fixed. By changing your DNS server addresses to more reliable and faster options like Google’s DNS, you can often resolve the “DNS PROBE STARTED error” and improve your overall internet browsing experience.

Important: If you’re already using a public DNS server and have experienced a DNS probe error, we suggest you switch back to your ISP’s default server to resolve the error.

Refresh Your DNS

The DNS cache stores the IP addresses of web pages you’ve recently visited on your computer. This speeds up browsing because you don’t have to look up the DNS information each time.

However, sometimes this cache can become outdated or corrupted; this causes errors like DNS_PROBE_STARTED. In this case, refreshing your DNS can clear this cache and resolve these issues. Here is how to do it:

Press Win + R, type cmd, and hit Enter to open Command Prompt.

In the Command Prompt, write ipconfig /flushdns and press Enter. This command will flush the DNS cache, and you should see a success message indicating that the DNS resolver cache has been successfully flushed.

Then, type ipconfig /renew and press Enter. This command will renew your device’s IP address.

Lastly, type ipconfig /registerdns and press the Enter key. This will register your device’s DNS settings with your ISP. Now, you can close the window or type exit followed by the Enter key to close the Command Prompt.

Refreshing your DNS settings can often fix connectivity problems by ensuring that your computer has the most updated information for accessing websites. This should also resolve the DNS probe issue. If you still face the issue, you may need to move to the solution below.

Clear Browser Cache and Cookies

Cache is used to speed up the loading of web pages by storing files from websites you access. It stores images, scripts, and other parts of websites.

Similarly, cookies are used to remember your personal information, preferences, and tracking information on different websites, such as your name or things you put in an online shopping cart on an ecommerce website. This way, when you revisit a website, it remembers you and can show you personalized stuff.

So, in your browser’s backpack, the cache helps you see websites faster, and cookies help websites remember who you are and what you like. However, if these details become outdated, you may experience errors, including DNS_PROBE_STARTED.

But, before you clear cache and cookies, we recommend you visit the web page (the one showing you the DNS probe error) on different devices or browsers, or use Incognito Mode (also called Private Mode), which you can open as follows:

• In Google Chrome and Microsoft Edge: Press Ctrl + Shift + N
• In Mozilla Firefox: Press Ctrl + Shift + P

Once the private window is opened, type your website’s URL and see if the error persists. If the site loads successfully, you should clear your browser’s cache and cookies. We’ve already covered how to clear cache and cookies in Chrome, Edge, and Firefox. Here are the links to each section:

How to Clear Cache & Cookies in Google Chrome

How to Clear Cache & Cookies in Mozilla Firefox

How to Clear Cache & Cookies in Microsoft Edge

If the site doesn’t load, the cache and cookies aren’t the culprits – explore further solutions below.

Update Or Reinstall Your Network Driver(s)

If the previous methods didn’t work, you might have issues with your network driver(s). Network drivers are like the instructions for your computer that help it connect to the Internet. Think of them as the rules for a game that tells you how to play. Without these rules, you wouldn’t know what to do, and the game wouldn’t work.

Before reinstalling network drivers, let’s look at how network drivers can cause the DNS_PROBE_STARTED error.

Sometimes, if these instructions (the network drivers) are missing, old, or broken, your computer can’t connect to the internet properly. When this happens, you might see an error called DNS_PROBE_STARTED. This error means your computer is having an issue locating the website you want to visit.

To fix this problem, you need to update or reinstall the network drivers. Here’s how to do it:

Update Network Drivers

To update network drivers, go to Start and then click Settings (the gear icon).

On the Settings window, write Device Manager in the search box and look for it in the search results menu. This will open the Device Manager window.

Expand the Network adapters option and right-click on your network device. Choose Update driver, and follow the instructions to get the latest updates.

Reinstall Network Driver

If updating doesn’t help, you can then try to uninstall the network driver from the device manager.

