FLUSH – DNS Cache

Tech | Tools – More Reference Than Tool, MacOS Flush DNS Cache

A items to note, from time to time, you might need to flush… flush your DNS Cache, need to understand how your IP Address is acting and how to dump/secure/authorize computer code to start fresh.

Flush DNS Cache – MacOS

• Plain text: sudo dscacheutil -flushcache; sudo killall -HUP mDNSResponder; say cache flushed
• Or
• 1. Command  + Spacebar
• 2. Type Terminal, strike enter
• 3. Select to Open ‘Mac Terminal Application’
• 4. Type sudo dscacheutil -flushcache; sudo killall -HUP mDNSResponder; say cache flushed, strike enter
• 5. Terminal will request “Sudo” password, enter Sudo password, and strike enter
• 6. Assuming the password given is correct, the system will state “Cache Flushed as indicated in the terminal command
• 7. Command  + W to close Terminal window
• 8. Strike Enter to close out window

Flush DNS Cache – Windows

• 1. Ctrl + R Run Windows Terminal
• 2. ipconfig /all directing the system to flush all. For more information, you can look up more information by inputting ipconfig?
• 3. Assuming no superuser credentials needed, strike enter
• 4. Terminal will confirm, all released and renewed
• 5. Ctrl + W to close Terminal window

Although this post may be read as rudimentary, at it’s core, it is. However, the command is there, has been since the dawn of the internet, giving the user the ability to reset as the system is used. Similar Process for Windows, but this post will focus more on the need to flush MacOS DNS Cache. There’s a snippet/script there for your connection issues, specific to both MacOS and Windows for those of you who stumbled upon this post.

Experiencing lag? Also, before we take the dive, please understand, these terminal commands have been used for awhile, limited change over time. The only differences might be MacOS specific directing the system to ‘speak aloud – Cache flushed’ when command has been completed. Among other things, actions etc. Flushing the DNS cache just might be the trick for your Mac. What’s this DNS flushing business? We skipped the process to physically delete your local cache (not internet cache/cookies etc). I’ll post something about that as well.

So, flushing the DNS? Let’s start with the DNS – Domain Name Server… if you need more info on DNS, check out Cloudflare’s Definition of DNS, how it works etc. For the purposes of this post, the DNS communicates it’s(translates computer code) domain/domain name into ip addresses(computer web code via WhatIsMyIPAddress). Additionally, why is this important, DNS ultimately is what allows the web browser to load the internet/interwebs. That is the long and short of it, for far more information. Check out the Cloudflare article for more.

Here in a day or two, I will follow up with a post on WhatIsMyIPAddress… and deleting ‘local user cache’ files on your Mac. It will make more sense here in a few days, if you’ve not had a chance to troubleshoot your own computer issues specific to the internet, speed, lag and internet connections.