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How to Fix the “This Site Can’t Be Reached” Error (5 Ways)
Everyone runs into the occasional error while browsing the web. Some error codes, such as Error 404 , are easy to understand. However, others like “This site can’t be reached” are much more vague and don’t offer any information on how to fix them.
There are several potential causes for the “This site can’t be reached” error in Google Chrome. Understanding what those causes are will help you decide what troubleshooting method(s) to use, so you can access the website you need.
In this article, we’ll talk about what causes the “This site can’t be reached” issue. Then we’ll go over five ways to fix it.
Let’s get to work!
Check Out Our Video Guide to Fixing the “This Site Can’t Be Reached” Error
What causes the “this site can’t be reached” error.
One of the reasons the “This site can’t be reached” error is so frustrating is that Chrome can be unclear about what causes it. Moreover, the message can appear alongside a broad range of error codes.
For example, you can get that notification if you run into the DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_NXDOMAIN error :
That same error message will also appear if your connection times out or if you encounter the ERR_CONNECTION_RESET code:
Clearly, Chrome uses the “This site can’t be reached” message as a catch-all description for a lot of errors. By and large, the most common causes are:
- Domain Name System (DNS) resolution errors
- Connections that time out
- An overall failure of your internet connection
- Misconfigured internet, network, or firewall settings
Although Chrome does suggest a few fixes within each error screen, there are a lot more ways that you can troubleshoot this issue.
How to Fix the “This Site Can’t Be Reached” Error (5 Ways)
For this section, we’re going to walk you through five ways (from least to most complicated) to troubleshoot the “This site can’t be reached” error. Let’s start with the simplest fix, which involves checking your connection.
1. Restart Your Internet Connection
Even if you have a working internet connection, the “This site can’t be reached” error can appear if there’s any type of error with it. Although it may sound too simple, restarting your router or modem can often resolve this problem quickly.
Since restarting your connection usually only takes a minute or two, this is the first solution you should try. Most internet service providers (ISPs) will recommend disconnecting your router’s power cable and waiting a full minute before reconnecting it. Once it’s back on, wait for your internet connection to reset, and then try re-accessing the website.
2. Disable Your Firewall and Antivirus
In many cases, your operating system’s (OS) built-in firewall — or whichever software you use — can block pages aggressively and prevent your computer from establishing a connection to them. The easiest way to figure out if that’s the problem is to temporarily disable your firewall and antivirus software, and try visiting the site again.
Depending on what OS you’re using, you’ll need to follow a different set of steps to disable the built-in firewall. You can use the following articles for guidance:
- How to Disable the Windows firewall
- How to Disable the Firewall in macOS
As for disabling your antivirus software, your settings will depend on the tool you’re using. In our experience, it’s rare for your firewall to block you from loading a website unless it’s truly dangerous.
If disabling your firewall and antivirus software doesn’t work, it’s time to try a different method. Don’t forget to reactivate both before moving on.
3. Clear Your Browser Cache
While you navigate the web, Chrome stores a lot of data and files from the websites you visit. Your browser stores those files in a local cache, so it doesn’t have to reload sites in full every time you visit them.
In some cases, you might run into the “This site can’t be reached” error due to problems with your cached files. To solve that issue, you’ll need to clear your browser cache .
Assuming that you’re using Chrome, you can do that by going to Settings > Privacy and Security > Clear Browsing Data and selecting the Cached Images and Files option:
Click on Clear Data ,and that’s it. Wait for Chrome to do its thing, and then try to reload the website that was giving you problems earlier.
4. Flush Your DNS Cache
Your OS stores a lot of data from websites you visit. It also stores their IP addresses in what we call the “DNS cache.” That way, your browser doesn’t have to look up the same IPs through its DNS server whenever you want to establish a connection. If that sounds familiar, it’s because the DNS cache works similarly to your browser cache, only it stores different types of data.
That’s a fantastic feature that saves every user time. However, it can also lead to errors if your OS caches outdated information for a website. In that case, you’ll need to “flush” or reset your DNS cache.
Flushing your DNS cache is a lot simpler than it sounds. We have a full tutorial on flushing your DNS cache on all major operating systems and browsers, so go ahead and check it out. If this doesn’t work, you might need to change DNS servers, which we’ll cover in the next section.
5. Change Your DNS Servers
Your ISP automatically assigns you DNS servers for your connection. However, you can configure your internet settings to use a specific set of DNS servers.
In Windows, you can do this by navigating to Control Panel > Network and Internet > Network and Sharing Center , and then selecting the Change Adapter Settings option:
On the next screen, right-click on your active internet connection and select Properties. On the list that appears, select Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4) , and click on Properties once more:
A new screen will pop up, including a section that enables you to set custom DNS server addresses. You can use the two fields in the screenshot below to enter the DNS server addresses you want to use:
In the screenshot, we’re using Google’s public DNS addresses, which are “8.8.8.8” and “8.8.4.4”. However, there are a lot of fantastic free DNS servers you can use.
If you’re using macOS, you can change your DNS settings by navigating to System Preferences > Network , selecting your network, and clicking on Advanced . Next, jump to the DNS tab:
You can add the custom DNS servers you want to use by clicking on the ( + ) icon. Once you configure your new DNS settings and press the OK button, you should be good to go.
Your internet connection should work just the same, but the “This site can’t be reached” error will hopefully be gone. In some cases, changing DNS servers may let you load sites faster and access websites that you couldn’t before.
Although the “This site can’t be reached” error can be annoying, it’s not that difficult to troubleshoot. In most cases, the error comes from problems with your internet connection or DNS and caching settings .
If you encounter the “This site can’t be reached” message, here are five ways to fix it from least to most complicated:
- Restart your internet connection.
- Disable your firewall and antivirus.
- Clear your browser cache.
- Flush your DNS cache.
- Change your DNS servers.
Troubleshooting website errors can take some time. However, if you’re unable to fix them yourself, you can always reach out for support from your hosting provider. Check out our plans to learn more about the solutions we offer here at Kinsta!
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How to Fix “This Site Can’t Be Reached” ERR_ADDRESS_UNREACHABLE in Chrome
Nick Lewis is a staff writer for How-To Geek. He has been using computers for 20 years --- tinkering with everything from the UI to the Windows registry to device firmware. Before How-To Geek, he used Python and C++ as a freelance programmer. In college, Nick made extensive use of Fortran while pursuing a physics degree. Read more...
We’ve all experienced the occasional error from Google Chrome, including “This site can’t be reached,” but what do you do if the error sticks around after restarting your browser? Here are some things you can try to fix the problem.
What Causes "This Site Can't Be Reached" and ERR_ADDRESS_UNREACHABLE? How to Isolate the Cause of the Problem How to Fix "This Site Can't Be Reached" If All Devices Are Affected Restart Check Your Cables and Connections Factory Reset Your Modem and Router If Only One Device Is Affected Restart Your Device Google Chrome Issues Computer Network Settings Follow the Instructions for "If All Devices Are Affected"
What Causes “This Site Can’t Be Reached” and ERR_ADDRESS_UNREACHABLE?
This error message from Google Chrome — like so many other error messages — is pretty ambiguous. It doesn’t point you to a specific problem, and it can have numerous causes. Unfortunately, that means solving the problem usually involves the kitchen sink approach — basically, try things until something works. We can narrow it down a bit, however.
How to Isolate the Cause of the Problem
You should try connecting to the website, or websites, over a different network. If you have a cellphone, turn off your phone’s Wi-Fi and try connecting over cellular data. If it doesn’t work, the odds are extremely good that the problem is not your device or network. You can also plug the address into IsItDownRightNow and see if others are reporting the same problem.
If it does work, however, it means that the problem is probably on your end, not the website’s. We can narrow things down a bit further by checking to see if every device on the network is affected, or just one. Use another device, like an extra computer, laptop, phone, or tablet, and see if they also can’t connect. If all devices are affected, then your problem is with your modem or router. Scroll down to the sub-section titled “If All Devices Are Affected” for some possible solutions.
If only one device is affected, you’re stuck with the kitchen sink approach.
How to Fix “This Site Can’t Be Reached” If All Devices Are Affected
There are only three likely explanations if every device on your network is affected.
- Your Internet Service Provider (ISP) is experiencing problems
- Your router is experiencing problems
- Your modem is experiencing problems
The first possibility— a problem with your ISP — is not something you can fix. If you know one of your neighbors has the same service provider you can ask them if they’re experiencing an outage too. If they are, you’ll have to wait until the problem is fixed.
Modems and routers, like all computers, are capable of experiencing glitches. Restart both your modem and router by unplugging them for a minimum of 30 seconds. If you want to be absolutely sure, leave them unplugged for a few minutes, and then plug them back in.
If you’re thinking “Wait! I don’t have a modem and router, I just have this one thing my ISP sent me,” don’t worry. That is probably a unit that combines the modem and router into one device — they’re extremely common now. Just unplug it for a few minutes and then plug it back in.
Give your modem and router (or combined unit) about five minutes to start up again, then try connecting to the website(s) with which you had problems. If it doesn’t work, you’ll need to try some other troubleshooting steps.
Check Your Cables and Connections
Warning: Be sure that you do not excessively bend or yank any cables or connections while you’re checking things out. They’re not super fragile, but they’re not usually designed to take a beating, either.
A damaged Ethernet, coaxial (coax), or fiber optic line can also cause “This Site Can’t Be Reached” errors, though it would probably be evident that your internet is totally disconnected. Go to your modem, router, or combined unit and give the cables an inspection visually and with your hands.
If you have a separate modem and router, you’ll probably have one cable coming into the modem and another one connecting the modem to the router. A combined unit will have one cable coming in from the outside, and then as many Ethernet cables going out as you have hardwired devices. Make sure that none of the connectors are damaged or loose, and that all of the connectors are firmly seated in their sockets.
There shouldn’t be any sharp bends or kinks in the cables that you can see or feel. This is especially important if you have a fiber optic line coming directly into your home — the copper conductors found in coax and Ethernet cables are generally a lot more forgiving than the glass or plastic fibers found in fiber optic cables.
The insulation on the outside of the cable should be smooth and undamaged. Surface scuffing and scratches are fine, but deep cuts, torn, or chewed insulation could mean that cable — and the twisted pairs inside — have been severely damaged. Also be on the lookout for areas where the insulation is whiter than the surrounding insulation — this can indicate that the cable was bent to an extreme angle or pinched, and then bent back into shape.
Factory Reset Your Modem and Router
If restarting your modem and router didn’t fix the issue, and you can’t find any physical problems, the last thing you can try is a complete factory reset. Resetting your modem and router to the factory settings will probably fix any software bugs that might be causing connection problems, but it’ll also wipe out any personalized settings you have, like Wi-Fi network names and passwords.
Go to your modem, router, or combined unit and look at the back of the device. The factory reset button is usually small and recessed into the body of the device so it can’t be accidentally pushed. Grab a paperclip — the most useful tool for nerds — and bend it straight. Then push the reset button and hold it for a minimum of 10 seconds. Some devices require as long as 30 seconds to trigger a factory reset, and you won’t do any harm holding the button down longer than necessary. Do this for both the modem and router if you have separate units.