Now close the Device Manager screen and restart your computer. Once your computer is restarted, return to the Device Manager window and select the Network adapters option. After that, click on Action → Scan for hardware changes from the menu bar.

This will automatically reinstall the correct network driver(s). Now, try accessing your site to see if the error is resolved.

Disable Antivirus & Firewall Software

Antivirus programs and firewalls are important as they protect your computer from viruses, malware, and other online threats. They act as barriers, blocking harmful content and ensuring your system stays safe.

However, sometimes they can be too aggressive and block legitimate DNS requests, causing errors like DNS_PROBE_STARTED. To fix this, you need to disable the firewall and antivirus temporarily. Here’s how you can do it:

Disable Antivirus (Windows Defender)

Go to the Start menu → Settings and click on Update & Security.

Select Windows Security from the left side panel and click on Virus & threat protection in the right pane.

Scroll down to the Virus & threat protection settings area, and click on Manage settings.

Lastly, turn off Real-time protection to disable Windows Defender antivirus.

If you’re using any third-party antivirus, right-click on the antivirus icon in the system tray (bottom-right corner near the clock). Select Disable or Pause protection, or something similar. Follow any prompts to confirm.

Once you disable the antivirus program, return to the web browser to see if the DNS_PROBE_STARTED error persists. If it doesn’t, you should look for an alternate antivirus software. But if you still face the DNS probe error, you may need to disable the firewall.

Disable Firewall

As we already said, a firewall protects your computer. Therefore, we recommend checking firewall settings before you completely disable it.

To check firewall settings, navigate to Control Panel → System and Security → Allow an app through Windows Firewall.

Scroll through the list to see if any network-related applications (like web browsers, VPN software, etc.) that handle DNS queries are already listed. Ensure they have both Private and Public checked if applicable.

If the specific app you want to allow is not listed, click on Change settings, then on Allow another app… button. Click the Browse… button and go to the executable file of the application you want to allow (e.g., your web browser executable).

Select the executable file and click Open. After selecting the executable, click on the Add button. Ensure that both the Private and Public checkboxes are checked for the newly added application. Lastly, click OK to save the changes.

Now, check if the error persists. If it does, the firewall settings are not originating this error. But if the error is not fixed, disable the firewall temporarily. Marelize, I’m not sure if this is correct. Please can the writer check it? I’ve changed it to try and make sense, but am unsure if what I’ve done is correct.

To do that, go to Control Panel → System and Security → Windows Defender Firewall. Click on Turn Windows Defender Firewall on or off from the left menu.

Now, choose Turn off Windows Defender Firewall for private and public networks and click OK.

Remember to turn your antivirus and firewall back on after the testing process. Disabling them is only a temporary measure to check whether they are generating the connection issue.

Restart Your Router/Modem

If none of the previous solutions helped fix the DNS_PROBE_STARTED error, restarting your router or modem is your last option.

Sometimes, your router or modem might have glitches or connectivity issues that can cause the DNS_PROBE_STARTED error. Restarting these devices can refresh the connection and clear any temporary problems that affect your internet.

To turn off the router/modem, find the power button on your router or modem and press it to turn off the device. Alternatively, unplug the power cord from the back of the device.

Now, wait for about 30 seconds. This allows the router or modem to shut down and reset fully. Then, press the power button again or plug the power cable back in to turn on the router/modem. Wait for the device to restart; this can take a few minutes.

Restarting your router or modem helps reset the network connection and can resolve many temporary issues. It refreshes your connection to your Internet Service Provider (ISP), potentially solving the DNS_PROBE_STARTED error and improving your overall Internet performance.

FAQs

Other Blogs of Interest:

– How To Fix ERR_ADDRESS_UNREACHABLE in Google Chrome

– How To Fix ERR_QUIC_PROTOCOL_ERROR In Chrome

– How To Fix ERR_NETWORK_CHANGED in Google Chrome

– How To Fix ERR_HTTP2_PROTOCOL_ERROR

– How To Fix DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_NXDOMAIN Error