# "could not translate host name": diagnose and fix
## Symptom
`could not translate host name "[host]" to address` (or the driver's DNS equivalent) on every connect attempt.
## Cause (check in order)
1. The hostname was hand-typed or hand-edited: a typo, a missing segment, or a `-pooler` suffix added/removed wrongly.
2. The branch or endpoint was deleted or renamed; the string points at something that no longer exists.
3. Local DNS issues (rare; everything else resolves).
## Confirm
1. `nslookup [host]` fails while other names resolve: it is the string, not your network.
2. Compare character-by-character against the Connect modal in the Console for the current branch.
## Fix
- Copy the connection string fresh from the Console; do not reconstruct it by memory.
- If the branch was deleted, recreate it or repoint the app at the right branch.
- Pin connection strings in secret management so they cannot drift by hand-edit.
## Verify
DNS resolves and `psql` connects with the exact string the app uses.