Once it resets it’ll take a few minutes for everything to initialize, so just be patient.
If Only One Device Is Affected
Unluckily, there are more troubleshooting options for an individual device than there are if all of your devices are impacted. So here it is: everything and the kitchen sink.
Restart Your Device
The first thing you should try is a full restart. Restarting your computer can solve a whole range of issues , and is the easiest possible solution. The user interface (UI) changes between versions of Windows, so restarting Windows 10 is a bit different from restarting Windows 11 , but the general process is the same.
Click “Start,” then click the power icon, then click “Restart.”
Wait for the restart to complete, and then try connecting again.
RELATED: Why Does Rebooting a Computer Fix So Many Problems?
Google Chrome Issues
Browsers have gotten better with time, but no software is perfect. There are plenty of ways a browser’s own settings or cache can prevent it from working properly.
The first thing to do is clear your history, cookies, and cache , then restart Google Chrome and try connecting again.
RELATED: How to Clear Cache and Cookies in Google Chrome
A clean installation of Google Chrome could help as well. Just make sure to back up any important passwords or bookmarks, just in case.
Computer Network Settings
A problem with your PC’s DNS settings , DNS Cache , Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) , Winsock , or the TCP/IP Stack settings could be responsible for the error, and there is no way to guarantee the automated Network Troubleshooter will fix them. Here’s how you can try to fix them manually.
Launch Command Prompt as Administrator. If you prefer, PowerShell or Windows Terminal will work too.
You can do these steps one at a time to try and isolate the problem, or you can just go right down the list and try them all at once. Ideally, you should do them one at a time. It is possible that the connection error occurred because of something you did, and knowing the source of the problem might allow you to prevent it in the future.
Note: All of the following commands should be run in an elevated Command Prompt, PowerShell, or Windows Terminal. After they are, you should try connecting again.
Click the Start button, type “Command Prompt” into the search bar, and then click “Run as Administrator.”
Reset (Flush) DNS Cache
Your PC’s DNS Cache should be reset every time your computer restarts, since it is stored in RAM — which is volatile memory — and not on your hard drive. The DNS cache can be corrupted by accident by a bug or problem with the DNS Server you use, or it could have been poisoned deliberately . You can reset the DNS cache manually with a command.
Type or paste ipconfig /flushdns into Command Prompt.
If it worked correctly, you should see the message “Successfully flushed the DNS Resolver Cache” in the window.
Reset DHCP Assignment
Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol — more commonly referred to as DHCP — is how your router assigns your device a local IP address . Every device on your local network is assigned an IP address so your router can keep track of what internet (or LAN) traffic needs to go to each device.
This is probably not the origin of your issue, especially if only one website is affected. However, at least a handful of people have reportedly solved the “This Site Can’t Be Reached” error by releasing and renewing their local IP address.
Type the following commands into an elevated Command Prompt one at a time:
Command Prompt will display a ton of information that will flash by pretty quickly — as long as you don’t see any error messages like “Cannot renew IP address,” it worked. Try connecting to the internet again and see if the error is still there.
Reset TCP/IP Stack
The TCP/IP Stack is critical in determining how information is routed on the internet. Each computer maintains its own TCP/IP settings. You can manually edit them via RegEdit if you wanted to, but in this case, resetting them to default should be enough to fix any problems that have occurred.
Open an elevated Command Prompt and type the following command:
netsh int ip reset
You will see a list of items that have been reset, followed by: “Restart the computer to complete this action.”
Restart your computer, and then see if Google Chrome is still reporting an error.
Reset Winsock
Winsock is an application programming interface (API) present in Windows that lets different components of Windows’ network software communicate, like the TCP/IP stack and your browser.
Resetting Winsock can resolve some connection problems. Winsock issues often result from malware or an improperly uninstalled program that made changes to the Windows Winsock Catalog.
Type netsh reset winsock into an elevated Command Prompt, and then restart your computer. After the restart, try connecting to the website or websites that were giving you the “This site can’t be reached” error.
Follow the Instructions for “If All Devices Are Affected”
If only one device is affected, certain issues — like a damaged line coming in to your house — can be ruled out entirely. However, there are plenty of issues, like a router configuration error or a problem with a connection, that could affect only one device.
If you’ve gone through all of those steps and are still experiencing difficulty with Chrome, you should try disabling Windows Firewall and completely uninstall any Virtual Private Network software (VPNs) you might have on your computer.
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How To Fix the Error “This Site Can’t Be Reached”
Lee Stanton Read more December 22, 2022
Whether you want to watch videos, play online games, or find resources for a research paper, not being able to access a website is frustrating. This can often happen in Google Chrome, and one of the messages you may receive is, “This site can’t be reached.” There are numerous causes of this problem, but luckily, most of them are easy to fix.
Let’s discover why the “this site can’t be reached” error occurs in Google Chrome and find out how to solve it.
This Site Can’t Be Reached Causes
The most common reason you might not be able to reach a website is that the page is offline. The hosting server may be unavailable, so there’s not much you can do until it’s back online.
Alternatively, the server could be receiving too much traffic. This happens on popular websites, as the server can’t handle a huge number of requests simultaneously.
Another reason for a “this site can’t be reached” message is DNS lookup failures. Namely, you access websites using domain names (URLs entered into the upper part of your browser). Once you press Enter, Google Chrome accesses the page using the IP address and DNS network to translate the domain name into the protocol address. DNS lookup failures can occur when your DNS system is misconfigured or your Windows DNS client isn’t working.
This Site Can’t Be Reached Solutions
You can try many methods to solve the “this site can’t be reached” error.
Check the Website Status
The first thing to do is determine whether the error has to do with your system or the page itself. There are several reasons a website goes down, such as visitor overload, DDoS attacks, unexpected server failures, and scheduled maintenance. In that case, you can only wait for the administrator to restore the service.
Here’s how to check if a page is down.
- Open Google Chrome .
- Go to the search box and enter one of the following URLs: downdetector.com or isitdownrightnow.com .
- Type in the address of the website you want to check.
- Confirm the status of the page.
Shut Down Your Firewall
Firewalls are security programs that shield your PC from hackers and malicious software. In general, they enable you to access pages without any issues. Sometimes, they can mistakenly block websites you want to reach.
If you believe the Firewall is blocking your web page, you can try shutting it down temporarily. You can do so by accessing the firewall settings on your Windows PC.
- Press your Start button and go to “Settings.”
- Click “Update and Security.”
- Followed by “Windows Security.”
- Go to “Firewall and network protection.”
- Choose your network profile from the “Domain network” menu. Select “Public network” or “Private network.”
- Head to the “Microsoft Defender Firewall” section and turn the feature off by switching the setting to “Off.” Keep in mind that this makes your computer susceptible to unauthorized access. Therefore, only use it to test whether the “this site can’t be reached” problem is caused by firewall settings.
Take the following steps to switch off your Firewall on a Mac.
- Press your Apple menu and click “System Preferences.”
- Pick “Security” and click the “Firewall” tab.
- Hit the “Off” button to deactivate the Firewall.
- Tap the “Ok” key to save your changes.
After turning off the Firewall, reload the website. If the page still doesn’t load, restart your Firewall and try another solution.
Factory Reset the Router and Modem
The easiest solution to the “this site can’t be reached” issue is to restart your router or modem.
- Find the reset button behind the device.
- Press it to turn off the modem/router.
- Wait a few seconds and turn the device back on.
If a simple reset doesn’t fix the problem, you can try factory resetting your router or modem. This should resolve software issues that could be the cause of the connection problems. However, it also wipes out personalized settings, such as Wi-Fi passwords and network names. You’ll need to reenter your information after the reboot.
The reboot process depends on your modem/router, but it usually requires the following actions.
- Go to your router, modem, or combined device and examine the back.
- Look for a small, recessed button. The purpose of the design is to eliminate the risk of accidental presses.
- Grab a sharp pencil. You can also use a paperclip or sim pin – just make sure to straighten it.
- Push your reboot key and hold it for about 10-15 seconds. In some cases, you may need to hold the button for more than 30 seconds to trigger your factory reset. The good news is that you can’t harm the device physically by pressing it too long. If you have a separate router and modem, do the same on both devices.
- Wait for a couple of minutes for the system to process the changes.
- Visit the website and see if it works.
Clear DNS Cache
Whenever you access a website, Google Chrome saves files from the page on your device. This is known as the browser’s cache, which can sometimes be problematic if it’s corrupted or outdated.
You can delete your Chrome cache directly from the browser.
- Open Chrome and press the three vertical dots in the upper-right corner of the screen.
- Press “More Tools,” followed by “Clear Browsing Data.”
- Go to the upper section and choose your time range. If you want to remove everything, pick “All time.”
- Check the fields next to “Cached images & files” and “Cookies & other site data.”
- Click the “Clear data” option and then see if you can access your page.
You can flush your cache from your PowerShell or Command Prompt too. Here’s how.
- Press the “Windows button + X” combination or right-click your start button.
- Choose PowerShell or Command Prompt.
- Type in the following line: ipconfig/flushdns
- Tap the Enter button
- You should now be able to reach your website if a corrupt or outdated cache is the culprit.
Reset Chrome Settings
Resetting browser settings in Chrome deletes configuration information, such as tab settings, saved forms, cookies, browsing history, and the home page. You can erase this data with a few clicks.
- Start Chrome and press the three vertical dots in the upper-right corner.
- Choose “Settings.”
- Go to the “Reset & cleanup” section.
- Choose “Reset Settings” and “Reset Settings” again to confirm your decision.
Restart Your Device
If rebooting the router doesn’t work, you can try restarting your device. This clears any temporary data and files that might be the cause of the problem. Here’s how to reset your computer.
- Press the Start button or Apple logo, depending on your operating system.
- Choose the “Restart” option if you’re an Apple user. Alternatively, press the Power button if you have a Windows PC and select “Restart.”
If you want to restart your tablet or smartphone, press and hold your power button until the “Restart” option appears. Tap it and wait for the system to reboot. After turning the gadget back on, check if you can access your webpage.
Reset Your TCP/IP Stack
Your TCP/IP stack determines how your information is processed on the web. Each computer has dedicated TCP/IP settings that can be edited manually via your RegEdit. Reverting to default settings usually does the trick if an improper configuration is the cause of the “this site can’t be reached” bug.
- Start your Command Prompt.
- Type in this command: netsh int ip reset .
- You’ll now see the items that have been rebooted.
- Restart your device to finalize the process and see if the page is back up.
Restart Winsock
Winsock is a Windows API that allows different parts of the network software to communicate. For instance, it enables your browser and TCP/IP stack to exchange information. Resetting your Winsock can sometimes resolve connection issues resulting from improperly configured programs or malware.
- Bring up your Command Prompt.
- Enter this line: netsh reset winsock .
- Reset your computer.
Disable Chrome Extensions
Your Google Chrome may have numerous extensions that make your browser more functional. Although useful, they can also interrupt your network connections and prevent you from accessing certain websites. Fortunately, resolving this problem is straightforward.
