Google Chrome is an amazing browser with lots of cool and useful features. The end of the last year saw Chrome leading the Internet browser field with a global market share of almost 66%. 

In simpler terms, more than six in ten people surf the Internet via Google Chrome. But even with such booming popularity, everyone’s favorite browser is not safe from plaguing issues. Be it the overwhelming amount of RAM it’s eating, or occasional crashes, Google Chrome has had to endure a couple of hiccups every now and then.

But it seems nothing compares to the frustrating “Server IP Address Could Not Be Found” issue when you try to access a website. It’s that type of issue that would have you angrily hit the page refresh button or Google a fix straight away, in which case keep reading this. We’ll discuss a couple of fairly simple and efficient methods you can use for solving the dreaded issue. 

“Server IP Address Could Not Be Found”  – Meaning and causes

“Server IP Address Could Not Be Found” is a rather common issue that happens when your browser fails to access the website you want to visit. When the server’s IP address is not found, the DNS lookup probably fails and the domain (the website’s name) could not be mapped to its corresponding IP address.

There are various network issues that can cause Chrome to encounter this error. It can be due to an improper DNS configuration, a firewall, or a malfunctioning proxy server. Or sometimes it’s the browser’s or the website’s sole fault. And it is advisable to check upon that before moving on to trying any other fix and troubleshooting.

Check your browser and your Internet connection beforehand

You should ensure that the “Server IP Address Could Not Be Found” issue appears for all sites, not just for a particular site. If only one website is affected, it is an indicator that the site might be down or experiencing issues.

In addition, check whether the problem applies to other browsers as well. Try opening the site again using Mozilla, or Microsoft Edge, for example. Determine if only Chrome is affected.

And equally important, check your Internet connection. Often, the most common problems have the most common causes. Try opening another website or an app that requires an Internet connection. Check your modem, your router, and the cables connected, and don’t overlook the classical ”turn it off and on again” method. It sometimes works wonders. And don’t forget also to restart Chrome. Just to be on the safe side.

How to Fix the “Server IP Address Could Not Be Found” Error on Google Chrome

There are various ways to get rid of the “Server IP Address Could Not Be Found” issue. Some are pretty straightforward, while others need a little backstage work. We will explore several methods ranging from Windows troubleshooting to more technical, yet simple, fixes.

Use your system’s built-in troubleshooter

You can always start by using your PC’s built-in Network Troubleshooter, in this case, Windows Network Diagnostics. 

1. Head over to your taskbar and right-click on the Wi-Fi or Ethernet symbol on the right of the taskbar;

2. Select Troubleshoot Problems;

3. You might be prompted to select which network adapter your computer needs to diagnose. Select All network adapters and click Next.

The computer will check for any possible error and come up with suitable solutions if it has not automatically fixed the issue.

Wireless Diagnostics for macOS:

1. Press and hold the Option key, and click the Wi-Fi or Ethernet status icon in the menu bar;
2. Choose Open Wireless Diagnostics;
3. Follow the instructions and see if there’s been detected a potential fix that should be automatically applied.

Update network drivers

Sometimes, your network drivers might get corrupted or might not have been automatically updated. It might be a good idea to check if everything is up to date.

1. Open the Windows Start Menu and type Device Manager;
2. Once you clicked and entered it, navigate to the Network adapters option and expand it;
3. Find your network adapter (usually wireless) and right-click on it;
4. Select Update driver;
5. Select Search automatically for drivers. This will let the computer find and install the latest drivers. 
6. After the installation, restart your computer and see if Chrome is now able to access the website in question.

Turn off your VPN

A VPN (Virtual Private Network) is a great way of browsing the Web anonymously and securely. It allows you to access geo-restricted content and keeps you safe because it encrypts your network connection and masks your real IP address. VPNs are great tools not only for end-users that want to access their favorite shows or stay away from IP geolocation but for many organizations as well.

But sometimes, VPN can cause various network issues. If you are browsing the net on Google Chrome through a VPN, it might be worth turning it off temporarily to see if that solves the issue.

Turning your VPN off can vary from one app/provider to another. But in most cases, the app or browser extension should have an obvious button that disables the service.

Check your proxy settings

A proxy server acts like a gateway between your computer and the Internet. It is a middleman between you, the user, and the website you are trying to access. 

We see it as a middleman because it processes and sends the request we want to forward to the website on our behalf. It collects the response from the web server, and forwards you the web page data. This is the process that helps display the web page in your browser for you to visit and also keeps you safe online.

When the proxy server forwards your web requests, it can make changes to the data you send, and sometimes it can change your IP address.

Because of that, even if they are a great tool for security alongside VPNs (read about which one – proxy or VPN – you should use here), they can mess with your Internet connection and make your browser fail in connecting to the desired site.

1. Open the Windows Start Menu and search for Proxy settings;
2. Select the option and check the Automatically detect settings option under Automatic proxy setup;
3. Try enabling or disabling the Automatically detect settings option. If it’s already enabled, temporarily turn it off;
4. Scroll down to Manual proxy setup and disable the Use a proxy server option. 

For macOS:

1. Go to Apple menu and select System Settings;
2. Click the Network icon in the sidebar;
3. Navigate to the Network service (Wi-Fi or Ethernet) on the right;
4. Click on Details, and then click on Proxies (you might need to scroll down);
5. There will be a checklist of different proxy configurations. Uncheck the entire list and click OK to save the changes.

Restart Chrome and attempt to access the website again. While the automatically detecting proxy settings will choose the best setup for your Internet connection, temporarily disabling it might solve the “Server IP Address Could Not Be Found” issue.

Change your IP and DNS settings

IP addresses and DNS (Domain Name System) have a tight relationship. It is the most important thing that lets us access our favorite websites and type their names instead of long strings of numbers.

