How to flush DNS cache?

Rate this item
(8 votes)

All major operating systems automatically cache the domain names IP Address and some other DNS records. Therefore sometimes when you are trying to visit a certain domain/website your operating system is actually pulling up an old IP address and old DNS records. Usually you need to wait up to 24 hours until these records dropped from the cache automatically. To quickly resolve the cached DNS problem you need to force this process and flush DNS cache. Please do the following steps:

For Microsoft Windows 7 and Windows Vista Operating Systems:

1. Close all your applications (e.g. web browsers and/or email clients).
2. Click the "Start" menu in the left bottom corner of your screen.
3. Go to All Programs > Accessories and look for Command Prompt.
4. Right click on Command Prompt and choose "Run as Administrator".
5. In the opened command window type ipconfig /flushdns.
6. Press the "Enter" key on your keyboard and wait until it finished.
7. Close the command window and Restart your applications (e.g. web browsers and/or email clients).

For Microsoft Windows XP Operating System:

1. Close all your applications (e.g. web browsers and/or email clients).
2. Click the "Start" menu in the left bottom corner of your screen.
3. Find and click "Run…" command..
4. In the opened run window type cmd and click "OK".
5. In the opened command window type ipconfig /flushdns.
6. Press the "Enter" key on your keyboard and wait until it finished.
7. Close the command window and Restart your applications (e.g. web browsers and/or email clients).

For Mac OSX Operating System:

1. Close all your applications (e.g. web browsers and/or email clients).
2. Go to your Applications Folder.
3. Open "Utilities", and double click on the "Terminal".
4. Type the dscacheutil -flushcache command and press "Enter" key.
5. Then type the lookupd -flushcache command and press "Enter" key again.
6. Sometimes you may see that either command return the "Not found" message. Don't worry about it.
7. Restart your applications (e.g. web browsers and/or email clients).

For Linux Operating System:

1. Close all your applications (e.g. web browsers and/or email clients).
2. Press "Ctrl" and "T" in gnome to open up a root terminal window.
3. Type the /etc/init.d/nscd restart command and press "Enter" key.
4. Restart your applications (e.g. web browsers and/or email clients).

Feel free to open support ticket through your client area if you have any questions and/or need help.

Read 13790 times