What is DNS Cache
DNS cache is like a phone book for the internet. It keeps track of websites and their associated IP addresses so that your computer can quickly find the website you want to visit. Sometimes the cached information can become outdated, which can cause problems when trying to access certain websites. For example, if a website's IP address changes, your computer may still try to connect to the old IP address, preventing the website from loading.
Clearing the DNS cache clears out all old information and allows your computer to get the most up-to-date information from the Internet. This can help resolve issues such as not being able to access a particular website or redirecting to the wrong page.
In summary, clearing the DNS cache can help resolve Internet connectivity issues by clearing old information and renewing the IP addresses of the cached websites. This way your computer can connect to the correct IP address and load the desired website.
Options for deleting DNS cache
You can delete the DNS cache on individual devices with a few short steps. If you find these (below) steps too complex, you can choose to simply unplug your internet modem for about 30 seconds and then plug it back in. This will also refresh the DNS.
Keep in mind that it can take up to 5 minutes before your internet connection is available again.
How to delete DNS cache on an individual device works as follows
On Windows:
– Open the command prompt/command prompt application as an administrator.
– Type the command “ipconfig /flushdns” and press Enter.
– You should see a message that says “The DNS resolver cache has been flushed” or “Successfully flushed the DNS Resolver Cache.”
On Mac:
– Open the 'Terminal' application.
– Type the command “sudo killall -HUP mDNSResponder” and press Enter.
– You will be prompted to enter your administrator password.
– After entering the password, the DNS cache will be flushed.
On iPhone or iPad:
On an iPhone or iPad it is not possible to delete the DNS cache directly like on a computer. This is because the DNS cache on an iPhone is managed by the operating system and is not directly accessible to users. But there are a number of steps you can take to “reset” the DNS cache on an iPhone:
- Go to the “Settings” app on your iPhone.
- Scroll down and tap on “General”
- Tap on “WiFi”
- Tap the “i” icon next to the connected Wi-Fi network
- Tap on “Forget this network”
- Reconnect to the Wi-Fi network and use a new DNS server.
By following the steps above, the iPhone or iPad will reconnect to the WiFi network and set up a new DNS server, removing the old DNS information from the cache. This can help with internet connectivity issues or loading specific websites.
Keep in mind that this solution only applies to problems with WiFi connections.