Windows 10: Microsoft Surface 3 cannot connect to web sites ... no DNS resolution

I've had a Surface 3 sitting on a shelf for many months and decided to dust it off to bring Windows and apps up to date. However, it cannot connect to any website via my home network either by WiFi or Ethernet (USB-to-RJ45 connector) although it used to and no settings on my modem/router have changed.

The Surface has Win10 Home v.1709 which shouldn't be a problem since it used to work, no? I have other issues to trying to update Windows, which warrant a separate thread in another section.

The root of my internet connection issues seems to be with DNS resolution. I can ping a web site by using its numeric IP address, but not by it's alpha http:// address. e.g. I cannot ping yahoo.com but I can ping 98.137.246.8.

I have tried all automatic settings (network & DNS settings) which is how it used to work. I have also manually assigned an IP address/gateway and DNS addresses -- for the latter I've used automatic detection to use my ISP's DNS servers as stored in the modem/router and also Google (8.8.8.8/8.8.4.4). I can ping 8.8.8.8 just fine but can't ping any address at all.

Any ideas?

:)

 

Looking for a particular web site ?

I remember seeing this here but i can't find it using the search thingy.

A guy posted a web site that had a comprensive list of all Windows update 32&64. I used to have it in my favorites before i formatted my HD.

Does someone know it?

They suggested a sticky for it but they never did.

 

[Solved] Web Browsing Timing Out Frequently But Downloads Unaffected

Google DNS is a good thing to test, which is why it is commonly suggested. *Wink

As I explained before, ISP DNS servers can cause issues, go down, and not be updated to your device providing DNS. If you want to go a step further, login to your router and set the DNS servers uses and provides over DHCP to the Google DNS and remove the ISP DNS servers. Be done with it.

I also strongly recommend OpenDNS servers for safer browsing, especially if you're not into browsing malicious, porn or questionable sites. 208.67.222.222 and 208.67.222.222. Those are what I use at home...effective DNS filtering to keep many bad sites that are flagged with malware out of your home network and web browsers. Free and effective.

At this point if its working, I'd say use it for a day and see if issues come back...if so then the other things I suggested might be worth looking at.

Quick DNS 101

DNS = Domain Name Servers... what it does is take what you type in your web browser, or for ping, or some name domain request...take Techpowerup.com. DNS takes that and looks into an index/cache to find out what address it is...say 123.123.123.123 and then sends the reply to the ping session, web browser, etc. so you can go to Techpowerup.com.

DNS is like a phone book, you look up a person's name for their phone number to call them and connect. DNS does that for web sites and services. It is critical for web site usage where everyone can remember domain names, but not IP addresses.

*Toast :toast:

 

Browser /connection security, hosts file and DNS service

You're saying that Open DNS(and other services like it) house their own list of known 'bad' sites, and by using their DNS servers, it will filter out sites based on that list?

Would you believe I was already using Open DNS servers.
This means the hosts file is moot?

And furthering that, if there's any bespoke sites I want to manually add, I could do it through my router directly.

Thus I can empty my local hosts file and turn my DNS service back on?