10 Fixes for DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_NO_INTERNET Error

The DNS_probe_finished_no_internet error is a pretty common error that many users face. It implies that the Domain Name Server (DNS) has failed to connect to a particular site or load certain web pages. This can be a result of many different problems like a router issue, changing your DNS, or some other causes. 

People get this error on the Google Chrome browser and it can also occur if other browsers on your system are working fine with the same internet connection. But, getting this error on your Google Chrome means that you won’t be able to access any website on Chrome until this issue is fixed.

In this article, we’ll explain why you might be getting this error and the appropriate solutions to fix the DNS_probe_no_internet error.

Variations of DNS_Probe_Finished_No_Internet Error Issues

Here are the most commonly reported issues related to the DNS probe finished with no internet error:

  • Getting the error every couple of minutes: In this case, the users have reported that the error goes away after they have attempted to fix it. But, it comes back again. 
  • Getting the error code but the internet is working: Some users have reported that their internet connection is working fine despite the error code being shown.
  • Error with VPN only: Sometimes, the DNS probe finished no internet error appears only when you are using a VPN software. There could be some issue with the VPN that you need to inspect.
  • Error code on social media platforms only: Sometimes, users get this error on certain social media platforms only like Facebook.
  • Error code appears while using mobile hotspot: Some users have reported that they face this problem only when they connect their computer to their mobile hotspot. The internet works fine with other networks.

Why DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_No_Internet Error Occurs?

The DNS_probe_finished_no_internet error appears due to a slow internet connection that fails to load the browser or a certain website. However, this error could also pop up due to DNS settings-related problems.

The DNS has the job of redirecting a domain to its respective IP address. If it fails to do so, you will get the “DNS probe finished no internet” error. It is quite hard to be sure about what the actual reason is behind this problem is because it can arise due to several reasons at the same time or only one. 

Hence, it is quite difficult to fix so you need to execute a couple of fixes one by one to try and resolve this error.

How to Fix DNS Probe Finished No Internet Error: 10 Fixes

Given below are some of the quick fixes you can try out to fix this issue and prevent it from coming back again.

Method 1: Check Network Connectivity Via Command Line

One of the reasons why you might be running into this error is internet connectivity issues. Now, you can check your system’s internet connectivity in several ways. Here’s a handy and easy way of doing it through the command prompt:

Step 1. Go to the Windows search bar and type in “command prompt”. Click on the first search result that says Command Prompt.

Step 2. In the command prompt, type in the command given below and hit the Enter button.

ping -t 4.2.2.2

If you get the following message repetitively, it means your internet is working alright and isn’t responsible for the error. 

Reply from 4.2.2.2: bytes=32 time=193ms TTL=53

But if the reply is an error, that means your computer’s internet connectivity has issues.

Method 2: Power Cycling your router

This is to check whether your network router is the issue or not. Follow the steps given below to power cycle your router and fix the DNS probe to finish no internet error:

Step 1. Turn off your router and modem completely.

Step 2. Now, wait for 10 minutes before trying to turn them on again.

Step 3. After powering up the router, wait for 1 or 2 minutes and check if the issue is resolved or not. If the error persists, move forward to reset your computer’s network configurations.

Method 3: Resetting Winsock Program

The command prompt allows you to execute ample control on your system. In fact, the “DNS probe finished no internet” error can also be potentially fixed using it. Here’s how:

Step 1. Click on the search button towards the bottom left corner of your screen and type cmd in the search bar. Right-click on this option and then select Run as administrator.

Step 2. Once the command prompt opens up enter the command given below:

netsh winsock reset

Step 3. Press the Enter key. Now, restart your computer to fix the error.

Method 4: Changing Your DNS to Google DNS

If you are still stuck with your router’s default DNS, it’s time to switch to Google DNS. It is faster, safer, and much less prone to such errors. So, changing to Google DNS might even help you fix the DNS_Probe_Finished_No_Internet issue. Here are the steps to do so:

Step 1. Hover over the Windows icon and click on Network Connections. In some versions of Windows 10, you may require clicking on “Change adapter options

Step 2. Find the network you are connected to and click on Properties

click on properties of ethernet

Step 3. Once the Properties window opens, you can scroll down and find Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4) and then, double-click on it.

Step 4. In the menu, click on “Use The Following DNS Server Address” and then enter the following:

Preferred DNS Server: 8.8.8.8

Alternate DNS Server: 8.8.4.4

Once done, hit OK.

internet protocol version 4 properties window

Now, you need to restart your internet connection for the settings to take action. Once the computer has rebooted, the DNS probe is finished, and no internet error should be gone. 

