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Google.uk keeps changing to Google.fr when I open a new tab. I have tried all the fixes and refreshes, reboots etc, but have had no joy. Thoughts

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When I open Firefox I get Google.uk.. fine the first search in the first tab is OK, but when I open a second or further tabs and type in the search bar it automatically searches in Google.fr. I have tried most fixes and refreshes etc but have no joy. I AM on a satelite link for the internet and when you do a search and scroll to the bottom of the page it says ........ "Oradour-Saint-Genest - From your Internet address - Use precise location - " very strange when I am in Devon-England-UK but IP address check says London! Any genii out there with any in-cling how I can stop it changiing to Google.fr? merci.

When I open Firefox I get Google.uk.. fine the first search in the first tab is OK, but when I open a second or further tabs and type in the search bar it automatically searches in Google.fr. I have tried most fixes and refreshes etc but have no joy. I AM on a satelite link for the internet and when you do a search and scroll to the bottom of the page it says ........ "Oradour-Saint-Genest - From your Internet address - Use precise location - " very strange when I am in Devon-England-UK but IP address check says London! Any genii out there with any in-cling how I can stop it changiing to Google.fr? merci.

All Replies (7)

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Check your DNS settings and make sure your ISP is located in the UK and all looks legit.

The fact you're in the UK may not mean a lot if you use satellite Internet.

France is separated by only 40 Km.

I'd suggest to switch your DNS server to 8.8.8.8 (Google DNS).

Modified by mattcamp

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mattcamp, Many thanks for tip... but sadly this did not sort the issue. I posted a longer more detailed question a few minutes ago with more info. IP address of satelite modem is in London so know idea why I get a french location when I look at the bottom of the search page!!

"Oradour-Saint-Genest - From your Internet address - Use precise location - " is the location google thinks am at I but am hundreds of miles from it in the UK

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It's possible to have your home page set to Google UK but your default search engine set to google.com and get redirected to Google FR.

If you use the standard built-in Google search plugin and Google is redirecting you to Google FR, try:

www.google.com/ncr

That sets the "no country redirect" cookies and as long as you don't clear that cookies, google.com wont try to localize your results.

But if you prefer to get your results on Google UK, you can install a UK-specific search plugin from the following page and make that your default search plugin:

http://mycroftproject.com/google-search-plugins.html

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Kind Sir, I am already using /ncr on my google home page and still when you search you see it go to Google.com and then it still redirects me to .fr!

I have also cleared the prefs.js file before anyone may suggest this.

The issue is also, my wife's Mac had an older version of Firefox on that I updated yesterday and IT now does the same as mine but did not yesterday morning!! Hmmmmm! We are both on 56.0 !

NOW, if I search with Safari.... it sees me IN Devon where I am but Firefox does not. So there in lies the problem no!? Thoughts maestro!! (I have a hammer under my desk!) ;))

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Anotherusername said

Kind Sir, I am already using /ncr on my google home page and still when you search you see it go to Google.com and then it still redirects me to .fr!

Oh, I thought your home page was https://www.google.co.uk/. You need the /ncr on google.com in order to override the redirect through the standard search plugin.

The issue is also, my wife's Mac had an older version of Firefox on that I updated yesterday and IT now does the same as mine but did not yesterday morning!! Hmmmmm! We are both on 56.0 !

Strange. Maybe there was a change in a location-related privacy setting??

NOW, if I search with Safari.... it sees me IN Devon where I am but Firefox does not. So there in lies the problem no!?

If you use an IP address location checker, does it show different IP addresses or different lookup results between your different browsers? For example: https://www.iplocation.net/

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Ok, I thought the /ncr was on .co.uk. If I put it on .com I get US searches not UK searches!! zzzzzzzzzz! IP searcher shows me in London!! So where is the French redirect coming from?

Here is a good one. If I load Safari... and do a search it shows me in Kingsbridge Devon... exactly where I am! but Firefox either shows Unknown or in the middle of France!! Explain that one. Isn't technology wonderful.

If I strip Firefox off completely and reload can I save the bookmarks anywhere? May this be a solution?

Thanks in advance. J.

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Anotherusername said

Ok, I thought the /ncr was on .co.uk. If I put it on .com I get US searches not UK searches!! zzzzzzzzzz!

Yes, ncr is "no country redirect" so .com stays on .com.

It would be easiest to install a UK specific Google search plugin (link in an earlier reply).

IP searcher shows me in London!! So where is the French redirect coming from?

Only Google can explain that, but perhaps clearing cache and cookies will help?

If the site is generally known to work in Firefox, these are general suggestions to try when it stops working:

Cache and Cookies: When you have a problem with one particular site, a good "first thing to try" is clearing your Firefox cache and deleting your saved cookies for the site.

(1) Clear Firefox's Cache

See: How to clear the Firefox cache

If you have a large hard drive, this might take a few minutes. If you do not see the number going down on the page, you can reload it using Ctrl+r to check progress.

(2) Remove your google.com cookies (save any pending work first). While viewing a page on the site, try either:

  • right-click (on Mac Ctrl+click) a blank area of the page and choose View Page Info > Security > "View Cookies"
  • (menu bar) Tools > Page Info > Security > "View Cookies"
  • click the padlock or "i" icon in the address bar, then the ">" button, then More Information, and finally the "View Cookies" button

In the dialog that opens, the current site should be pre-filled in the search box at the top of the dialog so you can remove that site's cookies individually. You might change the filter at the top and clear google.fr while you're at it.

Then try reloading the page. Does that help?

If I strip Firefox off completely and reload can I save the bookmarks anywhere? May this be a solution?

To bypass existing settings/data:

New Profile Test

This takes about 3 minutes, plus the time to test your sites.

Inside Firefox, type or paste about:profiles in the address bar and press Enter/Return to load it.

Click the Create a New Profile button, then click Next. Assign a name like Oct2017, ignore the option to relocate the profile folder, and click the Finish button.

After creating the profile, scroll down to it and click the Set as default profile button below that profile, then scroll back up and click the Restart normally button. (There are some other buttons, but please ignore them.)

Firefox should exit and then start up using the new profile, which will just look brand new.

Does search/redirect work any better in the new profile?

When you are done with the experiment, open the about:profiles page again, click the Set as default profile button for your normal profile, then click the Restart normally button to get back to it.