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The Specified Domain Does Not Exist or Cannot be Contacted [Fix]

6 min. read

Updated onOctober 4, 2023

updated onOctober 4, 2023

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There are a lot of reasons why your computer might be unable to connect to the domain. When you try to connect to the server, you may come across this error:The specified domain either does not exist or could not be contacted.

When you encounter it, this means that the specific domain that you are trying to access is not responding to the request. This may be because it does not exist or because there is a problem with the DNS servers.

It is responsible for mapping domain names to their IP address. When you type www.google.com in your browser, it uses DNS to find out the actual IP address of google servers and connects to it.

If you have a domain name that isn’t resolving, there are a few things to check. The most common issue is that you have typed the URL incorrectly.

Can an invalid URL causeThe specified domain either does not exist or could not be contactederror?

Having the right URL is essential in order for the website to load properly. If you are using a bookmark or typing it in manually, make sure you’ve copied and pasted it correctly without any typos.

First of all, if you’re using your web browser’s address bar, then you need to make sure that the website address is entered correctly.

Sometimes, it may become broken or contain an invalid syntax, and therefore cause an error when accessing the site.

If possible, try correcting the URL so that it is spelled correctly and has no missing punctuation marks or any other characters which might make it invalid.

Why doesThe specified domain either does not exist or could not be contactederror occur?

Although DNS addresses are a common cause of this error, there are many other possible causes. Many people experience the error and the instinct is to run through a series of troubleshooting steps.

Unfortunately, most of these are futile and can end up wasting an hour or two before you realize that the problem is something else entirely.

Some of the common reasons the error occurs include:

What can I do to fixThe specified domain either does not exist or could not be contactederror?

1. Use a different DNS address

2. Disable IPv6 and run several useful commands

3. Change the WINS Server’s IP Address

4. Tweak the Registry Editor

Could my domain be expired?

There are some things to check if you think your domain is expired. If you’re not sure whether or not it is, the most common reason is that it’s been inactive for a number of years.

If the domain has expired then the website associated with it will not be available and there may be a new owner. In this case, you can either attempt to contact them to see if they will renew it, or register a new one.

Provided your domain is still registered to you and you have made changes to your website but they have not yet gone live, then these changes may not have been lost.

However, if you have just changed your DNS settings through your registrar or web host, this won’t cause an expired status unless the change has been fully propagated through the internet’s DNS system.

All domains have an expiration date when they can be deleted from the name registry. The normal length of time for registration is two years, but there are tiers for different lengths of time that vary from registrar to registrar.

If the registration is not renewed within the grace period, it will go through the normal process of being released for new ones.

To avoid such inconveniences in the future, find out how you canget access to the best Windows hosting services that offer unlimited domains.

We hope that if you were experiencing this error, one of our solutions in this guide was able to solve your issue. Also, we have more onwhat to do if your domain is expiredso feel free to check out our linked article in that regard.

Should you encounter any other domain-related errors, do not hesitate tovisit our guide on how to fix them easily.

If you have any queries, suggestions, or comments, we’d love to hear from you. Leave us a comment down below.

Loredana Harsana

Windows Software Expert

Loredana is a passionate writer with a keen interest in PC software and technology. She started off writing about mobile phones back when Samsung Galaxy S II was on top of the world and she fell in love with tech of all sorts.

Whenever she’s not at her work desk, you’ll find her enjoying refreshing tea flavors, spilling stories on paper, and listening to the radio.

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Loredana Harsana

Windows Software Expert

Loredana is a tech enthusiast who tackles mobility, privacy, and networking in easy-to follow guides for everyone.