Method 5: Restart the DNS Client

This is yet another method to try out. It has been proven useful to a lot of users and might help you get rid of the DNS_probe_finished_no_internet error. Here’s how you can restart the DNS client service:

Step 1. Press the CTRL+R key to open the Run dialog box. Now, type in services.msc

Step 2. A new window will open up that contains the list of services. Now, scroll down through this list and look for the DNS Client service.

click on dns client service

Step 3. Right-click on DNS Client Service and select the Restart option.

right click on dns client and choose restart

Step 4. Now, the DNS Client Service will restart.

Step 5. Once the process is finished, connect to the internet again to check if the problem is resolved or not.

Method 6: Clear Chrome’s Host Cache

Google Chrome has a record of all the DNS entries to reduce the loading time of different websites you frequently visit. However, some bad cache can lead to errors like “DNS probe finished no internet”. So, you can try clearing the cache of your Google Chrome browser. Follow the steps given below:

Step 1. Open the Google Chrome browser

Step 2. Copy-paste this URL in the address bar of the browser: chrome://net-internals/#dns

Hit the Enter button. You will be taken to Google Chrome’s Host resolver cache page. Click on “Clear Host Cache.

Step 3. Now, restart your Chrome browser to check if the error is gone or not

Note: Do not forget to clear your Google Chrome browser history and cache. Clearing out these things including other Chrome records like cookies, web pages visited, etc. can sometimes fix the DNS probe finished no internet issue.

Method 7: Resetting IP And Flushing DNS Via Command Prompt

A lot of internet connection issues including the DNS_probe_finished_no_internet error can get resolved by resetting your IP address. We’ll also flush the DNS cache to make this method more effective. Given below are the steps you need to follow to do so:

Step 1. Go to the Windows search bar and type cmd. Select the result that says Command Prompt. Right-click on this result and click on Run as Administrator.

Step 2. The command prompt window will come up. You need to type in the following commands one by one:

ipconfig /release
ipconfig release command execution
ipconfig /all
ipconfig /flushdns
ipconfig /renew
ipconfig flushdns and ipconfig renew command execution
netsh int ip set dns
netsh winsock reset
running the netsh winsock reset command

Step 3. Once done, restart your system and try surfing the internet to check if the problem is gone or not.

Method 8: Reset Google Chrome Flag Settings

This is one of the fastest and easiest solutions to try out while fixing the DNS_probe_finished_no_internet error. Here are the steps to the procedure:

Step 1. Launch your Google Chrome browser. Type in the URL given below:

chrome://flags/

Hit the Enter button and wait until the page loads.

google chrome flags page

Step 2. Look for the option that says “Reset all to the default option.” You’ll find this towards the right side of the Settings.

resetting chrome flags to default

Step 3. Save the changes made and try surfing the internet to see if the DNS probe finished and if no internet error has been fixed or not.

Method 9: Disable Web Filtering Software

Web filtering software is a type of web monitoring software that will examine the websites and decide which content should be displayed and which shouldn’t. A lot of users have reported that disabling or even uninstalling the website filtering software can fix the “DNS probe finished no internet” error. So, you could try temporarily disabling or uninstalling it if you had it on your computer in the first place.

Method 10: Updating the Drivers

Nowadays, not many people bother about the drivers because the software is a lot more efficient and driver issues are rare. However, driver malfunctions still happen and your DNS_probe_finished_no_internet error could also occur due to outdated network drivers. Given below is a step-by-step procedure to help you update your system’s network drivers:

Step 1. Press the Windows key+R to open up the run menu.

Step 2. Go to the search bar and type devmgmt.msc. Then, press Enter.

Step 3. You will be taken to the Device Management window. From the list, find Network Adapter.

network adapters option in device management window

Step 4. Right-click on your network and choose Update Driver Software. Then select Browse my computer for driver software.

update network adapters drivers

Step 5. Now, click on “Let me pick from a list of device drivers on my computer.”

Step 6. Choose the hardware that is compatible and then hit Next.

The driver will start updating and once it is done, you will receive a dialog box informing you of the same. Then, you need to restart your system to check if the error is gone or not.

Conclusion

The DNS Probe Finished No Internet error is a problem to worry about because in today’s world you won’t get any of your work done without the internet. There can be multiple reasons why you might run into these errors.

With that being said, there can also be multiple solutions to them. We have collected all the working methods that you can try out to fix this error. Hopefully, they will help you get rid of this error.