- Go to Google Chrome and press the three vertical dots.
- Choose “More Tools,” followed by “Extensions.”
- Drag your blue slider to deactivate your extensions one at a time.
- Confirm if the extensions triggered the “this site can’t be reached” message by trying to visit the page again.
Don’t Let Basic Bugs Hold You Back
The “this site can’t be reached” problem is annoying, but you can solve it pretty quickly. You just need to find the right troubleshooting method through trial and error. Even if this takes multiple attempts, the results will be worth it.
How often do you see the “this site can’t be reached” notification? How do you solve the problem? Let us know in the comments section below.
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Home › Knowledge Base › Common Errors
Solved: “This site can’t be reached” Chrome Error
If Chrome fails loading the website you want to go, instead, gives you an error message saying This site can’t be reached on your Windows computer, you must be very annoyed. Don’t give up hope. You’re not alone. Many other users also have this problem. Lucky you, here you can learn 6 easy fixes to troubleshoot this problem:
Try these fixes:
- Change your IPv4 DNS address
- Update your network adapter driver
- Restart the DNS Client service
- Reset TCP/IP
- Get help with a VPN
- Reset your Chrome settings
- Reinstall Chrome
Method 1: Change your IPv4 DNS address
1) Right-click on the network icon in your Task bar and click Open Network and Sharing Center .
2) Click your network connections.
3) Click Properties .
4) Double-click Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4) .
5) Enter this Google public DNS server address:
8.8.8.8 8.8.4.4
6) Tick on Validate settings upon exit . Then click OK .
7) Go to the website again to see if it works.
Method 2: Update your network adapter driver
An outdated, corrupted or wrong network adapter driver on your computer may also cause this problem to occur. That says, you could probably solve this problem through updating your network adapter driver.
There are two ways you can get the right driver for your network adapter card: manually or automatically.
Manual driver update – You can update your network adapter driver manually by going to the manufacturer’s website for your network adapter, and searching for the most recent correct driver for it. Be sure to choose the only driver that is compatible with your Windows versions.
Automatic driver update – If you don’t have the time, patience or computer skills to update your network adapter driver manually, you can, instead, do it automatically with Driver Easy . Driver Easy will automatically recognize your system and find the correct driver for your exact network adapter, and your variant of Windows 10, and it will download and install it correctly :
1) Download and install Driver Easy.
2) Run Driver Easy and click the Scan Now button. Driver Easy will then scan your computer and detect any problem drivers.
3) Click the Update button next to the flagged network adapter driver to automatically download the driver, then you can manually install it. (you can do this with the FREE version).
Or click Update All to automatically download and install the correct version of all the drivers that are missing or out of date on your system. (This requires the Pro version which comes with full support and a 30-day money back guarantee. You’ll be prompted to upgrade when you click Update All.)
4) Restart your computer and try to go to a website to see if it works.
Method 3: Restart the DNS Client service
1) On your keyboard, press the Windows logo key and R at the same time to invoke the Run box.
2) Type services.msc and press Enter to open the Services window.
3) Click DNS Client , then Restart .
4) Go to the website again to see if it works.
Method 4: Reset TCP/IP
1?Type cmd in the search box, then right-click on Command Prompt to select Run as administrator .
Click Yes when prompted by User Account Control .
2) Type the following commands and press Enter after each.
3) Reboot your Windows 10 and go to the website again to see if it works.
Method 5: Get help with a VPN
If you only can’t browse some specific websites, probably these websites are blocked with your current network. If this is the case, you can get help with a VPN.
VPN (Virtual Private Network), extends a private network across the public network your devices connect to. It helps bypass the Internet connection through your ISP(Internet service provider) and anonymously connects through dedicated DNS servers. With a VPN, you may probably solve the ‘This site can’t be reached’ error.
You may find many VPNs through the Internet, but remember to choose a green and safe one. Here we recommend you use NordVPN. NordVPN protects your IP address and make sure that no one else can see which websites you visit or what files you download, and even block annoying ads.
Here’s how to use NordVPN:
1) Download and install NordVPN on your device.
2) Click Sign up as a new user and follow the on-screen instruction to sign up and log in.
3) Click Quick connect to automatically connect to the server recommended for you. Or you can also connect to a server in a specific country by clicking on the country pin on the map.
Method 6: Reset your Chrome settings
1) Open a new tab in your Chrome.
2) Type chrome://flags/ in the address bar and press Enter . Then click Reset all to default .
Method 7: Reinstall Chrome
The methods above may solve your problem, but if they don’t, please reinstall your Chrome.
1) Type feature in the search box and click Apps & features .
2) Click Google Chrome , then Uninstall .
3) Go to the official Google Chrome website to download a new Chrome.
4) Run the new Chrome and go to the website again to see if it works.
- Google Chrome
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As a technical writer for Driver Easy, April writes articles related to various tech issues, including Windows computer problems and game errors. She's never happier than when her articles help people solve their problems - whether they're Windows errors and blue screens to network errors and faulty hardware. As a Microsoft Certified Professional (MCP), she focuses on Windows system problems and daily tips and tricks. When she's not writing, she likes reading literary novels and poetry.
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How to Fix This Site Can’t Be Reached Error in Chrome
By: Waseem Patwegar
If Google Chrome Browser is unable to load a particular website, it displays “This site can’t be reached” Error message. You will find below the steps to fix this error in Chrome on a Windows Computer.
This Site Can’t Be Reached Error in Chrome Browser
In most cases, “This Site Can’t be Reached” Error in Google Chrome browser is due to DNS Lookup failure.
This usually happens, if the DNS Server of your Internet Service Provider (ISP) is busy, congested or going through problems.
Chrome browser is also known to display “This Site Can’t be reached” Error message if it is unable to reach websites due to conflicts with browser extensions/plugins and other Network Problems.
So, let us go ahead and take a look at the most effective methods to fix this problem on a Windows computer.
1. Clear Browser Cache
Clearing the browser Cache can help, if the problem is due to corrupted cookie files and cached error pages.
1. Open Chrome Browser > click on 3-dots Menu Icon > More Tools > Clear Browsing Data .
2. On the next screen, select All Time as the “Time Range”, check Browsing History , Cookies , Cached Images and click on Clear Data button.
After Clearing Cache and browsing history, try to access the same webpage again and see if you are still getting “This Site Can’t Be Reached” Error.
2. Update Network Driver
This problem can also be caused due to Network Adapter drivers becoming outdated or corrupted.
1. Right Click on Start button and click on Device Manager .
2. On Device Manger Screen, expand Network Adapters entry > right-click on WiFi Adapter and click on Update Driver Software option.
Tip: If you see multiple entries, look for something that reads Network, 802.11b or has WiFi in it.
3. On the next screen, select Search Automatically for Updated Driver Software option and follow the prompts to update drivers.
3. Reset Chrome Browser
This Site can’t be reached Error in Chrome browser can be caused by browser extensions or change in browser settings.
1. Open Chrome browser, click on 3-dots Menu icon > Settings .
4. On the pop-up, click on the Reset Settings button.
After Resetting Chrome Browser, try to access the webpage and see if you are still getting “This Site Can’t Be reached” Error in Chrome browser on your computer.
4. Flush DNS & Reset Network Adapter
Flushing the DNS Cache and Resetting Network Adapter can help in fixing various network connectivity issues on a Windows computer.
1. Right-click on the Start button and click on Command Prompt (Admin) .
2. On the Command Prompt window, type ipconfig /flushdns and press the Enter key.
Next, type the following Commands and press the Enter key after each of these Commands.
- ipconfig /renew
- ipconfig /registerdns
- netsh winsock reset
3. Close Command Prompt window and Restart your computer.
Now, try to load the webpage that you were trying to access and see if you are still getting “This site can’t be reached” Error in Chrome browser.
5. Restart DNS Client
1. Right-click on the Start button and click on Run .
2. In the Run Command window, type services.msc and click on OK .
3. On the Services screen, scroll down till you reach DNS Client. Right-click on DNS Client and click on Restart .
After Restarting DNS Client, try to access the same webpage and see if the Chrome browser still comes up with “This Site Can’t be Reached” Error message.
6. Remove and Reinstall Chrome
If nothing helps, you can remove and reinstall Chrome browser on your computer to rule out the possibility of Chrome User Profile or Chrome Browser being corrupted.
1. Open Settings on your computer and click on Apps
2. On the Apps screen, click on Apps & Features in the left-pane. In the right-pane, click on Google Chrome and click on the Uninstall button.
After Uninstalling Chrome browser, re-install the latest version of Google Chrome browser on your computer.
7. Switch DNS Servers
Switching the DNS Servers on your computer to Google or OpenDNS can help, if the problem is due to the DNS servers of your service provider being constantly busy or going through problems.
For more information, you can refer to this guide: How to Change DNS Servers in Windows 10
- Fix: Failed Network Error in Chrome While Downloading
- Unable to Connect to Certain Websites in Windows 10
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Top 12 Ways to Fix This Site Can’t Be Reached the Connection Was Reset Error
When a page or site doesn’t load when you want, it can be a bit annoying. There are many who, when they try and open a site, see an error splattered across the page – ‘This site can’t be reached. The connection was reset.’ And then you will see a bunch of options that never seem to help. Fret not because we will.
The error mostly presents itself when you open a site . While there may be something wrong with the page you are trying to open, more often than not, something is wrong on your end. Some users also see the ‘ERR_CONNECTION_RESET’ error. I am assuming you have already tried resetting your router.
Let’s begin.
1. Check Another Site
Open a new tab and check if you can open another site. If other sites are loading just fine, like the one you are on right now, it’s possible there is something wrong with the site itself. Contact the site administrator and notify him/her of the issue.
2. Clear Browser Cache
Steps may vary based on which browser you are using but here is how you do it on Chrome. Click on the menu icon and select Settings.
Click on Advanced at the bottom of the screen.
Click on Clear browsing data just above Languages heading.
Select Cookies and other site data and Cached images and files here and leave everything else unchecked. Select Clear data, and you are done.
Try opening that site again.
3. Site Is Down
Another way to make sure that the site is indeed down is to check on Downdetector. They only track popular sites and apps like Facebook.
They do cover a large number of services, though.
Visit Downdetector
4. Run/Disable Antivirus and Firewall
Your antivirus or firewall might be blocking that site. There may be a genuine reason like a trojan or virus , or it could be a false positive. First, run a complete scan using Malwarebytes and antivirus.
If the app doesn’t find anything, disable both and check if the site is loading correctly now. If yes, depending on the antivirus you are using, you will have to whitelist the domain to continue browsing in peace.
Download Malwarebytes
5. Incognito Mode
Whether you are using Chrome, Firefox, or Brave, there is a private browsing mode in all popular browsers. What they do is switch off all plugins and extensions that you have installed, and don’t save any browsing history. I recommend this mode because one of the extensions could be interfering with the site. For example, ad-blockers or proxies?
6. Different Browser, ISP, and Device
Have you tried any other browser than the one you are getting this error on? A recent update or some extension or other bug may have broken things. Trying an alternate browser will clear some air and help narrow down the possibilities.
