What Is DNS Cache And Why You Should Clean It?
Browsers rely on the DNS cache to take us to our favorite websites. Sometimes it can be corrupted, and can only be fixed by deleting.
Going to a web page from a browser couldn’t be easier. What seems like a simple exchange is a very complex process that happens without the user knowing. A list of names is used through the browser. There, the one that we have entered with an IP address is “paired” and takes us to it.
This process is carried out on DNS or name resolution servers. These servers and how user requests are treated have evolved hand in hand; So much so that now we reach a website in a very short time. Different mechanisms allow it, and one of them is the DNS cache.
What is DNS cache and how does it work?
In a nutshell, the DNS cache is a record of the websites we have visited. When we want to go to a website from the browser, this record will be the first site where it will be viewed. If we have never accessed this website, then it will use the name resolution service that we described at the beginning.
For example, if you ask your browser to bring you to Tribulant.com, it will first check the cache if you’ve been here before. If so, it will use the cache to take you to our website. Otherwise, it will use the DNS server of your Internet provider (or a personalized one introduced by you) to bring you to us.
The DNS cache is maintained by your browser and your operating system. The browsers incorporate tools that help the system to keep an updated registry. It is faster for the browser to consult its list of visited websites, than not to send a request to the system to check its own.
How is the DNS cache cleared?
Normally, nothing happens because you have multiple DNS caches on a computer, but sometimes there can be problems whose origin is difficult to identify. For example, the browser cache can be corrupted, which can lead to the pages we want to view not loading.
The solution to these problems is simple and involves flushing DNS cache. This usually involves clearing the cache of the operating system and browsers. Some browsers, like Safari, rely on the system’s local DNS cache.
Clear DNS cache in Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge, and Vivaldi
Clearing the DNS cache in Chrome, Edge, and Vivaldi is relatively easy. Just enter one of the following commands in the address bar:
Chrome: chrome://net-internals/#dns
Edge: edge://net-internals/#dns
Vivaldi: vivaldi://net-internals/#dns
The next step is to click on the Clear host cache button that you see, and you’re done!
Clear DNS cache in Firefox
To clear the cache in Firefox, type the following in the address bar:
about:networking
Click on the Clear DNS Cache button to clear it.
Clear DNS cache in Windows
In Windows, it is very quick and simple to perform this operation. Open a command prompt (CMD) console with administrator privileges or a PowerShell (Admin) prompt. As soon as you have it opened, enter this command and press the Enter key on your keyboard:
ipconfig / flushdns
Clear DNS cache on macOS
When talking about macOS, we have to make a distinction since the command is not the same for all macOS versions.
First, open Terminal.
Then, if your Mac uses OS X v10.9.5 and earlier or OS X v10.10.4 or later, use this command:
sudo killall -HUP mDNSResponder
If you run versions OS X v10.10 through v10.10.3, use this one:
sudo discoveryutil mdnsflushcache
In both cases, you will have to enter your administrative password to carry out the operation.
Conclusion:
It has already been made clear that the DNS cache can be corrupted for any reason. In these cases, deleting and starting over is usually what works best. It is not uncommon that you try to enter a specific website and that the browser keeps loading indefinitely. Now you know a solution.
It is a very simple process if you have the right tools; great knowledge is not necessary. If you follow the steps that we have given you, you should have no trouble emptying the cache.
We at Tribulant Software have a great passion for WordPress, development, blogging and the Internet in general. Building useful plugins to improve WordPress’ functionality is our goal.
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