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How to Ping a DNS Server in Windows 10?

Published in Networking 3 mins read

You can ping a DNS server in Windows 10 using the Command Prompt to test its reachability and response time. Here's how:

Steps to Ping a DNS Server:

  1. Open the Command Prompt:

    • Type "cmd" in the Windows search bar.
    • Select "Command Prompt" from the search results.

  2. Enter the Ping Command:

    • In the Command Prompt window, type the following command: ping <DNS server address>
    • Replace <DNS server address> with the actual IP address or domain name of the DNS server you want to ping.

  3. Example using Google's Public DNS:

    • To ping Google's primary DNS server (8.8.8.8), type: ping 8.8.8.8
    • To ping Google's secondary DNS server (8.8.4.4), type: ping 8.8.4.4

  4. Example using a domain name:

    • To ping a DNS server associated with a domain name (e.g., google.com), type: ping google.com

  5. Interpret the Results:

    • After executing the command, you will see results that show the response time (in milliseconds) and packet loss information.
    • A successful ping indicates that you can reach the DNS server and it is responding. Higher response times can indicate network latency.
    • "Request timed out" messages indicate that the DNS server is not reachable, potentially due to network issues or the server being down.

Explanation of Ping Results:

The ping command sends ICMP (Internet Control Message Protocol) echo requests to the specified address and waits for ICMP echo replies. The output provides information about:

  • Reply from: The IP address of the DNS server that responded.
  • Bytes: The size of the packet sent.
  • Time: The round-trip time (RTT) in milliseconds, indicating how long it took for the packet to reach the server and return.
  • TTL (Time to Live): A value indicating how many hops the packet can make before being discarded.

Example Output:

Pinging 8.8.8.8 with 32 bytes of data:
Reply from 8.8.8.8: bytes=32 time=10ms TTL=118
Reply from 8.8.8.8: bytes=32 time=9ms TTL=118
Reply from 8.8.8.8: bytes=32 time=8ms TTL=118
Reply from 8.8.8.8: bytes=32 time=9ms TTL=118

Ping statistics for 8.8.8.8:
    Packets: Sent = 4, Received = 4, Lost = 0 (0% loss),
Approximate round trip times in milli-seconds:
    Minimum = 8ms, Maximum = 10ms, Average = 9ms

Troubleshooting:

  • If you consistently receive "Request timed out" messages, check your internet connection.
  • Verify that the DNS server address is correct.
  • Firewall settings might be blocking ICMP traffic.

By following these steps, you can easily ping a DNS server in Windows 10 to diagnose network connectivity and DNS resolution issues.

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