You can also try using a different mobile or Wi-Fi connection to try and open the site. If you are successful in opening the site and have no reason to believe that the site in question should be banned, contact your ISP provider for further details or help.
Tried opening it on your smartphone? Many websites have a mobile-friendly version which helps them reduce load times and offer the same content on a smaller screen. Try one of the mobile browsers to open sites in desktop mode . It might provide you with some instant relief while you work on solving the real issue.
7. Check Proxy Settings
The ‘ERR_CONNECTION_RESET’ error often occurs because of proxy settings. A proxy server may be blocking the internet connection to a particular site. It may have been entered manually or by an app.
Search for and open Internet Options under Control Panel from the Start menu. Click on LAN settings under the Connections tab.
Uncheck the option under the heading Proxy server there and save.
Not all sites are available in all regions. Sometimes, certain sites are even banned in some countries. Blame the government or your ISP provider, but there is nothing you can do except try a Virtual Private Network service to access the sites. The Opera browser comes with a free VPN that offers unlimited browsing. Use that to check if you still get the ‘This site can’t be reached. The connection was reset’ error.
Get Opera Browser
9. Network Troubleshooter
Do all signs point to the fact that there is something wrong on your end? Press Windows key+I to open Settings and search for Find and fix network problems.
Click on Advanced to select Apply repairs automatically and click on Next.
Follow on-screen instructions after that.
10. Troubleshoot Network Adapter
Search for and open Device Manager from the Start menu. Double-click on Network adapters to expand it and right-click on your adapter to select Update drivers.
Try opening that site again. Nope? Go back to Device Manager, and this time, click on Uninstall device. Remove the physical adapter that you are using, reboot your computer, and then visit the manufacturer’s site to download the latest drivers if they are not installed automatically by Windows upon reboot.
If installing manually, you will be asked to connect the adapter during the installation process. Follow the instructions to the T. Go back to the Device Manager, right-click and select Properties this time.
Under the Power Management tab, uncheck Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power option. See if the site is loading now.
11. Try Google DNS
Google offers a free DNS server that you can use to troubleshoot the ‘This site can’t be reached error.’ You can revert later or even keep the new DNS, if you wish. Press Windows key+R to open the Run command and type ncpa.cpl before hitting Enter.
Double-click to open your network adapter and select Properties in the pop-up that follows.
Double-click on Internet Protocol Version 4 and enter the following values:
Preferred DNS server: 8.8.8.8
Alternate DNS server: 8.8.4.4
Click OK, save everything, and try again.
12. Rewrite TCP/IP Registry Keys
Search for Command Prompt in Start menu and open it with Admin rights.
Run these two commands, one at a time, and reboot your computer.
To Err Is Computer
Microsoft has written a lengthy guide on troubleshooting network related issues and recommends trying them in case of this error. If this guide didn’t work, try that. The error is pretty common but not very complicated. It’s just one of those errors that often pops up every now and then.
Next up: Are you concerned that certain sites are tracking you even after you have stopped using them? Click on the link below to learn how to stop the websites from tracking your location.
Last updated on 27 July, 2021
The above article may contain affiliate links which help support Guiding Tech. However, it does not affect our editorial integrity. The content remains unbiased and authentic.
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Gaurav Bidasaria
A C.A. by profession and a tech enthusiast by passion, Gaurav loves tinkering with new tech and gadgets. He used to build WordPress websites but gave it all up to develop little iOS games instead. Finally, he dropped out of CA to pursue his love for tech. He has over 5 years of experience as a writer covering Android, iOS, and Windows platforms and writes how-to guides, comparisons, listicles, and explainers for B2B and B2C apps and services. He currently divides his time between Guiding Tech (writer) and Tech Wiser (editor).
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local host refused to connect; this site can’t be reached
I’m a beginner and I’m using VS Code for coding. I’m learning HTML and CSS. When I debug the code on Chrome I see the following:
This site can’t be reached. localhost refused to connect.
Please, I need help to solve this problem, hope I get the help soon. Thank you!
- google-chrome
- Are you running a local server that you can connect to on a localhost port? – ldtcoop Jul 22, 2019 at 23:10
- @ldtcoop I guess no – Mario Jul 22, 2019 at 23:15
- 2 Plain HTML/CSS can be opened as a file, no need to run them through a web server. – Alessandro Da Rugna Jul 23, 2019 at 0:43
4 Answers 4
Try Live Server Extension AND check for Firewall Settings
- I have the life server extension but it is debugging on Mozilla, when I debug on chrome localhost doesn’t work – Mario Jul 22, 2019 at 23:20
- Is Chrome your Default Browser? (it dosent matter but you can try) – Anshul Jul 22, 2019 at 23:25
- type the url to search bar ie localhost:8888/etc The problem you are facing isint likely , u can try restarting your device or try on anathor browesr if it works ,your chrome isint installed properly – Anshul Jul 22, 2019 at 23:31
This problem is either because you didn't run anything to serve up the files or a firewall issue. If it's a firewall problem then check your firewall settings for anything that would block it, but most likely you need something to serve up your files. There are a number of ways you can serve the files
Use the Live Server extension . In VS Code you can search for it and install it, then with a click of the "Go Live" button on the toolbar, it will serve your files on localhost and open the browser for you.
Use http-server , which will serve up your files with a simple command line command.
Use Node.JS to serve up your files. It's a very popular technology, but is more complicated compared to the first 2 options if you just want to fiddle with beginner JavaScript, you may need to add a start script.
-- OR -- just open the file with your web browser. You can double click on file you want to open from File Explorer or right-click >open with browser of your choice, in which case you don't need to run a background software to serve your files and you can use the browser UI and console for testing. In this case you just wouldn't have VS Code available to use with it's debugging tools.
Alternatively, you can try using Python's SimpleHTTPServer if you have Python on your system.
1- from xampp window select httpd.config and search about Listen make it Listen 80 , search about localhost make it ServerName localhost:80 2- from xampp window select httpd-ssl.config search about Listen make it Listen 443 , search about VirtualHost _default .. make it VirtualHost default :443 , i did that and localhost worked normally
- Thanks for sharing your experience, however I have down-voted this answer because it lacks context and is poorly formatted. It's like an answer only the person who wrote it can understand. – SendETHToThisAddress Apr 6, 2022 at 20:13
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This Site Can’t be Reached- What it Means and How to Fix it
Often when we are trying to surf through the internet, our search reaches a roadblock. Out pops the message “this site can’t be reached,” leaving us at our wit’s end. Many Chrome browsers tend to give this message, and there is not much we think we can do.
Generally, this error arises due to failing on DNS lookup. In simple terms, DNS is that address that converts the website name to the internet address. But sometimes, even chrome has no clue what to do and thus offers you this error.
Here are more reasons why the site can’t be reached error may arise and how you can fix it.
Table of Contents
What causes the “this site can’t be reached” error
As we have already said, there are multiple reasons why Chrome might give you this error. Sometimes even Chrome is clueless about what the issue is. However, some of the most apparent causes of the “site can’t be reached” error could be:
- Domain name system or DNS error
- Connection time out
- Your internet connection problems
- A misconfiguration in your network, firewall, or internet settings
- Cookie corruption or outdated settings
- The anti-virus is blocking the website from opening
- Outdated wireless adapters
Fixing the error
Next, we will talk about how you can fix this error.
The most straightforward trick you can use here is to clear your browser cache and remove all the cookies. Doing that will remove even the corrupted cookies as Google chrome often serves up cached error pages. Here is what you have to do:
1. Clear the browser cache
- Open Google Chrome browser and press CTRL+SHIFT+DEL.
- The settings menu will open up
- In the time range drop menu, select “All time.”
- Clear all the cookies, browsing history by check-marking the ones that you wish to remove
2. Reset your Google Chrome Browser
If you are still getting the “this site can’t be reached” error, then try resetting the browser. Your error could be coming because of problems with the browser settings. Resetting the browser should take care of these issues.
- Open up the Google Chrome browser and go to ‘settings.’
- Scroll down and go to the “advanced tab.”
- In the end, you will find the “reset and clean up” section
- Choose to restore the settings to original settings and now click on reset
3. Restarting the DNS client
You can resolve your DNS client by restarting it
- Press “Start+R” on the keyboard to open the Run module
- Once the module is opened, type “services. msc” in it
- Now a list of services will open up for you. Find DNS, right-click on it, and select restart
- Reopen the Google Chrome browser and check if you are still getting the “this site can’t be reached” error
4. Flushing the DNS cache
An invalid DNS cache could also lead to a “this site cannot be reached error. “
- Type ‘cmd’ in your laptop’s search in the start menu and then right-click on it
- Once it has opened, enter the command “ipconfig /flushdns.”
- You will get a “flushed the DNS resolver cache” message
- Now restart your computer and check again if the error is gone
5 Changing the DNS servers
It is possible that you are still getting the “this site can’t be reached” error. You may try changing your DNS servers to take care of that.
- Go to your Task management tray. Find the network icon there and right-click on it.
- Select the “open network and sharing center” icon. Now click on the “properties” of the internet network.
- Now find the TCP/IPv4 properties section and change the DNS server to Google or Open DNS. You can search and find the details of these DNS servers. Once you have modified, hit on edit, and hopefully, your problem is resolved.
6. Resetting the TCP/IP address
Another technique that you could use is to reset the TCP/IP address.
- Again type ‘cmd’ in your computer’s search menu.
- Now type and execute the command ipconfig /release -> ipconfig /all -> ipconfig /flushdns -> ipconfig /renew -> netsh int ip set dns -> netsh winsock reset.
- Restart your computer
7. Run Windows Network troubleshooter
Sometimes the issue is hard to track. You keep getting a “This site can’t be reached” message again and again.
- Type out ‘Run’ into your computer’s search bar.
- Now type ncpa.cpl into the Run program, which will open the network connections box
- Look for your Wi-Fi connection and right-click it, and then click on diagnose.
- It will take the network troubleshooter some time to find out the issue
- Supposing the error it gives is “DHCP is not enabled for wireless network connection,” you could fix it like an administrator.
- Now click “try these repairs as an administrator” and then apply the change. Reboot your computer once you are done.
8. Remove browser extensions from Chrome
It is possible that any of the browser extensions are responsible for this error to come up. To check that, just follow the below methods.
- Open your Chrome browser and on the top right, click on the More icon.
- Now select the More tools from the menu and then choose Extensions
- You will have to disable every extension to see which one of them is causing a problem.
- Drag the blue slider to do so
- Find out which of the extension is a problem and then disable it completely
9. Scan your computer for the presence of any virus
You could have a virus in your computer that is causing the error to pop up.
- Go to your control panel and click on uninstall a program. Use this to uninstall Google Chrome from your laptop or computer.
- Now go to the folder C:\Users\%your_name%\AppData\Local\Google\ and delete all its contents
- Again download the newest version of Google Chrome
- Restart the PC and try opening Chrome to see if the “this site can’t be reached” message is coming.
10. Reinstall the network adapter drivers
You can always check the network adapter drivers and reinstall them to see if there is any difference.
