Hi Jester1111

Sorry to hear about this problem.

Firefox for Android doesn't just switch search providers arbitrarily.

Two guesses:

1) You accidentally or somehow forgot that you installed an add-on that does search on Verizon by default.

• In the Firefox for Android menu: check Tools | Add-ons and make sure you don't have a Firefox for Android add-on that makes Verizon your search provider or that Verizon is your default search provider.
• If you do have an add-on related to Verizon, disable it
• If somehow Verizon became a search provider, long tap on Verizonand tap "Disable"

2) Verizon did something strange. Not sure what they could do and how to cope with it but it's a possibility that your ISP (which I guess is Verizon) can do weird things when connected to the ISP's WiFi.

Followup questions:

• What Android device are you using?
• What version of Android are you using?

I'm using a samsung s4 with 4.2.2 on it. any thing else I connect to gives me the google search except when I'm on my home wifi. but the problem does not affect my computers in the house.

Hi Jester1111

Unfortunately i have never seen this problem. I use my Samsung devices with many many WiFis and none of them switch to that ISP's search.

If you go to a place with non Verizon wifi does your Galaxy S4 use Google Search? If so then there's something funny about your WiFi and it's not a Firefox for Android problem.

Also this does not happen on any of my home computers or on the other two browsers on the phone chrome and the standard internet browser. I would prefer to stick with firefox.

Hi jester1111

just to be 100% clear since I don't think you answered these questions explicitly:

1. you checked that you have no firefox for android add-ons that could cause this ("In the Firefox for Android menu: check Tools | Add-ons and make sure you don't have a Firefox for Android add-on that makes Verizon your search provider or that Verizon is your default search provider.")
2. if you take your Galaxy S4 to another wifi hot spot run by Verizon (or using Verizon as an ISP), is your search Google or Verizon?
3. if you take your Galaxy S4 to another wifi spot NOT run by Verizon (e.g. using another ISP to supply the bandwidth e.g. Comcast, AT&T, Starbucks, etc) is your search on Firefox for Android Google or Verizon?
4. Lastly what steps are you using to start the search? Are you going to google.com in Firefox for Android or are you using the built-in Firefox for Android search?

Hi Jester1111

Where I am going with the above questions is that whoever controls the network that your WiFi hooks into can change google searches or anything you browse.

Eg. here in Vancouver, Canada where I live, if you connect to a Shaw hotspot, then Shaw changes your searches by adding Shaw specific stuff. Not a great situation :-) but Shaw does that. (one could argue that this means Shaw is "breaking the internet")

So Verizon through their control of the network could take over searches when you are using a WiFi hotspot whose bandwidth is provided by Verizon.

Found the answer, ridiculous that it only affected firefox mobile and ridiculous that the tech support at verizon is oblivious to this problem when they seem to be the ones causing it. Enough of my rant thanks for the help and here is the link I used to fix the problem.

https://www.verizon.com/support/residential/internet/fiosinternet/troubleshooting/network/questionsone/99147.htm

Great jester1111!

I am glad that you found a solution!

I find it weird that Verizon's DNS "tampering" doesn't affect other browsers. The only reason I could think it wouldn't affect other browsers is that they do some sort of DNS hardcoding.