This site can't be reached: why a website won't open and what to check

Start with the page address and your connection, then check the browser. If the site is down for everyone, changing DNS (the Domain Name System) or using a VPN (a virtual private network) won't help.

How does the error code hint at the cause of the failure?

DNS looks up the numeric IP address (a device's address on the network) for the site's name. In short, it tells the browser where to connect. A DNS failure often prevents loading, but the general heading alone does not confirm it.

The code meanings follow Chromium's list of errors, on which Chrome and Edge are based.

"Took too long to respond" describes waiting for a reply, while "connection was reset" means the connection was dropped. To find out whether the culprit is the server, your provider or local security software, see our breakdown of timeout and connection reset variants.

Where to start if one site or several won't open

After each step, try opening the page again to see which action helped.

1. Address: check the spelling of the domain and refresh the page.
2. Scale: open several familiar sites. If many are unreachable, check your connection; if only one is, find out whether the site is down for everyone using the service's status page and an independent availability check.
3. Connection: check your Wi-Fi or cable. If the internet is gone, switch off the modem and router for at least 30 seconds, switch them back on and wait for them to boot. If another device on the same network works, the cause is more likely on the first device.
4. Browser: update and restart Chrome.
5. Incognito: open a new window in incognito mode and enter the same address. If the page loads, check your extensions and browser data.

This order matches Chrome's help documentation; the pause before restarting the router is recommended by Microsoft.

On public Wi-Fi you may need to sign in via the network's landing page; public Wi-Fi security is a separate topic that this page does not cover. Do not bypass workplace or school filters — contact the administrator.

Why does the site open in incognito but not in a normal window?

Such an outcome points to profile data or extensions.

1. Extensions: leave incognito, open Chrome's extension management page and disable them. If the site works in a normal window, re-enable the extensions one at a time, refreshing the page each time.
2. Data: if disabling didn't help, find the option to clear browsing data in Chrome's settings. Clear the cache (copies of page files) and cookies (site data, including login details). You don't need to delete passwords.
3. Protection: check whether a firewall or antivirus is blocking Chrome's connections. Fix the specific blocking rule; on a work device, hand the check over to the administrator.

Note: deleting cookies may end sessions on websites. Before clearing them, make sure you can sign in again.

An example scenario: a shop opens only in incognito. You check your extensions one by one and find the one that causes the error. You leave it disabled, and the site works in a normal window.

What to do about ERR_NAME_NOT_RESOLVED?

If there are no typos in the address, clear the local DNS cache: it may hold an outdated address or a record of a failed lookup.

On Windows, open the command prompt. Run:

ipconfig /flushdns

After clearing the cache, open the page again. The command is described in Microsoft's documentation.

If the error remains, try a temporary DNS server. This suits those who know how to change network settings and restore them afterwards.

1. Original settings: write down the DNS addresses and note whether the DNS server address was obtained automatically. Do not change your employer's or school's settings.
2. Replacement: in the properties of your connection, set Google Public DNS: 8.8.8.8 and 8.8.4.4. The path for your system is in Google's instructions.
3. Check: open the site by name. If it doesn't load, run Google's test with the address http://216.218.228.119/. If the test address opens but the name doesn't, the problem is related to DNS.
4. Revert: if the change didn't help, restore the values you noted. If the DNS server address was assigned automatically, switch back to obtaining the DNS server address automatically and remove the Google addresses.

Changing DNS fixes some address-resolution errors. It does not fix a reset or refused connection to a server that has already been found.

When should you check the proxy, VPN and provider?

A proxy server is an intermediary for browser requests. With ERR_PROXY_CONNECTION_FAILED, check the proxy settings of the system or browser: whether the specified server is required and whether it is reachable. Do not remove workplace settings on your own.

If the error appears only with a VPN, that is a separate problem which needs its own checks; this page does not cover it. If the site is reachable only via a VPN, provider blocking or a regional restriction is possible, but the test doesn't prove it: the route and possibly the DNS also change. Access via mobile internet doesn't prove blocking either.

If the site is down for everyone because of a failure on its side, a VPN — including CitadelVPN — won't bring it back.

Frequently asked questions about fixing the connection

How do you choose the next step based on the check result?

With ERR_NAME_NOT_RESOLVED, check the site name and DNS. If most sites don't work, start with your connection; if incognito helps, check your extensions and browser data. With a timeout or reset, find out whether the server and network are reachable. If the site is down for everyone, wait for it to recover. If, after restoring the settings, the entire internet is down, contact your provider or administrator.