- Find ‘My computer’ on your computer and right-click on the icon
- Click on the ‘Device Manager,’ and it will show you all the hardware installed
- Find the network adapters and expand its section. There would be a section of your internet connection.
- Right-click on the same and select uninstall
- Restart the PC, the drivers get reinstalled on their own, and you can check if you are still getting the error.
11. Confirm if the website is online
It is always possible that the website you are trying to book is offline. It is not working for anybody, and therefore, you are not the only person getting the message this site can’t be reached. Double-check the URL that you’re typing. You may be making an error in typing it.
- Open the site downforeveryoneorjustme.com
- Now type out the URL that you wish to visit
- Click “just me.”
- You will get the message “It’s not just you” or “ “It’s just you.”
- If the website is not opening for everyone, you can relax and wait for things to get fixed
12. Disable the QUIC protocol in Chrome
Chrome has a QUIC protocol which is a transport layer protocol coming from Google. It helps in the quick and better loading of the websites. If this is facing a problem, you could get the error message.
- Open Google Chrome, and in its address bar, you have to type chrome://flags
- Next search for Quic
- Change your settings. If the value of the flag is already set as default then you have to change it to disabled
- Now restart Google Chrome and see if you are still receiving this site can’t be reached message.
13. Check automatically detect settings
Maybe the automatically detect settings option is not checked on your computer. Fix this problem using the below methods.
- Open Run by pressing Windows Key with R
- Write inetcpl. cpl and click on OK
- Click on Connections and then on LAN Settings
- Now see that the “Automatically Detect Settings” is checked for you. If yes, then you have nothing to do. If it is not checked, check on it
- Click on OK, restart Chrome to see if the “chrome site can’t be reached” error message is still there
14. Allow the DNS prefetching to solve the problem
You can easily do this from your Chrome browser. If there is any kind of problem, it will be resolved.
- Open Chrome
- Now go to chrome://settings/cookies
- You will find the option “Preload pages for faster browsing and searching.”
- If you are unable to find this option, it means you have an older version of Chrome
- Update Google Chrome and then check for the error again
15. Reset the Wi-Fi modem
Sometimes the problem is as basic as an issue with the Wi-Fi modem.
- Remove the power cord from your modem
- Now keep pressing and holding its power button for around 10-15 seconds
- Release this button once you see that the lights have stopped flickering
- Wait for the internet light to again turn green
- Try to reconnect to internet connection once again
- They may ask for your account information after the modem is reset
You can get a “site cannot be reached” error because of any of the above issues. This means that you will have to try using all the tricks before finally figuring out what is wrong. Mainly once you have applied the correct fix, the error will vanish away on its own. If that does not happen, you might have to take some professional assistance. They will know the exact cause of this problem and gladly fix it up for you.
Prashant Sharma is a Delhi based Entrepreneur who spent most of his college days polishing his marketing skills and went for his first business venture at 19. Having tasted failure in his entrepreneurial debut, he turned a Tech-enthusiast, specializing in web technologies later. Join him on Google Plus
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How-To Fix “This Site can’t be Reached” in Chrome and Edge
The error “ This site can’t be reached ” is a common error that you can get in Chrome when you try to visit a website. Instead of the website that you want to visit, you will see one of the following error pages:
- DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_NXDOMAIN
- ERR_CONNECTION_TIMED_OUT
Most of the time the error is related to a problem with your DNS server of DNS cache, something that we can fix easily with the steps below.
These errors don’t only occur on Windows 10, but you can also get them on Android devices.
If you are using Microsoft Edge then you will get the error message “ Can’t reach this page ” which is similar to the error “This site can’t be reached” in Chrome.
How to Fix This site can t be Reached
Your computer keeps a local copy (cache) of all the DNS records. It uses this so it can resolve the DNS names more quickly. But sometimes the records in the DNS cache are outdated which can result in the error “This site can’t be reached”.
We can clear the DNS cache with a simple command. This won’t do any damage or harm to your computer. Your computer will only need to rebuild the local DNS cache which you won’t even notice.
Restart your computer and try to visit the website again. If it still doesn’t work, then continue with the steps below.
Method 2 – Change your DNS Server to fix This site can’t be reached
DNS servers are used to translate the domain names to the actual IP Address of the server on which the website is hosted. It’s possible that there is a problem with the DNS server that results in the error “This site can’t be reached”.
DNS servers can also be used for content filtering, which can prevent access to a particular website. You can change the DNS server that you want to use locally on your computer.
- Press Windows key + X (or right-click on start) and choose Network Connections
- Click on Change adapter options
- Double click on your (wireless) network adapter
- Select Properties
- Doube click on Internet Protocol version 4 (TCP/IPv4)
- Select Use the following DNS server address and enter 8.8.8.8 and 8.8.4.4.
Try to visit the website and see if the “this site can’t be reached” error is resolved
Method 3 – Verify that the website is online
Before we continue with the possible methods to solve the error we first need to make sure that you are the only one that can’t reach the website . Because the problem doesn’t have to be on your end, maybe the server of the website is down.
Make sure that you have double-checked the URL (website name) that you have typed in. Most of the time the error is caused by a simple typo in the URL of the website.
We can use an online tool to verify if the website is down for everyone or just you.
- Open the website downforeveryoneorjustme.com
- Type in the URL that you try to visit
- Click on or just me
You will either see a message “ It’s not just you ! nonexsistingwebsite.com is down.” or the message “ It’s just you . lazyadmin.nl is up”.
If it’s just you, then continue reading. Otherwise, try to visit the website at a later moment.
Method 4 – Clear your Browser Cache
Your browser caches files from websites that you visit and stores cookies that contain specific website settings or information. Sometimes these files can cause the “this site can’t be reached” error in Chrome.
We are going to clear the cache of your browser . You don’t have to remove everything, you can safely keep your stored password and browser history.
- In Chrome click on the 3 dots beside the URL bar
- Choose Settings
- Select Privacy and Security on the left side (or scroll down)
- Click on Clear browsing data
- Time Range > All time
- Uncheck Browsing History
- Check Cookies and other site data
- Check Cached images and files
- Click on Clear Data
Restart Chrome and test if you can visit the website again.
Method 5 – Disable extensions in Google Chrome
Extension in Google Chrome can be really useful, but sometimes that can also interfere with loading a particular website. We are going to disable the extensions briefly, to make sure that the extensions in Chrome are not the cause of the “this site can’t be reached” error. You can turn them back on after testing.
- Click on the 3 dots in Chrome
- Select More Tools
- Choose Extensions
- Disable all extensions that are turned on. You can leave the Chrome Apps turned on.
Reload the webpage that you are trying to visit and see if the error is resolved. If the problem is solved, turn the extensions back on one at a time to find out which one caused the problem.
If it didn’t help, then you can turn them all back on.
Method 6 – Run Windows Network Diagnostics to Fix This site Can’t be Reached
A lot of common problems in Windows can be fixed with one of the diagnostics tools. These tools scan your settings and do some tests in the background to find and fix any problems.
- Right-click on Start or press Windows Key + X
- Choose Network Connections
- Click on Network troubleshooter (you might need to scroll down a bit)
- When it’s finished it will highlight any problems that it has found, for example a DNS issue:
Primary DNS Server errors can be fixed with method 2. Restart your computer when the tools are finished and check if the error this can’t be reached is resolved.
Method 7 – Disable (Experimental) QUIC Protocol in Chrome
The QUIC Protocol in Chrome is an experimental network transport layer protocol from Google. It’s designed to load websites faster and more efficient. But sometimes this new protocol can cause connection problems.
- Open Chrome
- In the addressbar type: chrome://flags
- Search on quic in the searchbar
- Change the settings from Default to Disabled
After you have disabled the settings, restart Chrome and check if the error “This can’t be reached” is resolved.
Method 8 – Scan you computer for Malware
Malware can interfere with your network connections. If all the steps above didn’t work then it might be a good idea to scan your computer for malware.
You can use the Free 30-day trial of HitmanPro to scan your computer on malware. Make sure that all the malware is removed.
What causes the error “This site cannot be reached”
When you get the error message this site cannot be reached in Google Chrome then your browser is unable to connect to the server where the website is running. If it is only one or two sites that you can’t reach, then the steps in this article should help you to resolve the issue. But when you are unable to visit any website, then you should read this article for the solution.
So when you type in an URL (the name) of a website in your browser and hit enter, then your computer will need to look up the correct IP Address of the server running the website. It will use the DNS records for this.
Your computer keeps a local cache (copy) of the DNS address that you use often. New addresses are requested from your DNS provider (often your ISP). Your local cache may have an outdated address which causes the “this site cannot be reached” error.
What you shouldn’t do to Fix this site can t be reached
Some websites are suggesting methods to solve the error “This site can’t be reached” that are really unnecessary. If you can’t reach only one particular website, then there is really no need to do one of the following:
- Resetting your modem
- Re-installing network drivers
- Resetting your wireless network
- Reinstall Chrome
Other possible causes
Did non of the above solved your issue and are you still the only one that is unable to access the website?
Some websites like forums can block users based on their IP Addresses. This will prevent you from accessing their website at all. The only way to test this is to access the website from another location (your work, or from a mobile hotspot).
Company devices may have content policies in place that prevent you from accessing websites in certain categories. You can contact your IT department to verify if access to the website is blocked.
Wrapping Up
I hope you were able to fix this site can’t be reached error in Chrome. If you have any questions, just drop a comment below.
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12 thoughts on “How-To Fix “This Site can’t be Reached” in Chrome and Edge”
Just wanted to say thanks! Youtube was running super poorly on chrome and Edge was outperforming it massively and I couldn’t figure out why. Not only did it fix the connection interrupted issue, it fixed that first issue as well. Thanks a ton!
So glad I found this page, finally. Thank you for these solutions! Those “page won’t load” messages were driving me crazy – sometimes they never loaded, and other times there were delays, both taking up time. It was happening with Edge & Chrome. I had tried changing the DNS server in the past which seemed to help a little for a short time. This was the first page I found that had that #1 solution which worked wonders and was the easiest to do. Really appreciate it!
Tried all the method above. But still doesn’t get to fix the issue on chrome ( Site can’t be reached , ERR_CONNECTION_RESET) ,firefox not able to connect as well but discord, skype microsoft edge working perfectly. Not sure what’s the issue. Please helpppp.
Rudd as I commented before ur steps finally fixed my laptop problem.
But now I’m having this same problem on my android cell.
Do I have any solution for Androids?
You can try to install the app 1.1.1.1 from Cloudflare . This will change the DNS settings on your mobile (when enabled) which may solve the issue. You can read more about the app in this article .
Thank you very much.The first method fixed my problem.
MS account sign-in page was not accessible on my PC. As a result, one drive stopped and all my MS apps were affected. Tried method 1, and the problem persisted. Proceeded to method 2, and the problem was fixed! A big relief, thank you Lazy
I was despairing, even thinking ” here we go again, another site that promises to help but fails”. I think I have read and followed the advice of at least 10 different sites, with no solution to my problem.
