RebekkahRoseRyan

Q: I have a new ISP. They changed how my searches appear.

I have a new ISP, and although I did NOT select their website as my homepage, now the results of my searches include their website page.  I cannot see where they are listed as my search engine.  Google still appears as my search engine, but my searches are definitely using their search engine.  How can I get back the Google search engine, and remove Century Link's search engine? Please help me? RRR

iMac (21.5-inch, Late 2013), OS X El Capitan (10.11.4), Mail app

Posted on May 5, 2016 10:45 AM

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Q: I have a new ISP. They changed how my searches appear.

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  • by chattphotos,

    chattphotos chattphotos May 5, 2016 11:20 AM in response to RebekkahRoseRyan
    Level 4 (2,434 points)
    Desktops
    May 5, 2016 11:20 AM in response to RebekkahRoseRyan

    Are you using Safari, Firefox, or Chrome?
    Have you called CenturyLink support?
    Tell them you're not having a positive experience with their search engine taking over your google searches.

     

    I do know that searches in the firefox address bar would be redirected to the ISP search engine.
    I have personally experienced this issue with all cable ISP's (Comcast, Cox, Charter, Frontier, Bright House, so it's not just CL)

     

    Have you set your DNS to Google's servers 8.8.8.8 and 8.8.4.4 ?

    This will alleviate the issue you're seeing with CL's search.
    https://developers.google.com/speed/public-dns/docs/using#change_your_dns_server s_settings

  • by Esquared,

    Esquared Esquared May 5, 2016 11:44 AM in response to chattphotos
    Level 6 (8,415 points)
    Mac OS X
    May 5, 2016 11:44 AM in response to chattphotos

    After above step it might be necessary to remove all website data in Safari->Preferences->Privacy (or, in case you're using another browser, clear the caches).

  • by leroydouglas,

    leroydouglas leroydouglas May 5, 2016 1:02 PM in response to RebekkahRoseRyan
    Level 7 (23,650 points)
    Notebooks
    May 5, 2016 1:02 PM in response to RebekkahRoseRyan

    In Safari you can make a change in search engine:

     

    pic.png

  • by BobHarris,Helpful

    BobHarris BobHarris May 8, 2016 8:08 AM in response to RebekkahRoseRyan
    Level 6 (19,479 points)
    Mac OS X
    May 8, 2016 8:08 AM in response to RebekkahRoseRyan

    I think has it right.  They are using the DNS server they provide you to substitute their search engine when you do a Google DNS lookup.

     

    Using System Preferences -> Networking -> Advanced -> DNS -> [+] to specify your own DNS server will most likely avoid their stealing your DNS lookups.  Try these DNS servers.  The first one you specify will be your primary DNS server, and any additional ones will be a backup in case the first one times out.

     

    OpenDNS.org

    208.67.222.222

    208.67.220.220

     

    Google DNS

    8.8.8.8

    8.8.4.4

     

    In most home settings, the home router acts as a local DNS server passing on DNS requests to the ISP provided DNS server.  But it is generally possible to configure the home router to use the DNS server of your choosing, so that all the devices in your home use your preferred DNS server.

  • by RebekkahRoseRyan,

    RebekkahRoseRyan RebekkahRoseRyan May 8, 2016 8:08 AM in response to BobHarris
    Level 1 (31 points)
    iPhone
    May 8, 2016 8:08 AM in response to BobHarris

    To BobHarris,  After more than 3 hours on the phone to Century Link where their technical support customer service person tried to solve the problem (unsuccessfully) by doing Google searches, I called Apple Support. I am using Safari 9.1 on my iMac 21.5(late 2013), and Apple support suggested what you suggested,  Unfortunately yours and their solutions did not solve the problem.  After confirming that Apple support was not using Google Search to look up a solution to my problem, Apple support suggested that I enter a space after a search word entered in the area at the top of Safari.  Doing the space thing after the word I am looking for does get rid of the Century Link contamination all over my search.  I am concerned that although Century Link CS personnel deny that their company has a search engine, the page entitled "website suggestions" is what appears after I enter a word I am searching for, and has a web page entitled "search.centurylink.com". IMHO this is a search engine.  I am also concerned that Century Link now has its fingers all over anything I look up on the internet, and I'm not pleased about this.  This company charged me for 10 mbps even though they knew they could only provide 2 mbps due to the limited space available on their hardware.  They mailed my modem to the wrong address twice, and after two days of poor internet speed, they completely turned it off, and left the area for 4 days.  This left me with NO INTERNET CONNECTION.  I know the minute they turned it off due to the Apple Support Communities emails I receive almost every minute due to the members I follow.  I appreciate the time you took out of your busy schedule to respond to my request for help, and thank you for all your suggestions.  They should have worked, and we don't know why they didn't.  Century Link is still in my Safari, but so far we have tricked it to not appear for the moment in my searches for websites. Thanks again for your time. RRR 

  • by RebekkahRoseRyan,

    RebekkahRoseRyan RebekkahRoseRyan May 8, 2016 8:12 AM in response to leroydouglas
    Level 1 (31 points)
    iPhone
    May 8, 2016 8:12 AM in response to leroydouglas

