---
title: "ERR_ADDRESS_UNREACHABLE: causes and how to fix it"
description: "DNS returned an address and the network has no route to it. Common when a DNS record points at a private, retired, or IPv6 address the client cannot reach."
canonical: "https://lemwatch.com/errors/err-address-unreachable"
source: "https://lemwatch.com"
---

# ERR_ADDRESS_UNREACHABLE: The IP address cannot be reached

> DNS returned an address and the network has no route to it. Common when a DNS record points at a private, retired, or IPv6 address the client cannot reach.

## Short answer

 DNS returned an address and the network has no route to it. Common when a DNS record points at a private, retired, or IPv6 address the client cannot reach.

## What ERR_ADDRESS_UNREACHABLE means

 The failure is at the routing layer, before any service is involved. The browser knows where to go and the network says it cannot get there.

## Causes and fixes, most likely first

- The A record points at a private or stale IP address. Update the DNS record to the server's current public address. Private ranges are unreachable from the internet by design.
- An AAAA record exists but IPv6 is broken on the path. Verify IPv6 connectivity end to end, or remove the AAAA record until it works. A half-configured AAAA breaks only IPv6-capable visitors, which makes it easy to miss.

## How to stop it happening again

- Monitor over both IPv4 and IPv6 if AAAA records are published — otherwise half the failure surface is invisible.

## Check your own domain

 The DNS lookup shows every A and AAAA record returned, which is where a private or stale address becomes immediately obvious.

## Frequently asked questions

### Why does it work for some people and not others?

 Usually a broken AAAA record: IPv6-capable clients try the unreachable address while IPv4-only clients succeed.


## Related

- [All website error codes](https://lemwatch.com/errors)
- [ERR_CONNECTION_TIMED_OUT](https://lemwatch.com/errors/err-connection-timed-out)
- [DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_NXDOMAIN](https://lemwatch.com/errors/dns-probe-finished-nxdomain)
- [ERR_NAME_NOT_RESOLVED](https://lemwatch.com/errors/err-name-not-resolved)
- [Free DNS lookup](https://lemwatch.com/tools/dns-lookup)
- [ERR_BAD_SSL_CLIENT_AUTH_CERT: The client certificate was rejected](https://lemwatch.com/errors/err-bad-ssl-client-auth-cert)
- [DNS_PROBE_STARTED: Chrome's DNS probe is still running](https://lemwatch.com/errors/dns-probe-started)
- [Lemwatch pricing](https://lemwatch.com/pricing)