Nothing seemed to help. But, lo and behold, method 7 solved my issues. Yeeeaaah 🙂
Really appreciate how you guide us thru all the steps. You make it very easy to follow your instructions. Thanks thanks thanks 🙂 Alejandra
Thank you very much. The first method failed but the second successfully killed the bug
Fantastic advice. The first method fixed my problem. Thank you!
Sir Not opening any website in my computer Please gide me. Thanks in advance.
2021_11_04 METHOD 01 worked for me but cured another issue as well… This procedure was tried when my VIDEO-PC in its CHROME browser could not reach internet sites while the MS EDGE browser could. In addition… a few days before and after a RESTORE of a saved RESTORE POINT the machine showed a watermark asking for MS ACTIVATION. After several attempts, ACTIVATION would not work… updating of the product key failed as well (mentioned an Internet issue was possible) but the browser was working at that time. Performed the cleanup described below and it corrected the CHROME browser lookup issue and the watermark asking for MS ACTIVATION disappeared… Apparently both issues were related to a corrupt DNS/network configuration issue… Thanks for your help…
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This site can’t be reached: how to solve
While browsing, you may come across unexpected errors such as when a site can’t be reached.
In this article, we will see what you can do when you find yourself in such a situation. Before analyzing all the solutions to this problem, let’s see what are the causes of the following error “This site can’t be reached” and then look at how to solve it.
Table of Contents
Why “This site can’t be reached”
When your connection breaks down and one or several websites are no longer reachable something has gone wrong. There are many causes, but to help us better understand what is going on in some cases the browser we are using gives us additional information.
For example, on Chrome, there are several error codes that make us aware of the problem. In many cases having an idea of the type of error can be useful and help us solve it more easily.
Among the reasons why the site can’t be reached, there may be an error in typing the address or a connection problem. In some cases, the error can come from the device we are using, while in other cases it can come from the network used to connect.
Sometimes the error does not depend on us but may be due to an overload of the server that hosts the site. Or from an internal error in the site itself, a typical situation is when an error appears warning with the following “this site can’t be reached, taking too long to respond”. In these cases, it’s possible that the page can’t load due to an error known as err_connection_timed_out .
This kind of error occurs when the page takes too long to load. It may depend on a problem with our connection or on the site itself and therefore be beyond our control.
There are other cases in which the link may be broken while trying to reach the desired page. In these cases the message “Unable to reach the site err_connection_refused ” may appear.
The result is always the same: the page does not load and the site can’t be reached due to a faulty connection . The cause may be in your browser or in the firewall you are using.
If the connection is not stable while browsing, it may happen that pages do not load correctly. In this case, the error is in the connection and a warning may appear indicating that the site can’t be reached and the connection has been reset.
Each site has an internet domain associated with it which is used to reach the website without having to remember the IP address. The system that manages the association between domains and IP addresses is DNS .
DNS servers, therefore, are responsible for what is called domain name resolution. Sometimes, the error occurs right here, for example when the address does not exist or has been typed incorrectly.
In these cases, the site can’t be reached because of an err_name_not_resolved or a failure to resolve the address.
Other times even if the address is typed correctly there is some problem that prevents DNS from resolving the address correctly. In this circumstance often the error that is encountered is in this form: dns_probe_finished_nxdomain .
This site can’t be reached: how to solve it
There are several reasons why a site can’t be reached, sometimes it’s a temporary problem that can be solved simply by reloading the page.
Before proceeding with all the possible solutions here are some quick checks you can do.
Check if the site is online
If you can’t connect to a site, it’s possible that this is not an isolated case, but the problem lies with the site itself. You can quickly check if a site is actually online or not with a service like Down For Everyone or Just Me o Is It Down Right Now .
If the site is down from other locations contact your provider immediately. If you are with us open a support ticket .
If the site is online from one of these services, but you see it offline, the most probable thing is that your IP address has been blocked by the firewall. In this case, open a ticket indicating your IP address and we will proceed to unblock it and we will tell you the reason for the block to prevent it from happening again.
Exclude the most common causes
The easiest thing to do is to rule out that it is not a connection problem. Check that the connection is active.
If you are able to browse the web, but only have a problem with one site, then you can try other steps.
To rule out the possibility that the problem is with the browser, try connecting to the site using another browser, for example, if you were using Chrome, try using Firefox.
Can you access the site with the other browser? If so, the problem is probably due to the browser.
You can proceed as follows:
- Make sure your browser is up to date
- Disable extensions
- Make sure you have not opened too many tabs
- Clear the browser cache
If you can’t access it from any browser, let’s see what else you can do.
DNS problems
As mentioned in the first part of this guide, some connection problems are due to DNS.
Make sure the domain points correctly
The first thing to do is to make sure that the domain points correctly to the server.
Among the various services, we offer a DNS management service, which is very useful for advanced users but potentially harmful for inexperienced ones, that’s why before accessing the tool a message is displayed indicating that the site may go offline if the domain is configured incorrectly.
If this tool is used the default nameservers of the registrar are configured, and if the various records are not configured correctly the site may go offline.
In some cases, the wrong values are simply used for pointing, and if the domain does not point correctly to the server, the site can’t be reached.
Change DNS servers
By default, the DNS of the provider of the connection is used, but in this case, if you are experiencing a problem and can’t reach the site, you can try changing the DNS servers.
Using alternative ones such as Google’s public ones, OpenDNS or Cloudflare may solve the problem.
Empty the DNS cache
To speed up address resolution some information is stored on the devices you use within the DNS cache. When you experience connection problems it can be useful to clear the cache.
In Windows just open the command prompt and give the command ipconfig/flushdns .
Disable DNS preloading
DNS preloading can also generate errors. The DNS prefetching feature is present in several browsers such as Firefox and Chrome. This can reduce loading times, but in some cases, it can generate unexpected errors.
By disabling it you might be able to solve the problem and reach the site.
To disable the option in Firefox, just open the browser and go to the advanced settings by typing about:config in the search bar. The option to disable is network.dns.disablePrefetch which should be set to true .
You can change the value by clicking on the button with two arrows that you see in this screenshot.
Check the proxy settings
If you are using a proxy to connect, the error preventing you from reaching the site may be due to a configuration problem.
You can check if the proxy is active by going to your computer’s settings. On Windows 10, just type ‘proxy’ in the search bar and open the proxy settings panel.
From here you can check the status of the proxy and, if it is active, disable it.
Problems with certificates
More and more sites are equipped with SSL certificates that ensure the reliability of the site and protect the information transmission.
If the time of the computer is not accurate there may be errors during the validation of these certificates. In these cases, the connection may be interrupted and the site can’t be reached.
In most cases, this information is synchronized automatically by accessing the network, but in some cases, it can be useful to make sure that the date and time of the device you are using are correct.
Even if the certificate is not valid you may not be able to reach the site. However, in this case, the problem depends on the site and the SSL certificate error may be due to the certificate expiration.
Problems with other programs
Sometimes connection errors can be due to programs that manage computer security. It’s not unusual for an antivirus or firewall to prevent you from accessing a site.
In other cases, however, it may be necessary to scan for malware or other unwanted programs. It is possible, in fact, that one of these malicious programs is interfering with your browsing.
In this article, “This site can’t be reached: how to solve it”, we’ve seen what are the main causes that interrupt your connection and give you the error message: “This site can’t be reached”.
We looked at all the checks you can do to make sure the problem is not due to the site itself and saw the different ways you can fix it.
Were you able to fix the problem? If so, how? Let me know which solution you used in the comments below.
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WPBeginner » Blog » Tutorials » How to Easily Fix This Site Can’t Be Reached Error in WordPress (8 Ways)
How to Easily Fix This Site Can’t Be Reached Error in WordPress (8 Ways)
Last updated on October 10th, 2022 by Editorial Staff | Reader Disclosure Disclosure: Our content is reader-supported. This means if you click on some of our links, then we may earn a commission. See how WPBeginner is funded , why it matters, and how you can support us.
Are you looking for the easiest way to fix the ‘this site can’t be reached’ error in WordPress?
You can get this error on any website, including third-party sites and your own WordPress blog. If this error shows up on your own site, then it’s a big problem as it can stop you from accessing the admin area.
In this article, we will show you how to easily fix the ‘this site can’t be reached’ error.
What Is the ‘This Site Can’t Be Reached’ Error in WordPress?
There are lots of common WordPress errors , but ‘this site can’t be reached’ is especially frustrating because the message is vague, and it doesn’t tell you what to do next.
In the worst-case scenario, this error can stop you from visiting your own website. That will make it difficult to test your WordPress site , add new content, install security updates, and make other important changes.
Usually, the error means that something is stopping the browser from accessing the destination website. This could be anything from an internet outage, to a misconfigured network, or even an issue with your DNS settings.
In this guide, we’ll take a closer look at why you may be seeing this error, including exploring the different error codes. When you encounter a problem, you’ll typically want to solve that problem as quickly as possible.
With that being said, we have 8 ways to troubleshoot this WordPress error, so you can fix the ‘site can’t be reached’ problem quickly.
If you’re unsure what’s causing the issue, then we recommend starting with step one since it’s the easiest. However, if you prefer to jump straight to a particular step, then you can use the quick links below.
1. Check Your Internet Connection
2. clear the browser cache, 3. disable your firewall or antivirus software, 4. reset your virtual private network, 5. disable your proxy server, 6. flush your dns cache, 7. change your dns server, 8. reset the tcp/ip settings, what causes ‘this site can’t be reached’ error in wordpress.
When troubleshooting an error, it’s smart to try the simplest fix first. To start, check that you’re currently connected to the internet.
If there is no obvious problem with the connection, then the next step is restarting your internet connection. Similar to switching your computer off and on, resetting your entire connection can fix all kinds of small problems and get you back on track.
We recommend disconnecting your router from its power supply and then waiting at least 1 minute before reconnecting it. You can then try visiting the website again to see whether this has removed the error message.
Downloading files from a WordPress hosting server located far away can take a lot of time.
To solve this problem, most modern web browsers store files, data, and other content from the websites you visit. The browser can then simply load this cached content from the local computer, rather than re-downloading it from a remote server.
This helps websites to load faster, but it can sometimes cause problems. For example, cached content can become outdated or get corrupted over time.
Thankfully, it’s easy to clear the browser cache . If you’re using Google Chrome, then simply click on the three-dotted icon in the upper-right corner.
Then, select ‘More Tools,’ followed by ‘Clear Browsing Data….’
In the popup that appears, check the box next to ‘Cached images and files.’
Google Chrome will clear the entire cache by default. Another option is to open the ‘Time Range’ dropdown and tell Chrome to only clear content that was cached during a particular time period.
Once you’ve done that, you can check or uncheck any of the other options. For example, the ‘Browsing History’ checkbox is selected by default, but you can uncheck this box if you want to keep your browsing history.
When you’re ready, click on ‘Clear data.’
Google Chrome will now empty the browser cache. Once it’s finished, try revisiting the website to check whether you’re still getting the ‘this site can’t be reached’ error.
For all other browsers, see our beginners guide on how to clear the browser cache in any browser .
Antivirus and firewall plugins can keep you safe, but they can also block websites that are perfectly trustworthy.