A DNS lookup is a process that helps translate a domain name (like facebook.com, or pubconcierge.com) to a machine-readable IP address. This is vital for the proper functioning of the Internet and for accessing websites.

Sometimes, DNS or IP addresses might be incorrectly configured, hence the “Server IP Address Could Not Be Found” on Google Chrome.

Most systems automatically assign IP addresses through DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol). But if you or apps like antiviruses, for example, have been tinkering with your system, the settings might have been changed.

Certain software or improper configuration can alter your default settings, so you can try setting your DNS and IP to be automatically set up.

Here is the easiest way to do it:

1. Right-click on the network icon (Wi-Fi or Ethernet) on the right side of your taskbar;
2. Click on Network and internet settings;

(OR

Open the Windows Start menu and type Network. Network Status should pop up in the results. Click it.)

3. Scroll down to Advanced network settings and click on Change Adapter options;
4. On the right side of the new window, select your network adapter and right-click on it;
5. Select Properties;
6. In the new window, select Internet protocol version 4 (TCP/IPv4) and choose Properties;
7. In the Properties tab, check Obtain an IP address automatically and Obtain DNS server address automatically;
8. Select OK at the bottom to save the settings and exit.

For macOS:

6. Go to Apple menu and select System Settings;
7. Click the Network icon in the sidebar;
8. Navigate to the Network service (Wi-Fi or Ethernet) on the right;
9. Click on Details, and then click on TCP/IP (you might need to scroll down);
10. Select the Using DHCP option if you received an IPv4 address automatically from your ISP (internet service provider)
11. If you are using an IPv6 address and want everything to be assigned automatically, choose Automatically.

To configure the DNS server:

1. Go to Apple menu and select System Settings;
2. Select Network;
3. Select the network interface you are using (Wi-Fi or Ethernet) and click on Details;
4. Open the DNS tab and click the + button to manually add your desired DNS server.
5. Click OK to save the changes.

Clear the DNS Cache / Flush DNS

Your computer temporarily stores information about previous DNS lookups. This allows browsers to retrieve it faster and makes a website’s URL translation to its corresponding IP address more efficient.

Sometimes it’s helpful to clear your computer’s DNS cache to fix any issue, problematic files, or inability to find the server’s IP address on Google’s Chrome browser.

1. Type cmd in Windows Start Menu;
2. The Command Prompt tool should pop out, then you can click it;
3. In the console, type the following command: ipconfig/flushdns;
4. The system will run the command and your DNS cache should be successfully cleared.

For macOS:

1. Open the Terminal by hitting command + Spacebar and typing Terminal. Hit Return and the application will launch;
2. In the Terminal, copy and paste the following command: sudo dscacheutil -flushcache; sudo killall -HUP mDNSResponder ;
3. Hit the Return key. You might be prompted to enter the admin password. Just type it and hit Return;
4. The Terminal will not return anything on display, but the DNS cache will have been cleared;
5. Quite the Terminal when you are done and check if the problem is solved.

Clear Google Chrome’s own DNS cache as well

Chrome stores its own DNS cache, so it’s best to take care of it as well. This might be another fix for the “Server IP Address Could Not Be Found” problem.

Here’s how to do it:

1. Open Chrome;
2. In the address bar, type the following: chrome://net-internals/#dns and hit Enter ;
3. In the DNS tab, click on the Clear host cache button.

This will delete Chrome’s in-app DNS cache. You can then restart the browser and try visiting the affected website again.

Restart the Windows DNS Client Service

Windows uses its DNS Client service to resolve DNS domain names by checking the already cached information obtained from a previous lookup or by querying a remote DNS server. Restarting the service is another possible fix that might eliminate the “Server IP Address Could Not Be Found” error.

1. Press the Windows and R keys to open up the Run option;
2. Type services.msc and hit Enter. This will take you to Windows Services;
3. Scroll down and locate the DNS Client;
4. Click on Stop and then start the DNS Client again.

Reset everything to its default settings

If nothing worked, it might have to do with Chrome’s own functionality or with the website itself. Even so, it’s safe to reset everything you’ve tampered with to its default settings to avoid any conflicts.

You will have to open the Command Prompt again and issue a few commands.

1. Type cmd in the Windows Start menu to locate and open Command Prompt;
2. There, type netsh winsock reset and hit Enter;
3. You will be prompted to restart your computer. After this, open Command Prompt again and type the following: netsh int ipv4 reset reset.log ;

You will have to restart your computer again. After that, check if you are able to go online.

For macOS:

1. Open Finder;
2. In the menu, click Go, then select Go to Folder;
3. Type the following path: /Library/Preferences/SystemConfiguration/ and click Go;
4. Locate and delete the following files: 

com.apple.airport.preferences.plist

com.apple.network.eapolclient.configuration.plist

com.apple.wifi.message-tracer.plist

NetworkInterfaces.plist

preferences.plist

5. Restart your Mac device.
    
   

This will completely reset all the settings you’ve previously done to your system’s network configurations and set them again to their defaults.

Conclusion

“Server IP Address Could Not Be Found”  is indeed infuriating news. Many causes can lead to Google Chrome displaying the dreaded error. It might have to do with different network configurations, from IP addresses to DNS cache or strict Firewalls. Or perhaps it’s just a faulty moment in the life of Google’s famous browser. We should not rule out the possibility of the website being down or malfunctioning either.

When it comes to such issues, there are lots of common fixes that almost always do their job efficiently. But for us to be able to implement these fixes without risking our systems and Internet connection, it is important to also understand the mechanisms behind these processes. Or at least get a clearer picture of what we are about to do and what those fixes mean.

“Server IP Address Could Not Be Found”  is a common issue that can be easily fixed. In most cases, you can ‘get away’ with just a couple of simple commands and setups.