Is Google DNS down in South Africa today?

Sites fail to load after switching to 8.8.8.8

After changing DNS to Google''s resolvers, some sites stop opening — the browser shows ERR_NAME_NOT_RESOLVED or just a blank page. The most common cause is a cached bad response. Open a terminal and run: ipconfig /flushdns (Windows) or sudo dscacheutil -flushcache (macOS). Then restart the browser. If it doesn''t help, check that both addresses are entered correctly: 8.8.8.8 as primary and 8.8.4.4 as secondary.

Online banking throws connection errors

Some banks use DNS-based fraud protection that behaves unexpectedly with public resolvers. If your banking app or web interface fails to connect after switching DNS, try the following:

- Clear browser cache and cookies

- Disable DNS-over-HTTPS in browser settings temporarily

- Check that your router isn''t overriding the DNS set on your device

- Test from a different device on the same network

High ping and slow DNS resolution

Google Public DNS routes queries to the nearest server via anycast, but sometimes a misconfigured router or ISP tunnel adds latency. Run nslookup google.com 8.8.8.8 and check the response time. If it''s above 80–100ms consistently, the issue is likely between your device and the resolver — check your router''s DNS forwarding settings and disable any built-in DNS caching that might be conflicting.

Login page loops or fails to authenticate

Some services use DNS to validate session tokens. If you''re stuck in a login loop on platforms like Google Workspace or corporate portals, the resolver might be returning stale records. Flush DNS cache, then check the TTL values: nslookup -type=SOA yourdomain.com 8.8.8.8. A very low TTL with frequent changes can cause auth endpoints to mismatch.

Specific domains not resolving at all

Occasionally a domain resolves fine on the ISP''s DNS but returns SERVFAIL on 8.8.8.8. This usually means the domain''s authoritative server has DNSSEC misconfiguration. Google''s resolver validates DNSSEC strictly. You can verify this at toolbox.​googleapps.​com/​apps/​dig/ — if the status is SERVFAIL, the problem is on the domain owner''s side, not yours.