This might be a problem with how your security plugins and software are configured. For example, your settings may be too strict.
Other times, the website may be set up in a way that triggers your security software even if that website doesn’t pose a real threat.
For instance, if you’re still building your WordPress website , then you might not have an SSL certificate yet. Many firewalls will stop you from visiting a site that doesn’t have a valid certificate, so this may trigger the error.
To test whether a firewall or antivirus program is blocking the connection, simply disable that software. Then, visit the website that was showing the ‘this site can’t be reached’ error.
If the site loads without a problem, then you’ll know that the antivirus program or firewall was to blame.
If this is the case, then we don’t recommend disabling it completely.
Instead, it’s smart to check the software’s settings to see whether you can whitelist a particular website. In this way, you can access the site while still protecting yourself against hackers, viruses, and other digital threats.
If you’re not sure where to find these settings, then try checking the software’s official documentation, forums, or social media pages for more information. Depending on your software license, you may also be able to contact customer support or the developer for help.
For more tips on protecting yourself against hackers without triggering the ‘this site can’t be reached’ error, please see our ultimate WordPress security guide .
A Virtual Private Network (VPN) can protect your privacy, keep your information secure, and allow you to visit sites that are blocked or censored in your location.
However, if you’re using a VPN then your connection may drop, or the VPN may not recognize the IP address that you’re using. Some VPNs will reconnect automatically if they encounter a problem, but you may have to reconnect manually.
If you get the ‘site can’t be reached’ error when using a VPN, then we recommend checking your provider’s website or documentation for instructions on how to reset your VPN.
A proxy server sits between you and the websites you’re trying to visit. Many people use these ‘middle-man’ servers as an extra layer of security, or to cache data.
If your proxy server can’t connect to a website, then you’ll see the ‘site can’t be reached’ error. You may also get this error if you can’t connect to the proxy server in the first place.
In this case, the easiest fix is to simply disable the proxy server. If you’re on a Mac, then go ahead and click the ‘Apple’ icon in the toolbar.
Then, select ‘System Preferences…’
In the popup that appears, click on ‘Network.’
In the left-hand menu, select the network where you want to disable the proxy settings.
Once you’ve done that, click on the ‘Advanced…’ button.
In the popup, simply select the ‘Proxies’ tab.
You can now uncheck all of the protocols listed under ‘Select a protocol to configure.’
Finally, click on the ‘OK’ button to save your changes. You can now try visiting the website to see whether you can access it without any problems.
Similar to the browser cache, your computer stores the IP addresses of all the websites you visit. This means the browser doesn’t have to look up the same IP address multiple times.
This helps websites to load faster, but the cached DNS information can get outdated. This may trigger a ‘site can’t be reached’ error, particularly if the site has moved to a new domain name or you’ve moved WordPress to a new host .
By flushing your DNS cache, you’ll get the very latest information about a website, including its new domain name or address.
To help you out, we’ve created a complete guide on how to clear your DNS cache for Mac, Windows, and Google Chrome.
DNS is like the internet’s phone book. Instead of listing people’s names and phone numbers, the DNS lists domain names and their corresponding IP addresses.
Your internet service provider assigns you a DNS server automatically. However, sometimes this server may be unavailable, or it might have the wrong information.
If your browser doesn’t have a site’s correct address, then you’ll get a ‘this site can’t be reached’ error.
You can solve this problem by switching to a different public DNS server, such as Google Public DNS. You can use any public server you want, but just be aware that the DNS provider will be able to see all the websites you visit.
Many providers also collect personal information, such as your business email address , name, and phone number .
With that being said, it’s smart to research your DNS provider carefully.
Once you’ve found a DNS server that you want to use, it’s time to switch to that server. On Mac, this means selecting the ‘Apple’ icon in the toolbar and then clicking on the ‘System preferences…’ option.
In the popup that appears, select ‘Network’ and then click on the ‘Advanced…’ button.
Once you’ve done that, open the ‘DNS’ tab.
In the bottom-left corner, click on the ‘+’ button.
This adds a new DNS server with the address 0.0.0.0.
You can now go ahead and type in the numbers for the public server that you want to use.
After that, simply click on the ‘OK’ button to save your changes.
This takes you back to the previous popup.
To start using your new DNS server, click on the ‘Apply’ button.
Finally, you’re ready to visit the website to see whether this has removed the error message.
Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) is a set of protocols that control how data is sent and received over the internet.
If there’s a problem with how your internet connection is configured, then renewing your TCP and IP protocol will return the connection to its default settings, which may solve the problem.
To reset the TCP/IP settings on Mac, select the ‘Apple’ icon in the toolbar and then click on ‘System Preferences…’
In the popup that appears, select ‘Network’ and then click on the ‘Advanced…’ button. Once you’ve done that, open the ‘TCP/IP’ tab.
On this screen, go ahead and click on the ‘Renew DHCP Lease’ button.
That’s it. You can now try visiting the website or blog, to check whether you still get the same ‘site can’t be reached’ error.
There are a few different reasons why you may get this error message, but the code that appears next to the message can help you pinpoint the cause.
Let’s take a closer look at these codes and what they mean for your WordPress blog .
- ERR_CONNECTION_RESET
Sometimes, you’ll see an ERR_CONNECTION_RESET code next to the ‘site can’t be reached’ error. Most of the time, this means there’s a problem with your internet connection.
The most obvious problem is an internet outage, but there’s also software and settings that can interfere with the connection and trigger an ERR_CONNECTION_RESET. For example, VPNs and proxy servers can sometimes cause this error code.
- DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_NXDOMAIN
Domain Name System (DNS) lets you connect to websites by matching a user-friendly domain name such as www.wpbeginner.com, with the ID of the server where this website is stored.
You’ll get this error code if Google Chrome can’t resolve the domain name or address for the website that you’re trying to access.
Since it can’t connect, the browser assumes that the domain name doesn’t exist. It then shows a DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_NXDOMAIN error code, where the NXDOMAIN part of the error stands for ‘non-existent domain. ‘
If you see this error code next to the ‘site can’t be reached’ message, then it usually means there’s a problem with how your DNS settings are configured.
To learn more about this error code, please see our guide on how to easily fix the DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_NXDOMAIN error .
We hope this article helped you learn how to easily fix ‘this site can’t be reached’ error in WordPress. You can also go through our guide on the difference between domain name and web hosting and the best email marketing for small businesses .
If you liked this article, then please subscribe to our YouTube Channel for WordPress video tutorials. You can also find us on Twitter and Facebook .
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Editorial Staff at WPBeginner is a team of WordPress experts led by Syed Balkhi with over 16 years of experience building WordPress websites. We have been creating WordPress tutorials since 2009, and WPBeginner has become the largest free WordPress resource site in the industry.
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How to Solve the Error ‘This Site Can’t Be Reached’ on Mac?
Table of Contents Show
Solution 1: restart your router or internet connection, solution 2: turn off vpn, solution 3: use vpn to open restricted web content in your browser, solution 4: restart your mac, solution 5: connect via ethernet, solution 6: clear browser cache, solution 7: remove extension from safari or chrome, solution 8: change dns server, solution 9: delete chrome data from mac.
Working, watching movies, listening to music or doing any other stuff on Safari or any other web browser looks pretty convenient. We don’t have to download each of those applications separately. Hence, most of us prefer using our web browsers for surfing the internet for various things, especially on a Mac.
We have all faced issues connecting to the website we wanted to browse at some time. It is also a prevalent problem with Mac and can result from many reasons. This article will cover all the solutions regarding the “ This Site Can’t Be Reached ” ERR_ACCESS_DENIED error on the MacBook.
The most prevalent notion that people have when they see the error “ This Site Can’t Be Reached ” on the Mac is that there is some problem with the internet connection. This speculation can be true in many cases as this error primarily occurs due to network problems. Therefore, we advise you to turn off the router and restart it in a few minutes to reset the internet connection of your Mac. Once you have completed this process, try connecting to that website you have trouble browsing.
Some websites and links are restricted in some countries and regions due to their laws. So if you have your VPN turned ON and connected to a region where that website is restricted or banned, you will not be able to access the contents of that webpage. Hence, turning OFF the VPN and trying to reconnect to that page can help solve the problem. Get more details on How to turn off VPN on Mac .
As discussed in the earlier section, some sites being blocked, restricted or shut down by the admin due to some issues can result in the error of loading the website’s contents. This problem often arises when Mac users try to access an unlicensed streaming web portal or a torrent. The solution for this problem is using a VPN app or extension that builds a proxy tunnel and opens the website that was restricted. Here’s Manage VPN On Mac .
Another reason for the Mac showing the “ This Site Can’t Be Reached ” error is glitches and improper boot-up of the device. If your Mac runs into some trouble while starting up, it causes many issues like this one. Hence, restarting the MacBook is the ideal solution for this issue. Once you restart the MacBook, all the system settings and preferences are refreshed to their default values and configuration and fix the minor issues.
A damaged WiFi card or plugin of your Mac may result in the device running into internet connectivity issues between the router and the Mac. If that is the case, it is advised to use an ethernet cable to create a stable and secure connection between your router and the MacBook. The use of ethernet cable also eliminates the possibility of having packet losses and lags.
Cache files are temporary files created, downloaded or stored by your computer to conserve time when you access the same sites in the future. Hence, a damaged or corrupt cache can spoil your internet browsing and surfing experience. It is best to delete the browser cache every once in a while as it does not affect your MacBook. Follow the process described here to delete the Safari browser cache on Mac.
Step. 1→ Launch the Safari web browser on your Mac.
Step. 2→ Then, click on “ Safari ” at the top left corner of the screen and tap on “ Preferences ” in the drop-down menu.
Step. 3→ In the preferences window, hit the “ Advanced ” icon.
Step. 4→ Now tick the check box in front of “ Show Develop menu in menu bar ” and exit from the preferences window.
Step. 5→ After that, tap in the “ Develop ” and select the “ Empty Cache ” option in the drop-down menu.
Having extensions enabled on your Safari or Chrome can be very helpful. The extensions allow the users to add extra features to their web browsers. However, some extensions are not correctly maintained, become incompatible with the new versions of the browsers or go out of date. Hence, the simplest way of solving this problem is by removing all the extensions from your Safari or Chrome and using only the ones you need. You can remove extensions from Chrome or Safari in the following ways.
- Remove Chrome Extensions
Step. 1→ Launch Google Chrome and tap on the three dots at the top right corner of the screen.
Step. 2→ Head over to “ Extensions ” by clicking on the “ More Tools ” option.
Step. 3→ Now, tap and remove each one of the extensions that you don’t want to use at the moment.
- Remove Safari Extensions
Step. 1→ Open the Safari browser and click on the Safari menu at the top.
Step. 2→ Now go to Preferences > Extensions .
Step. 3→ Then, deselect the checkbox in front of the extensions you are not currently using.
DNS is a collection of IP addresses that are stored online. Every MacBook or computer has a designated DNS that the users can change if the server cannot retrieve the data for loading a specific website. Below are the steps to change the DNS on a Mac.
Step. 1→ Click on the Apple logo and go to system preferences .
