The Domain Name System (DNS) is one of the core infrastructure of the Internet. It makes it easy and accessible to traverse the millions and billions of domains that exist on the internet. To enhance browsing speed and troubleshoot DNS as well as DNS caching issues, Google has made available a native tool named Chrome Net Internals DNS. It is located at www.chromenetinternals.dns or chrome://net-internals/#dns.
Let's dive deeper into this magical tool and learn about the features and advantages of Net Internals DNS.
What is Chrome Net Internals DNS?
Chrome Net Internals DNS is a Google Chrome extension that gives you a detailed insight into the browser's DNS activities. In addition, it also enables direct control over DNS-related options. It is a handy utility that diagnoses and solves any DNS problem, which might result in a reduction of speed or failure to access websites at all.
While this is primarily used on Chrome, it is a suite of network analysis tools that is also made available for other networks, like Opera and Microsoft Edge.
You can simply open the DNS settings page by typing Chrome://net-internals/#dns in Chrome's search bar, where you will have access to all the saved DNS information. From there, you can clear all of the DNS Cache.
Features of Chrome Net Internals DNS Tools
As we have come to learn, the "chrome://net-internals/#dns" webpage enables us to diagnose and solve DNS settings error. Some of its functionalities that you should learn are given below.
DNS Lookup
This is one of the major features provided by Chrome Net internals DNS. It allows users to perform a DNS query for any domain. Once the query is successfully executed, the user can see the IP address of the domain. This is a very important feature in the case of troubleshooting network connection failures. This helps us to understand if the DNS server is resolving the name properly or not.
DNS Resolver Cache
The GUI displays a list of DNS entries stored along with their Time-To-Live values. The information provided helps users check whether their system needs a fresh DNS cache update or is already resolving domain names using the net internals DNS server cache.
DNS prefetching
Google Chrome employs this mechanism to enhance web surfing speeds through web page DNS entry prefetching. DNS prefetching results in web page load speeds that are quicker, yet this results in additional DNS requests and hence degrades network performance.
Sockets
The "chrome://net-internals/#dns" webpage exhibits details concerning active network sockets and their status together with uncovering host and proxy resolver rules, which perform name-to-address conversion of domains and proxy servers for URLs.
How to use chrome://net-internals/#dns to clear the DNS cache on Windows?
You may utilize Chrome://net-internals/#dns interface to clear DNS cache data within the Chrome browser.
Google Chrome browser also has an in-built DNS cache clear interface that can be accessed via chrome://net-internals/#dns, on which users can run maintenance on Windows, macOS, or Linux computers. Chrome has an in-built utility that clears the saved DNS records by using its #dns interface to clear network connectivity issues.
Follow these steps to flush Net Internals DNS:
Step 1: Open your Chrome Browser
Step 2: Open chrome://net-internals/#dns by entering it in the Chrome address bar and pressing “Enter” to display the interface.
Step 3: Click the Chrome Net Internals DNS clear host cache button as indicated by the presented image.
Step 4: Restart Chrome before navigating to the socket pool clearing interface at chrome://net-internals/#sockets.
You accomplished the DNS cache clearing process in Chrome. The platform and device universal compatibility allows you to execute this method across Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, and iOS devices that include iPhone and iPad.
How to use chrome://net-internals/#dns to clear the DNS cache on Mobile?
This tool serves as a top-level diagnostic tool for mobile phones to flush out DNS cache data on all Android and iPhone, and iPad platforms.
The procedure to erase the host cache running in Chrome net-internals DNS causes bewilderment on mobiles. The method to solve the problem turns out to be elementary and unobstructed.
The procedure to clear the host cache involves the same process outlined above. Users can enable the Chrome browser on their mobile devices with Android, iPhone, or iPad operating systems to access chrome://net-internals/#dns for clearing the host cache.
Follow these Steps to Clear the Cache:
Step 1: Go to the Chrome browser.
Step 2: Click on the "More" button present at the top right corner of the screen.
Step 3: Tap on “History” from the list displayed.
Step 4: Now, set the time range, or you can simply click on "All Time" to clear all browsing data.
Step 5: Check the boxes for “Cookies and site data” and “Cached images and files.
Step 6: Click on the "Clear data" button present at the bottom of the screen.
**Why Should You Clear the Net Internals DNS Cache?
**DNS Cache clearing is very important for everyone who uses the internet. This is because over time, DNS cache accumulates piles of outdated and incorrect data, and this can lead to the following things:
Slowing down of the website
The older version appears
Connectivity and security issues.
Clearing the DNS Cache will help you speed up your browsing experience, strengthen your security, and offer the most updated results.
What to do if chrome://net-internals/#dns doesn’t work?
The Chrome Net Internals DNS can fail at some locations. And if you face such a situation, you can attempt DNS flushing techniques. Some of the DNS Flushing techniques are:
1) Purge DNS cache using Command Prompt
2) By Restarting the DNS Client Service
3) By Resetting Chrome Flags
Check out each one in detail:
- Purge DNS Cache Using the Command Prompt If you are a Windows, macOS, or Chrome user, you can clear the DNS Cache very easily by following the given steps:
For Windows Users
Step 1: Navigate to the Start Menu > look for "Command Prompt" > Right Click > Click on “Run as Administrator“.
