Seeing an “IP Not Found” error usually means your device, browser, app, or network tool cannot locate the internet address it needs to connect to a website, server, printer, camera, or another device. The cause may be as simple as a temporary router issue or as specific as a wrong DNS record, expired DHCP lease, blocked connection, or misconfigured network settings.
TLDR: Start by confirming the address is typed correctly, then restart your device and router. If the problem continues, flush DNS, renew your IP address, check DNS settings, and test the connection from another device or network. For websites or servers, verify DNS records and hosting status. If the error affects only one internal device, check DHCP, static IP settings, and firewall rules.
What “IP Not Found” Usually Means
An IP address is the numeric address used to identify a device or server on a network. When you type a domain name, such as a website address, your device asks DNS servers to translate that name into an IP address. If that translation fails, or if a local device cannot be located, you may see an IP not found, host not found, server IP address could not be found, or similar message.
The error can happen in several situations:
- Browsing a website: DNS cannot resolve the domain name.
- Connecting to a server: The hostname or IP address is incorrect or unreachable.
- Using a printer, camera, or NAS: The device has changed IP address or is offline.
- Joining a network: Your computer or phone did not receive a valid IP address.
- Running business systems: DNS, firewall, VPN, or routing rules are misconfigured.
Because the message is broad, the best approach is to troubleshoot from the simplest possible cause to the more technical ones.
Step 1: Check the Address Carefully
Before changing settings, confirm that the name or address is correct. A single wrong character in a domain, hostname, or IP address can cause the error. If you are entering an IP address manually, check that it uses the correct format, such as 192.168.1.25 for an IPv4 address. Avoid extra spaces, incorrect ports, or outdated bookmarks.
If the issue involves a website, try opening another reputable site. If other websites load normally, the problem may be limited to that domain. If nothing loads, the issue is probably with your device, router, DNS provider, or internet connection.
Step 2: Restart the Device and Network Equipment
Restarting may seem basic, but it clears temporary network states, expired leases, and cached failures. Turn off your computer, phone, or affected device. Then restart your modem and router by unplugging them for about 30 seconds before reconnecting power. Wait until the router’s internet light is stable before testing again.
This step is especially useful if the error appeared suddenly and no settings were changed. Routers can temporarily fail to assign addresses, lose DNS forwarding, or keep stale routing information.
Step 3: Flush DNS Cache
Your device stores DNS results to make browsing faster. If the cached information is outdated or corrupted, you may receive an IP-related error even after the actual DNS problem has been fixed.
On Windows, open Command Prompt as administrator and run:
ipconfig /flushdns
Then renew your network address with:
ipconfig /releaseipconfig /renew
On macOS, open Terminal and use the appropriate DNS flush command for your version. A common command is:
sudo dscacheutil -flushcache; sudo killall -HUP mDNSResponder
After flushing DNS, close and reopen your browser or application before testing again.
Step 4: Test a Different DNS Server
If your internet provider’s DNS server is slow, unavailable, or returning bad records, your device may fail to find the IP address for valid domains. Switching temporarily to a trusted public DNS resolver can help identify the issue.
Common options include:
- Google DNS: 8.8.8.8 and 8.8.4.4
- Cloudflare DNS: 1.1.1.1 and 1.0.0.1
- Quad9 DNS: 9.9.9.9
Change DNS settings either on the affected device or on the router. If the error disappears after switching DNS, the original DNS service was likely the cause. For business environments, make sure this change does not bypass internal DNS used for private applications or domain services.
Step 5: Confirm You Have a Valid Local IP Address
If your device itself does not have a valid IP address, it cannot communicate properly on the network. On Windows, run ipconfig. On macOS or Linux, run ifconfig or ip addr. Look for an address assigned to your active connection.
If you see an address beginning with 169.254, your device likely failed to obtain an address from DHCP. This means the router or DHCP server did not assign a usable IP. To fix this, restart the router, reconnect to Wi-Fi, check the Ethernet cable, or manually renew the lease.
If your network uses a static IP address, verify the following:
- The IP address is in the correct subnet.
- The subnet mask is correct.
- The default gateway points to the router.
- DNS servers are entered correctly.
- No other device is using the same IP address.
Step 6: Check the Target Device or Server
If the error occurs when connecting to a printer, security camera, server, or storage device, the target may have changed IP address. This commonly happens when devices are set to receive addresses automatically through DHCP. After a router restart, the same device may receive a different address.
Log in to your router’s admin interface and review the list of connected devices. Look for the device name, MAC address, or manufacturer. If the IP changed, update your application, printer settings, shortcut, or configuration file.
For important internal devices, consider creating a DHCP reservation in the router. This keeps the device on the same IP address without requiring a fully manual static configuration.
Step 7: Verify DNS Records for Websites and Domains
If you manage the affected website or domain, check the DNS zone records. The domain should have a valid A record for IPv4 or an AAAA record for IPv6. If the record is missing, incorrect, or pointing to an old server, visitors may receive an IP not found error.
Also check whether the domain has expired, nameservers were changed recently, or DNS propagation is still in progress. DNS changes can take time to spread globally, although many updates complete within a few hours. Use reputable DNS lookup tools to compare results from different locations.
If your hosting account was suspended, migrated, or deleted, DNS may still resolve incorrectly or the server may no longer answer. In that case, contact your hosting provider and confirm the correct IP address and nameserver configuration.
Step 8: Review Firewall, VPN, and Security Software
Firewalls, VPN clients, antivirus tools, and corporate security filters can block DNS queries or prevent access to specific IP ranges. If the issue began after installing security software or connecting to a VPN, temporarily disconnect the VPN or disable the relevant filter only long enough to test. Re-enable protection immediately afterward.
In business networks, confirm that internal DNS servers are reachable through the VPN and that split tunneling rules are correct. A common problem is being connected to a VPN while using DNS settings that cannot resolve internal hostnames.
When to Contact Support
Contact your internet provider if multiple devices cannot obtain IP addresses or no websites resolve even after restarting equipment and changing DNS. Contact your hosting provider if a public website’s DNS records appear correct but the server remains unreachable. Contact your IT administrator if the issue involves workplace VPN, internal servers, managed devices, or domain-based systems.
When requesting help, provide clear evidence: the exact error message, affected address, device type, operating system, network used, and steps already tried. Screenshots, command results, and timestamps can significantly reduce troubleshooting time.
Final Checks
An “IP Not Found” error is usually fixable once you determine whether the failure is local, DNS-related, or server-side. Start with the basics: verify the address, restart equipment, flush DNS, and confirm your device has a valid network configuration. If the problem points to a specific domain or server, inspect DNS records, hosting status, and firewall rules. A careful, step-by-step process prevents unnecessary changes and helps restore connectivity safely.