Step. 2→ In the preferences tab, double-click on “ Network ” to open it.
Step. 3→ Now, click on WiFi in the left tab and select the “ Advanced… ” option in the WiFi pane.
Step. 4→ From the list of available menus, select DNS .
Step. 5→ Tap on the (+) icon at the bottom-left part of the screen and change the DNS servers to Cloudflare DNS 1.1.1.1 or Google DNS 8.8.8.8 .
Now restart your MacBook and check if the problem is resolved.
Every MacBook and device stores the temporary data from browsers like Google Chrome locally on their system. Sometimes this data gets corrupted and affects the proper working of these apps and browsers. Hence, deleting this temporary file can help fix this problem without affecting the browser’s functionality. Delete the file given below to resolve the issue of “ This Site Can’t Be Reached ”, but make sure to create and save a backup of your bookmarks and preferences, as this data will be lost.
“ ~/Library/Application Support/Google/Chrome ”
This post focused on providing all the solutions for fixing errors related to “ This Site Can’t Be Reached ” on a Mac, including Err_Access_Denied, Err_Connection_Closed, Err_Failed, and many more in detail. Feel free to try these solutions and comment on those that worked for you.
→ Suppose you have trouble opening some of the websites in the Google Chrome browser on your MacBook. In that case, the problem might be linked to those websites being restricted, blocked, or discontinued by the admin in that region. Refer to this article to solve this problem.
→ Go through the practical methods explained in this post to fix the problem of “This site can’t be reached” on Mac.
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How to Fix ‘This Site Can’t Be Reached’ Google Chrome Error?
New day – new chrome error. This time we will focus on very common Google Chrome error which is saying ‘ This site can’t be reached ’.
In most cases, when trying to visit a website and an error message comes up instead, we would close the browser then try again.
If you are using Google Chrome, you might encounter a ‘ This site can’t be reached ’ error if a website is down or taking too long to load, or if there is an issue with the internet connection.
Instead of trying again later or trying with another browser, we are going to examine why you might be getting this error code and check out some ways to solve it, whether you are on a Windows PC or using iOS or Android.
What ‘This Site Can’t be Reached’ Error Means?
This error message means you cannot access the website you are trying to get to.
If you are sure you spelled the web address correctly, there might be a problem with your domain name system (or DNS) server.
When and Why Does it Occur?
A DNS lookup failure is the most common cause of a ‘this site can’t be reached’ error message.
The DNS network goes through a website’s domain name to access it. This is the URL you are inputting into the browser or the link you are clicking on to get there.
When you press Enter after entering the website address, the browser tries to access the website using its IP address. The DNS network system translates the domain name into the IP address.
If the DNS address is misconfigured or the Windows DNS client doesn’t work properly, a DNS lookup failure can happen.
This is the most common for the error, although any one of these could also cause it :
- Corrupt cookies or out of date settings in Google Chrome.
- The wireless network connection needs a repair.
- Out of date wireless adapters.
- An antivirus blocking the website in question.
- Invalid DNS cache.
7 Ways To Fix ‘This Site Can’t be Reached’ Error
Although most of the ways to fix the ‘this site can’t be reached’ error are for Windows PC users, you might be experiencing the same problem on an iOS or Android device.
If so, see the fixes at the end of this list for help with those.
FIX #1: Clear the Browser Cache
One of the most simple ways to fix the ‘this site can’t be reached’ error is to clear out Google Chrome’s browser cache.
It will determine whether the issue is happening because of corrupted cookie files. Occasionally the browser will serve cached error pages.
Clearing your browser’s history can solve this problem.
- Open Google Chrome and click the 3 dots in the top right corner.
- Than click on “ More Tools ” and “ Clear the browsing data “.
Another way to do this is to open the browser and:
- Press “ CTRL + SHIFT and DEL ” together.
- On the Settings window, choose ‘ All Time ’ from the drop-down menu.
- Clear out your browsing history, cookies and cached images, check-marking them if not already selected.
Now try to reload the webpage that gave you the error before.
Note: you can use this solution to fix “ ERR_CACHE_MISS ” error also.
FIX #2: Reset Your Chrome Browser Settings
If the first fix doesn’t work then try to reset Google Chrome. Resetting it will eliminate errors stemming from browser extensions or browser settings.
- Open Chrome Settings menu and click on “ Advanced “.
- Click on “ Reset and Clean Up ” and choose the option to “ Restore your settings to defaults ” and reset them.
Now try to reload the webpage again.
FIX #3 Restart the DNS Client
If you still can’t load the webpage, try to restart the DNS client instead.
- Press “ Start + R ” on the keyboard (or type “ Run ” in the search bar).
- Type in services.msc, check the list and locate the “ DNS client “.
- Right-click on it, then press “ Restart ” and reopen Chrome.
See whether the problem has been solved.
FIX #4: Change the DNS Servers
Changing up the DNS servers you use to get on the internet can sometimes solve the ‘this site can’t be reached’ error.
Use another DNS address whenever your internet connection seems to be slowing down.
This is how to change the DNS servers:
- open “ Network and sharing center “ and click the button which opens your current internet network’s properties.
- Locate the “ TCP/IPv4 ” properties.
- The primary server for Open DNS is 208.67.222.222 and the secondary one is 208.67.220.220
- The primary server for Google is 8.8.8.8 and the secondary one is 8.8.4.4
- Press “ OK ” and check to see whether the error is resolved.
FIX #5: Flush the DNS Cache
You can get a ‘this site can’t be reached’ error when there is an invalid DNS cache.
This step will also help you to fix “ ERR_NETWORK_CHANGED ” error if you are facing it.
In this case, you need to flush the old DNS cache and then update it to the right IP address .
- Type cmd in the search bar to launch the command prompt and right-click it to run it “ As an administrator “.
- Enter this: ipconfig /flushdns
- You will see a ‘ Flushed the DNS resolver cache ’ message on the screen after the command has run successfully.
- Restart the PC and check whether you still get the error message.
FIX #6: Reset the TCP/IP Address
If the other solutions have not worked, it’s time to reset the TCP or IP address.
- Open Command prompt and type in :
Restart the PC and check if it worked.
FIX #7: Run Windows Network Troubleshooter
Our final suggestion is to run the network troubleshooter included with Windows to locate and attempt repairs on your wireless network connection.
- Type Run in the PC’s start menu search bar to open the run program module.
- Type “ ncpa.cpl ” in the program to open the network connections box.
- Now locate your Wi-Fi from the list, right-click it and click on “ Diagnose ” (let the network troubleshooter run).
- Click “ Try these repairs as an administrator “.
- Restart the PC to see whether the problem has been solved.
There are still other things to try if none of those fixes worked.
Other possibilities include reinstalling network drivers, restarting the router, reinstalling Chrome, and updating wireless adapter drivers.
How To Fix ‘This Site Can’t be Reached’ Error on iOS and Android?
If you are using a Mac OS you can try to change the TCP/IP4 or the DNS.
To change these, look in your system preferences, network and then advanced Wi-Fi settings).
On an Android operating system, clear your browser and app data.
To clear the history, it’s the same process as on a PC. To clear the app data, go to “ Settings ” then click on “ Apps “, then click on “ Chrome ” and clear out the data as well as the cache.
I hope one of following solutions above will help you to fix ‘This Site Can’t Be Reached’ browser error. If not, feel free to check video guide below.
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VIDEO
COMMENTS
In some cases, you might run into the "This site can't be reached" error due to problems with your cached files. To solve that issue, you'll need to clear your browser cache. Assuming that you're using Chrome, you can do that by going to Settings > Privacy and Security > Clear Browsing Data and selecting the Cached Images and Files option:
How to Fix "This Site Can't Be Reached" If All Devices Are Affected Restart Check Your Cables and Connections Factory Reset Your Modem and Router If Only One Device Is Affected Restart Your Device Google Chrome Issues Computer Network Settings Follow the Instructions for "If All Devices Are Affected"
Take the following steps to switch off your Firewall on a Mac. Press your Apple menu and click "System Preferences.". Pick "Security" and click the "Firewall" tab. Hit the "Off ...
Step 1: Open Google Chrome, tap on the three-dot menu at the top. Step 2: Navigate to More tools > Clear browsing data. Step 3: From the following menu, go to Advanced and select Cache and Cookies...
Method 1: Change your IPv4 DNS address 1) Right-click on the network icon in your Task bar and click Open Network and Sharing Center. 2) Click your network connections. 3) Click Properties. 4) Double-click Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4). 5) Enter this Google public DNS server address: 8.8.8.8 8.8.4.4 6) Tick on Validate settings upon exit.
1. Open Chrome browser, click on 3-dots Menu icon > Settings. 2. On the Settings screen, scroll down to the bottom and click on Advanced option. 3. In Advanced Settings, scroll down more and click on Reset Settings. 4. On the pop-up, click on the Reset Settings button.
The error can be very frustrating and you may want to know how to fix this cannot be reached. If Google Chrome Browser is unable to load a particular website, it display It's cable reimagined No...
Go back to the Device Manager, right-click and select Properties this time. Under the Power Management tab, uncheck Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power option. See if the...
This problem is either because you didn't run anything to serve up the files or a firewall issue. If it's a firewall problem then check your firewall settings for anything that would block it, but most likely you need something to serve up your files. There are a number of ways you can serve the files Option 1 Use the Live Server extension.
What causes the "this site can't be reached" error Fixing the error 1. Clear the browser cache 2. Reset your Google Chrome Browser 3. Restarting the DNS client 4. Flushing the DNS cache 5 Changing the DNS servers 6. Resetting the TCP/IP address 7. Run Windows Network troubleshooter 8. Remove browser extensions from Chrome 9.
Method 6 - Run Windows Network Diagnostics to Fix This site Can't be Reached A lot of common problems in Windows can be fixed with one of the diagnostics tools. These tools scan your settings and do some tests in the background to find and fix any problems. Right-click on Start or press Windows Key + X Choose Network Connections
If you are using a proxy to connect, the error preventing you from reaching the site may be due to a configuration problem. You can check if the proxy is active by going to your computer's settings. On Windows 10, just type 'proxy' in the search bar and open the proxy settings panel.
In this case, the easiest fix is to simply disable the proxy server. If you're on a Mac, then go ahead and click the 'Apple' icon in the toolbar. Then, select 'System Preferences…'. In the popup that appears, click on 'Network.'. In the left-hand menu, select the network where you want to disable the proxy settings.
Site can't be reached in google chrome is a common error many users face while using Google Chrome Browser on Windows (i.e. Windows 10) on laptop or PC. Let'...
The solution for this problem is using a VPN app or extension that builds a proxy tunnel and opens the website that was restricted. Here's Manage VPN On Mac. Solution 4: Restart your Mac Another reason for the Mac showing the " This Site Can't Be Reached " error is glitches and improper boot-up of the device.
FIX #3 Restart the DNS Client. If you still can't load the webpage, try to restart the DNS client instead. Press " Start + R " on the keyboard (or type " Run " in the search bar). Type in services.msc, check the list and locate the " DNS client ". Right-click on it, then press " Restart " and reopen Chrome.