DNS randomly stops working

[nickd]

Hi,

I've got an intermittent problem with a new HP Pavilion TP01-2000i (1K4B6AV).

I've been running it over wireless but DNS fails intermittently, and the browser (and anything else that's using a domain name) fails.  But at the same time, I can see that some services are sending and receiving at TCP-level.  It once managed to download an update while giving DNS errors in the browser.

It happens in both Edge and Brave.

I've tried all the usual stuff:

• OS is up-to-date (Win11 21H2 22000.469)
• drivers are up-to-date
• VIrus check OK
• Run hardware diags run from Device Manager
• Run all the networking diags in HPSA
• Run Windows troubleshooters
• Run SFC
• Changed primary and secondary DNS to Google (8.8.8.8, 8.8.4.4)
• Turned off the firewall in case it's blocking something
• Restart the DNS service
• Restet TCP with netsh
• flush/renew ipconfig
• and a stack of other stuff.
• I do an nslookup after each step, but so far nothing consistently appears to fix it.

Nothing gives a consistent fix.

Reboots generally fix it, but at a variable point in the future the problem happens again, sometimes within minutes of logging in.

Nothing else on the network has the same problem (printer, other PCs on wireless and ethernet, phones etc), and I have a very reliable 50MB in both directions over fibre optic.

It's a clean Windows installation, with virtually no other software downloaded.

It was a problem OOB with Win10, and I upgraded to Win11 in case that would fix it - but it hasn't.

I see a couple of possibilities:

• Hardware (as it's happened on two Windows versions)
• Something in a networking component common to both Windows versions
• Problems with the wireless connection itself (but this doesn't seem likely when I can see in resource monitor that there are working TCP connections at the same time a DNS fails in the browser).

nick

[BeemerBiker]

IMHO what you are describing is not something a typical home user sees.  I take it you are in an office environment, or, if at home, then several systems and users are there.

The following that I got after googling is a good start

https://www.techrepublic.com/blog/10-things/10-tips-for-troubleshooting-dns-problems/

Note item 9 "scan for virus"

https://blog.malwarebytes.com/cybercrime/2015/09/dns-hijacks-what-to-look-for/

To rule out the modem as a problem, enable a hot spot and assign your system to use your smart phone and cellular.

If you have access to the modem, log in, locate your system (ip address) and look and see if the same IP address is used as a passthrough or forwarding (gaming) port.  If there is no password or a default "admin" or "password" then change the password.  Also make the SSID hidden.  If you do not have access to the modem then get your own.  If it is your modem and you suspect it has been tampered with then reset it and change the password and don't give it out.  

The items you listed as being tried are what a network administrator would to before calling in tech support to fix the problem.

[edit] I assume that neither you nor anyone at your location is running a gaming server.  If so, you need to stop it.

[edit again} What is your location?    You should be using the recommended DNS by the your ISP provider. Did they recommend google ?

[nickd]

Hi,

Thanks for the help.  This is the home network home, but I was a network admin in a previous life so am used to the depths of the madness 🙂

I'll re-run a deep virus scan.  No gaming server.

I tried Google DNS as Orange (the French ISP) sometimes very slow response times for DNS queries.  I'll change it back to auto.

nick

[BeemerBiker]

I think @Prométhée can help you.  Possibly putting his name here will get his attention!

I had four "D" s in French but the US Army thought I would be good in a Vietnamese language school.  That was also another life.

[Prométhée]

No, sorry I don't think so
I see here a Hp logo, and if does not arrive then that "network admin"

Internet network problems are not really my thing
But I don't know if tested, is the problem in lan network just wifi, both?

[Prométhée]

hi

No, sorry I don't think so @BeemerBiker  @nickd 
I see here a Hp logo, and if does not arrive then that "network admin"

Internet network problems are not really my thing
But I don't know if tested, is the problem in lan network just wifi, both?

[BeemerBiker]

I thought you might be familiar with the French ISP's

[Prométhée]

no worry
no, I know mine, but it does not help me for problems of this type
at home the dns are automatic, wifi and lan no problem with free for me!
well, i mean this style

[BeemerBiker]

His location is France and I know nothing about their "orange"  ISP and the little French I know enabled me to change French to English on my fathers TV set when he got it stuck on French by accident.  There should be no reason to use Google for the DNS and it seems to me that the EU once tried to ban google.

[nickd]

I ran UEFI hardware check and some other tests, and the hardware is OK.

Looking through more info on the MS support site, I'm beginning to suspect it's related to sleep or hibernation settings, and what's allowed to wake the system.  I've changed some settings and will just have to wait to see if the problem happens again.  So far it hasn't but that doesn't prove anything with intermittent issues.

Update installed another cumulative OS update yesterday, and this could have contained a fix to something MS won't admit to 🙂

There's no reason not to use an alternate DNS such as Google or CloudFlare, and it shouldn't cause problems unless the ISP is blocking it or deliberately routing it slowly.  It's often recommended as it's guaranteed to be more up-to-date and faster than the ISP's DNS servers.    I used Google for a long time during a period when Orange's DNS had a  justified reputation for being bad, and I always use it on Linux.