Problems using Address Bar to search using Google
In the last couple of weeks, when I've used the FF address bar to search using Google, I get a Our systems have detected unusual traffic from your computer message. Sometimes I can just click "i am not a robot" and continue; other times i have to complete a (or several!) captcha before i can proceed.
Also, whether or not I get an AI reply above the results seems entirely random. Before, it used to happen every time, but now I often get "thinking" and then a blank space.
If, instead, I open Google.com and use that page to search, I never get the "unusual traffic" message or a need to complete a captcha. But the AI 'problem' persists.
All Replies (8)
When you send a search for, say, Mozilla, from the address bar, does the results page have the standard URL? This is what I mean:
https://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b-1-d&q=Mozilla
As for the AI results, I haven't figured out when to expect them and when not to expect them, but I can't recall a situation where it started "thinking" and didn't finish. Maybe it had a senior moment.
Bonsoir
If it's not already experimented, nevertheless, you can use alternative search engine https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/change-your-default-search-settings-firefox
See also https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/questions/1614451
jscher2000 - Support Volunteer said
When you send a search for, say, Mozilla, from the address bar, does the results page have the standard URL? This is what I mean: https://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b-1-d&q=Mozilla As for the AI results, I haven't figured out when to expect them and when not to expect them, but I can't recall a situation where it started "thinking" and didn't finish. Maybe it had a senior moment.
Hi - thanks for the reply. Sadly, i have even more senior moments than AI these days!
I searched Mozilla from the address bar and for maybe a tenth of a second, i think i got the URL you mention, but then i got the familiar "unusual traffic" message on the URL:
Agent virtuel said
Bonsoir If it's not already experimented, nevertheless, you can use alternative search engine https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/change-your-default-search-settings-firefox See also https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/questions/1614451
Thanks, i know there are alternatives, but i just want things to continue as they have been doing the last few years as it's the most convenient way of doing things. I was wondering if it's Google's fault or something to do with the interminable FF updates we've had recently. Or something else.
autolycus1 said
I searched Mozilla from the address bar and for maybe a tenth of a second, i think i got the URL you mention, but then i got the familiar "unusual traffic" message on the URL: https://www.google.com/sorry/index?continue=...
If you are using a private window or blocking all cookies, Google tends to behave more suspiciously. Setting that aside for the moment...
To log URLs requested in the current tab as you browse, you can open the Network Monitor panel (Ctrl+Shift+E). That should list the address sent as well as the one the site redirects you to. This panel doesn't work retroactively, you have to open it before you submit the URL(s) you want to log. You can right-click > Copy Value > Copy URL on any row.
I'm not using a private window. I have the windscribe vpn add-on, but it's 'disconnected' and google.com is on the allow list anyway. When i run a search successfully, i get a notice on my PC (not my laptop) to accept or reject google cookies and i always reject. But i've been doing it like this for a long time without this problem occurring. I also run MWB, but i've tried quitting that and it makes no difference.
Using (Ctrl+Shift+E) and copy URL, the first two lines read:
When I right-click your link and Open in New Private Window, I do get results on the .uk URL:
https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=mozilla&sei=pqLsatnwF7agur8PyLTbmQo
even though if I try to open https://www.google.co.uk/ directly it responds with a 301 redirect to https://www.google.com/ (a 301 status code means "Moved Permanently").
So at least for someone sitting in California, it still seems to work.
autolycus1 said
I'm not using a private window. I have the windscribe vpn add-on, but it's 'disconnected' and google.com is on the allow list anyway. When i run a search successfully, i get a notice on my PC (not my laptop) to accept or reject google cookies and i always reject. But i've been doing it like this for a long time without this problem occurring.
Rejecting cookies set by the results page shouldn't affect receiving the results page, but it could be detected by the various script files subsequently loaded by the results page. How are you rejecting the cookies - is the page prompting you, you reject, and then the page rejects you? or a Firefox add-on or external software is intercepting the cookies?
Rejecting cookies set by the results page shouldn't affect receiving the results page, but it could be detected by the various script files subsequently loaded by the results page. How are you rejecting the cookies - is the page prompting you, you reject, and then the page rejects you? or a Firefox add-on or external software is intercepting the cookies?
When i got a 'successful' search using the address bar, a big notification with a load of verbiage came up on top of the results with 'accept' and 'reject' buttons at the bottom. Pressing 'reject' made the notification disappear and the results were accessible, with an AI summary at the top of the page. This notification came up every time i used search for the first time on opening FF which was fine; i got used to clicking reject, it took less than a second and search worked fine for the rest of the session.
Then i got the problem i've described, but now things seem back to how they were. Yesterday i went through my blocked/allowed cookie exemptions and speculatively removed several entries with the word 'google'. That seems to have done the trick.
Why this curious problem should suddenly start - or indeed (fingers crossed) stop i have no idea, but i'm happy take it!
Thanks for the trouble you took to investigate.
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