Some websites won't load while others work fine

Symptoms

• A specific website or app consistently fails to load
• Most other websites and apps work normally at the same time
• The problem site works fine on cellular data or a different network
• Error is specific, like a timeout or a 'site can't be reached' message for just that one destination

Likely causes

• CommonThe specific website or service is down or having issues on its own endIndividual sites experience their own outages independent of your internet connection.
• CommonStale DNS cache pointing to an outdated address for that siteIf a site changed its server address recently, your device or router might still be using an old cached entry.
• PossibleRouter or parental control settings blocking that specific site or categoryContent filters or manually added blocks can target specific domains.
• PossibleRegional ISP-level routing issue affecting a specific destinationOccasionally a routing problem between your ISP and a specific service's network causes access issues to only that service.

What to do

1. Check the site's own status using a service like 'downforeveryoneorjustme.com' or by checking their official status page or social media.
2. Try accessing the site from a different network, like cellular data, to see if the problem follows your home network or is specific to the site itself.
3. Clear your device's DNS cache (ipconfig /flushdns on Windows, or the Mac terminal equivalent) and try again.
4. Check your router's settings for parental controls, content filters, or a manually added block list that might include that site.
5. Try changing your DNS server to a public option like 8.8.8.8 or 1.1.1.1, since routing issues sometimes resolve with a different DNS provider.
6. Restart your router, since this can occasionally resolve routing table quirks affecting specific destinations.
7. If the issue persists only for one specific major service across multiple days, contact your ISP, since occasionally there are known routing issues between specific providers and services that they can escalate.

When to call a pro

Not usually needed; if the problem persists for one major, widely-used service across your whole network, your ISP's support line can check for known routing issues.

Safety