Connectivity
Common DNS and "Can't Reach This Site" Connectivity Issues
If your device shows you're connected to Wi-Fi, but websites won't load, apps fail to connect, or you see errors like "DNS_PROBE_FINISHED" or "This site can't be reached" -- the cause is very often DNS (the system that translates website names into addresses), not your internet connection itself.
Quick check: is it really DNS?
A simple way to tell: if a website won't load by name (e.g. "example.com") but other internet-dependent things work fine (like a video call, or an app that doesn't use a browser), DNS is a likely cause.
Fixes to try, in order
- Restart your router (see our restart guide) -- this is the most common fix.
- Restart the device itself (phone, laptop, etc.), not just the browser.
- Try a different website to rule out one site simply being down rather than a connection-wide issue.
- Try the same website on a different device on the same network -- if it works there, the issue may be specific to the first device's settings.
- If you're comfortable changing network settings, try switching your device's DNS server to a public option (such as 8.8.8.8) as a temporary test -- if this fixes it, your router's default DNS may be having an issue.
If it affects every device
If no device on your network can load any website by name, but your connection otherwise shows as active, this is worth reporting to your provider -- it may be a wider DNS service issue rather than something on your end.
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