Step 2: A command prompt will appear on the screen.
Step 3: Type the given command and click Enter.
For macOS Users
Step 1: Open the Terminal application on the Mac.
Step 2: Type the given command and click the Return Key.
Step 3: Fill in the password and again click the return key.
Step 4: Lastly, open the browser and access the website.
**2. By Resetting DNS Client Services
**The next method for DNS Flushing is resetting DNS client services. This method can be done in two ways:
Method 1: Go to the Command Prompt window and use the shortcut command Windows Key+R.
Now, a terminal will open. Here type services.msc and hit Enter. In the local services page, search for the DNS Client service. Do a Right Click and hit Restart. This will refresh the DNS Cache and resolve any issues.
Method 2: The second method can be simply searching for cmd in the Run Dialog. This will open the Command Prompt. Now type the command and refresh the cache.
- By Resetting Chrome Flags The fourth way is the reset of Chrome flags. These are an experimental feature in Google Chrome. They are disabled by default. However, you can turn it on for testing purposes. But you should be careful because this might initiate a particular enable chrome flags DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_NXDOMAIN error.
Follow these easy steps:
Step 1: Go to the Chrome browser
Step 2: Now, type chrome://flags in the address bar and hit Enter.
Step 3: Search “Reset all to default” button, present at the top of the page, and click on it.
Step 4: Next, a prompt will appear on the screen to confirm the reset. Hit on “Reset all”.
Step 5: Now your reset will be complete. You will be prompted to relaunch Chrome. This will apply the changes.
Flushing DNS Cache on MacOS
Step 1: Type and hit "Terminal" into Spotlight
Step 2: Navigate to the Terminal window and type the following command:
sudo dscacheutil -flushcache
sudo killall -HUP mDNSResponder
Flushing DNS cache on Linux
You can easily flush the net internals DNS cache on Linux by following these steps:
Step 1: Go to the terminal on the Linux system.
Step 2: Type the command "sudo systemd-resolve-- flush-caches" and hit Enter.
**Step 3: **This will flush out both the negative as well as positive DNS cache entries.
Step 4: To verify cache clearing, type the command sudo systemd-resolve-- statistics and hit Enter.
This will lead to statistics related to the resolved DNS queries. If the cache is cleared successfully, the count of “CacheHit” will be zero.
Pros and Cons of Chrome Net Internal DNS
Everything has a positive as well as a negative side; chrome//net-internals/#dns also has some of the cons that you should know.
Troubleshooting Common DNS Errors
**At times, clearing Chrome's DNS cache via chrome://net-internals/#dns may not work right away, or you may find yourself in situations where websites continue to fail to load after the process. In such a situation, follow these troubleshooting steps.
**DNS Cache Not Clearing
If the Chrome net internals DNS clear host cache button does not appear to have any impact, attempt a restart of the Chrome browser itself. If this still does not work, a complete restart of your computer or mobile device will sometimes fix system-level problems.
As mentioned above, clearing the DNS cache of the system is another important step to make sure that the old DNS information is removed entirely. Lastly, employing Chrome's Incognito Mode can assist in identifying whether a browser extension is causing interference with the DNS management process.
If the issue doesn't show up in Incognito Mode, then disable your extensions one at a time to figure out the perpetrator.
Websites Not Loading After DNS Clear
If a site is still not loading after you have cleared Chrome's DNS cache, the first thing to verify is your internet connection. Make sure that you are well connected to your network, and the internet service is operational.
A reboot of your router will often help solve connectivity problems that are only temporary. If this doesn't work, try temporarily changing your DNS provider to a different one, like Google DNS (8.8.8.8) or Cloudflare DNS (1.1.1.1), to eliminate any problem with your current DNS servers.
Best Practices for Managing DNS in Chrome
To ensure a smooth and efficient browsing experience in Chrome, consider adopting the following DNS management operation.
Clear your DNS cache periodically
While the frequency might vary, regularly clearing your DNS cache can help prevent browsing issues caused by outdated information.
Utilize chrome://net-internals/#dns and the "Clear host cache" button:
This is the primary method for refreshing Chrome's net internal DNS information on both desktop and mobile platforms.
Flush socket pools when necessary
If simply clearing the DNS cache doesn't resolve persistent connection problems, especially after a website update or migration, flushing the socket pools can be a helpful supplementary step.
Keep your operating system updated
System updates often include fixes and improvements related to networking and DNS resolution, contributing to a more stable browsing environment.
Consider using a secure and fast DNS provider
Exploring alternative DNS servers like Google DNS or Cloudflare DNS can potentially enhance your browsing speed, reliability, and security.
By following these practices, you can proactively and effectively manage potential DNS-related issues and enjoy a more seamless and speedy online experience.
Conclusion
Chrome Net Internals DNS settings and errors tend to be tricky at times. However, through the use of Chrome://net-internals/dns, users can successfully clear the cache, remove history, and resolve several connection problems. Attempt DNS flushing techniques if this fails.
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