If you use chrome browser often, every once in a while you must have come across “This site can’t be reached” error. What causes it and how do you fix it? In this post, we have put together all that you need to know with regard to causes and how to fix this error. Keep reading to find out.
The “This Site Can’t be Reached’ is a vague error that doesn’t offer much in terms of options for fixing. As such, the only way to figure out how and what to do to troubleshoot and fix the error you need first to understand what’s causing it. Let’s dive right into what causes this error and how to fix it.
What causes the “This Site Can’t be Reached” Error?
Let’s first understand what causes the “this site can’t be reached” error on your Chrome browser. As aforementioned, Chrome does not offer much info regarding how to fix this error whenever it shows up on your screen. As you can imagine, the error results from a range of causes. Some of the most common ones include:
- Domain Name System (DNS) resolution errors.
- Connection Timeout.
- Internet connection failures.
- Misconfigured firewall settings, internet, or network.
Now that you have an idea of what’s causing the error alert on your screen, how do you go about fixing it? That’s what we are going to learn next.
For as long as your internet access is via Chrome browser, you are highly likely to come across the “This Site can’t be reached” error. If that happens, you can count on the following solutions to help you fix it and restore access to the site.
1. Restart your Internet Connection
Failed internet connection may trigger the “This Site Can’t be Reached’ Error. We would recommend you start by checking your internet connection. This is a fast and simple fix. To effectively restart your internet connection, do this:
- Disconnect your router's power cable and wait for a moment (One minute is adequate).
- Reconnect your router, wait for the internet connection and then reaccess the site.
2. Disable your firewall and antivirus
The OS-built firewall can prevent your device from establishing a connection by blocking pages. It is a rare occasion, but it does happen. Let’s figure out how you can get this done. This is how to disable your firewall on Windows:
Step 1: Select the Start button and then open Settings.
Step 2: Under Privacy and Setting, select Windows Security.
Step 3: Select Firewall and Network Protection.
Step 4: Select a network profile: Domain Network, Private Network, or Public Network.
Step 5: Under the Microsoft Defender Firewall, switch the setting On.
Step 6: To turn the set-off, switch it to Off.
In case you are using a macOS device, follow these steps to disable its firewall:
Step 1: Click on the Apple menu.
Step 2: Click on System Preferences.
Step 3: Select View and then choose Security.
Step 4: Click on the Firewall tab
Step 5: Click on the Stop button to disable it.
Procedures for disabling your antivirus may differ as per the tool you are using. Kindly follow the processes offered by its developer on how to disable it.
3. Clear your browser’s cache
Chrome browser stores lots of cached data for easier access. Cached data may be why you run into the “This Site Can’t be Reached’ Error. To clear your browser's cache, follow this procedure:
Step 1: On Chrome, navigate to Settings.
Step 2: Click on Privacy and Security.
Step 3: Click on Clear Browsing Data and select the Cached Images and Files option.
Step 4: Click on Clear Data.
4. Flush your DNS cache
Your OS stores data from the websites accessed, including their IP addresses. Whenever there is outdated data on the DNS server, the “This Site Can’t be Reached” Error may occur. Once you flush or reset your DNS cache, this issue will be resolved. If not, you must change your DNS servers which we cover next.
5. Change your DNS Servers
DNS servers are automatically assigned by the ISP to establish a connection. However, you can set specific DNS servers to be used by your internet settings. This is how to proceed with the action on Windows:
Step 1: Navigate to the Control Panel.
Step 2: Click on Network and Internet.
Step 3: Click on Network and Sharing Center.
Step 4: Select the Change Adapter Settings option.
Step 5: Right-click on your active internet connection and select Properties.
Step 6: Select Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4)and click on Properties.
Step 7: On the next screen, set your custom DNS servers. You may use Google public DNS addresses which are “8.8.8.8” and “8.8.4.4”.
For those using macOS-powered devices, here is how to go about it:
Step 1: Navigate to System Preferences and click on Network.
Step 2: Select your network and click on Advanced and then jump to the DNS
Step 3: Click on the (+) icon to add your custom DNS servers, configure their settings, and click OK.
6. Disable the “Experimental QUIC Protocol” flag
QUIC is known to conduct transport activities better than TCP. However, it does not work properly on Google Chrome. It works better in Mozilla Firefox and Internet Explorer. Here is the process to disable the QUIC protocol on Chrome:
Step 1: Open Chrome and type Chrome://flags/in the address bar.
Step 2: Search the Experimental QUIC protocol.
Step 3: From the drop-down menu, change the Default to Disable
Step 4: Restart Google Chrome.
7. Change Maximum Allowed TLS Version
The TLS version running on your browser may be outdated. To change it, follow the procedure below:
Step 1: Open Google Chrome and type Chrome://flags/ in the address bar.
Step 2: Search Maximum TLS version
Step 3: Select the Version 1.3which had been set as Default.
Step 4: Restart Google Chrome.
8. Reset the Google Chrome Profile Sync
Google Chrome displays every item category synced with it. It’s necessary to erase the synchronized cache to curb the “This Site Can’t be Reached” Error. Here is the procedure:
Step 1: On Google Chrome, navigate to Google Dashboard.
Step 2: Click Reset Sync at the bottom.
Step 3: Click Ok to confirm.
Step 4: Turn Sync On
Conclusion
The “This Site Can’t be Reached” Error on Chrome can be very frustrating, and rightly so, because there’s not much information on how to fix it. Luckily, in this post, we have done much of the heavy lifting for you. All you are left to do is try the solutions outlined in this post to see which one works best. That being said, we wrap up this post.
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