Fix: “Destination host unreachable” Error in Windows

Destination Host Unreachable error occurs when there is no route to the destination. It mainly happens when there is a problem with IPv6, which is the successor to IPv4, used for connecting devices to the Internet. Therefore, you need to diagnose your network connection to determine what causes this error to occur.

1. Power-cycle your router

The first thing you need to do is power cycle your router. Power cycling the router means disconnecting it from the electrical source. This often helps when the device gets overheated or overloaded with cache. Power cycling the router could fix the ‘Destination Host Unreachable’ error, especially if there is a problem with the gateway. To do so, follow these steps:

1. Unplug the cables from the router and your modem.
2. Then wait at least one full minute.
3. Then, plug the router and your modem back in.
4. Once completed, check whether the Destination Host Unreachable error has been fixed or not.

2. Check Your Internet Connection

After power cycling the router, we recommend that you check your internet connection. To do this, open any browser and visit google.com. If you can access google.com, it means the problem lies in your local configuration settings. However, if you cannot access google.com, then the problem originates from the backend. In this case, you should contact your ISP (Internet Service Provider) to resolve the issue.

3. Test IPv6 and IPv4

To diagnose the problem in the local configurations, it is always advisable to start with Internet Protocol (IP) versions. Internet Protocol (IP) enables users to connect over the internet using IP addresses. Internet Protocol completes the task of delivering packets from the host to the destination. Therefore, it is necessary to test IPv6 or IPv4.

There is not a major difference between IPv6 and IPv4. IPv6 can hold up to 128 bits addresses, allowing 3.4 x 1038 unique IP addresses.

1. Press the Windows key and type Command Prompt to open it.
   
2. First, type ipconfig and hit Enter to get the details about your network connection.
3. Copy the IPv6 address, then type the following command and hit Enter.

   ping -6 <Ipv6 address>

   

4. If it is showing the Destination Host Unreachable, then the problem may be from the remote gateway. To diagnose this problem, move on to the next method.
5. With the command prompt opened, type the ipconfig and hit Enter.
6. This time copy the IPv4 DNS and paste it with the following command.

   ping <IPv4 address>

   

7. If you are still not getting the response, then it means it is either a gateway problem or a routing issue.

4. Add the Default Gateway Address to the Destination

Adding a correct gateway to the destination host can also fix this problem. Destination host unreachable could occur when the destination host is not receiving the response from the router gateway. Therefore try adding a correct gateway manually to the destination host. To do so, follow the steps:

1. First, check if you can receive the response from the destination host. For that, press the Windows key and type Command prompt.
   
2. Open the command prompt and type ping <Default Gateway>.
   
3. If you don’t know the default gateway, type ipconfig and hit Enter.
4. Copy the default gateway and ping it using the command ping <Default Gateway>.
   
5. If you can access the default gateway, that means the connection between the destination host and the router is properly established.
6. But if you are getting the Destination host unreachable error then you need to add the default gateway address manually to IPv6 or IPv4, depending on which Internet Protocol you are using.
7. Click the Start Menu and search for Control Panel.
   
8. Open the control panel and navigate to the Network and Internet\Network and Sharing Center.
9. Click Change adapter settings from the left.
   
10. Then right-click the network adapter and select Properties.
    
11. Select the Internet Protocol version 6 (TCP IPv6) or IPv4, then click Properties.
12. Here type the correct default gateway and click OK.
    
13. Once completed, restart your computer. Then, ping your default gateway as mentioned earlier to determine whether the error persists. If the error is resolved, attempt to connect to the destination from the host.

4. Use the third-party utility to check the routing table

If you are attempting to ping from one virtual computer to another within the network, it is possible that you are not using the correct routing table for your server. To resolve this issue, ensure that all local computers are properly connected to the router. You can accomplish this by using an appropriate utility to check the IP routing table, such as Cisco Packet Tracer.

If you are still facing the ‘destination host unreachable’ error, we recommend contacting your ISP (Internet Service Provider) to properly configure the local configurations and routing table.