How Do You Solve the “Private DNS Server Cannot Be Accessed” Issue?

The Domain Name System (DNS) is the internet’s phone book. It turns the domain names internet users enter into browser search bars into Internet Protocol (IP) addresses, which browsers use to find internet pages. DNS Servers make it possible for internet users to input words, such as host4geeks.com, without having to know the website’s IP address.

The DNS Server is a program or device with a database carrying the IP addresses of the websites it serves to other devices. Android devices running on Android version 9 and above have a private DNS feature when connecting to Wireless networks. The Private DNS encrypts your DNS queries so that your internet service provider and cybercriminals cannot monitor your browser activity. This feature improves protection and privacy throughout all your apps.

Sometimes when you try to connect to a public or home Wi-Fi network, you may get the annoying “Private DNS Server Cannot Be Accessed” response. This happens because some public network providers block public domain servers or your phone network settings will not allow connection to the internet.

In most cases, this issue may resolve itself after a few minutes, but it may take longer or never resolve itself. This is where we come in. In this article, we are going to take you through fixing this issue so that you can get back online.

Potential Causes of the “Private DNS Cannot Be Accessed” Issue

In most cases, the DNS Server your phone is currently on is usually the problem. In other cases, there is a conflict between the DNS Server your phone is using and the Wi-Fi network router’s DNS Server.

Resolving the “Private DNS Server Cannot Be Accessed” Problem

To resolve this issue, you can either switch off your phone’s Private DNS or switch it to the automatic option. Here is How:

1. Open the settings menu on your phone
2. Go to the “Network and Internet Settings”
3. Scroll down and click either the “Advanced Option” or “Other Internet Connections”
4. Scroll down and choose “Private DNS” from the menu

5. In the pop-up window, choose either the “Off” or “Automatic” option
6. Finally, tap on the “Save” option to lock your settings.

You should be able to connect to the internet. Open your browser or another app to see if an internet connection is restored. Note that choosing the Off option means that you are browsing the internet without a Private DNS. The Automatic option, on the other hand, connects your phone to the available DNS Server that will allow an internet connection.

There is a third option on the Private DNS menu where you can set your phone’s DNS Server by entering your Private DNS provider hostname. Third-party DNS providers offer free DNS services that you can use to protect your online privacy. Cloudflare and Google DNS Servers are some of the most used Public DNS Servers you can connect to.

This is the option to use if you want to match your phone’s DNS Server to that of the Wi-Fi network’s router. To add this option:

1. Proceed as above and choose the third option in step 5, “Private DNS provider hostname”

2. Type in “DNS.google” as the hostname to use Google’s DNS Server, or

3. Type in “1dot1dot1dot1.cloudflare-dns.com” to use Cloudflare DNS Server

By following these steps, you should be able to resolve the “Private DNS Server Cannot Be Accessed” issue on your Android phone and access the internet normally.