DNS on the NETGEAR Nighthawk RAXE500 is the service that turns website names into addresses, and a DNS fault looks like an internet connection that is up but will not open sites, often with pages that say the server cannot be found while pinging an address works. The router normally passes its provider's DNS servers to your devices, and trouble comes from the provider's servers failing, from a setting that was changed, or from a device using a stale or wrong DNS.
The checks in more detail
First test: restart the router and the modem and try again, and check on another device and on mobile data to see whether the problem is the router or one device. Log in at routerlogin.net, open the internet settings and look at the DNS addresses shown in the status page; if they are blank or look strange, the router is not learning them from the provider. Try a public DNS service for a test:
in the Internet setup page, choose Use These DNS Servers and enter a well-known public pair such as 8.8.8.8 and 8.8.4.4 or 1.1.1.1 and 1.0.0.1, then save and restart the router. If the sites open, the provider's DNS was the problem, and you can leave the public one in place. Check for features that interfere: the router's content filtering or a family-safe DNS setting can block or redirect names, a VPN on a computer may use its own DNS, and a browser's secure DNS setting can differ from the system's.
On a device, flush the DNS cache: in Windows, run ipconfig /flushdns in a command prompt, and on a Mac, restart the mDNS responder or the Mac. Make sure the date and time on the router are correct, since a wrong clock can break secure lookups. If only one site fails, the problem is that site's own DNS, not yours. Keep the firmware current and note any DNS settings you change so that you can undo them.
Differential
Likely causes of “NETGEAR Nighthawk RAXE500 router cannot open websites because DNS fails”, and how to tell them apart
- 1
The provider's DNS servers are failing
What separates it Sites fail while an address pings
How to confirm Use a public DNS pair in the router
- 2
A wrong or blank DNS in the router
What separates it The status page shows no servers
How to confirm Restart the modem and router, or enter DNS manually
- 3
A filtering setting
What separates it Some sites are blocked or redirected
How to confirm Check the content filtering and family DNS
- 4
A stale cache on a device
What separates it One device fails
How to confirm Flush the DNS cache
- 5
A VPN or browser secure DNS
What separates it Behavior differs by app
How to confirm Check those settings
Before you touch a setting
Record this first — changing settings destroys the evidence
- Whether a ping to an address works
- The DNS servers on the status page
- Whether other devices fail
- Whether a VPN is on
Try in this order
0 of 6 completedRestart modem and router
ReversibleIn that order.
Read the status page
ReversibleCheck the DNS addresses.
Test a public DNS
ReversibleIn the Internet setup page.
Flush the device cache
Reversibleipconfig /flushdns on Windows.
Check filtering and VPNs
ReversibleWhich may override DNS.
Contact the provider
ReversibleIf it fails everywhere.
Model-specific
What is true of this model and not of its siblings
- Public DNS
- Well-known pairs include 8.8.8.8 and 1.1.1.1.
- One site
- If only one fails, it is that site.
Stop boundary
When this stops being a self-service repair
- !If every DNS fails and the connection is down, contact the provider
- !If only one site fails, the fault is not yours
- !Note any settings you change
Evidence ledger
Sources behind this answer
Exact questions
Common questions
What is DNS?+
The service that turns site names into addresses.
Is it safe to use a public DNS?+
Yes, many people do.
Why do sites fail when the internet is up?+
DNS may be failing.
How do I flush the cache?+
Run ipconfig /flushdns on Windows.