    Thank you for your suggestion, unfortunately, this option was already in place.  Although Century Link did not appear in that area, it was still taking over all my website searches.  We tried unplugging the router/modem, restarting the iMac 21.5, and changing the DNS.  Nothing worked.  It took adding a space after the word I am searching for to achieve the page with Google solutions to my search.  Unfortunately Century Link is still out there, and if I forget to add the space after the word, then they are back all over my search page.  Thanks for your time and suggestion.  It was the first thing I tried, it just wasn't a solution to this messy problem that even Century Link CS Tech support personnel didn't know how to solve. Thanks RRR

  • by babowa,

    babowa babowa May 8, 2016 8:21 AM in response to RebekkahRoseRyan
    Level 7 (32,056 points)
    iPad
    May 8, 2016 8:21 AM in response to RebekkahRoseRyan

    Just one additional thought: so you have Google selected as your search engine, correct?

     

    Have you UNchecked all other options (so there are NO "included" this or that)? Also, reset Safari (to wipe out history/cache/etc), and reboot the Mac after your changes.

  • by RebekkahRoseRyan,

    RebekkahRoseRyan RebekkahRoseRyan May 8, 2016 8:29 AM in response to babowa
    Level 1 (31 points)
    iPhone
    May 8, 2016 8:29 AM in response to babowa

    Yes, Yes, and Yes to all your suggestions.  So far -  adding the space after the word I am searching for is the only step that has been successful in removing a visible Century Link search engine from my searches.  Google has always been my selected search engine for Safari 9.1 in the Search option in Safari Preferences.  If I allow Apple to auto complete my search, then the Century Link "website suggestions" "search.centurylink.com" page is what appears after I press enter (without the space).  I was attempting to avoid doing business with Comcast due to previous disappointing experiences with their lack of service to my area.  This is the only reason Century Link was chosen as my new ISP, but their company's behavior is not any better than Comcast's.  Unfortunately, these two companies are the only ISP for my area.  Thanks for your response. RRR

  • by babowa,Helpful

    babowa babowa May 8, 2016 8:44 AM in response to RebekkahRoseRyan
    Level 7 (32,056 points)
    iPad
    May 8, 2016 8:44 AM in response to RebekkahRoseRyan

    I have CenturyLink and get the same thing IF I allow to auto complete the search - which I do not. So, the only time that thing comes up is if I make, say, a typographical error and then Google has no clue what I am looking for. I then wind up with the CL "suggestions" - they're not really search results, I look at them as suggestions since the search engines can't figure out what I am looking for. Have you tried not to have it auto complete or only pick one correct phrase from the ones offered?

  • by RebekkahRoseRyan,

    RebekkahRoseRyan RebekkahRoseRyan May 8, 2016 8:44 AM in response to babowa
    Level 1 (31 points)
    iPhone
    May 8, 2016 8:44 AM in response to babowa

    Because my Windoze Based Dell XPS computer was ghost hacked in February 2015, I have been very careful about what I enter in the search bar in Safari.  However after repeated reassurances from Apple Support Personnel that I didn't need to fear accepting the auto complete that Apple provides - using Safari, I have stopped entering the full website address in the bar at the top of Safari.  With my previous ISP, this didn't cause any observable problems.  Now that my ISP is Century Link, it appears I will have to revert back to entering the full web address in the search bar at the top of Safari on my iMac.  Thanks for the information babowa.  It's good to know someone else out there is as careful as I started out to be using my new Apple iMac.  Perhaps Apple Support should not be so casual about reassuring "new to Apple" customers that Apple's auto complete is completely safe and there are no worries about accepting Apple's suggestions.

  • by babowa,

    babowa babowa May 8, 2016 9:37 AM in response to RebekkahRoseRyan
    Level 7 (32,056 points)
    iPad
    May 8, 2016 9:37 AM in response to RebekkahRoseRyan

    I'm certainly not an expert on hacking, nor do I know much about Windows (I've always had Macs), but - even with my limited knowledge in that area - I don't believe you need to worry about hacking unless you have sharing enabled or allow someone else access to your computer. I simply don't like anyone or anything to auto complete anything I say/type - my idea of what I'm looking for quite often does not fall within the parameters of "norms" someone set up. And, since it is my computer, I like to be the one controlling it and its behavior (at least as much as I can). Having said all that, I don't think you need to worry about the auto complete - it'll just come up with things "they" think you're looking for. Just don't click on a link unless you know where it's going. FWIW, my browser of choice is Firefox.

  • by RebekkahRoseRyan,

    RebekkahRoseRyan RebekkahRoseRyan May 8, 2016 10:01 AM in response to babowa
    Level 1 (31 points)
    iPhone
    May 8, 2016 10:01 AM in response to babowa

    FYI, my daughter who swears by Firefox had me change my Dell computer's browser from Google Chrome to Firefox, and that is when the hack occurred.  Her view of Firefox was different from the one we saw on my Dell, but Firefox is confirmed as the place the hack came from.  I won't try her suggestions again.  It's why I only use Safari now.  Also I am the only one on my computer. No one shares my wifi or my computer.

  • by babowa,

    babowa babowa May 8, 2016 10:12 AM in response to RebekkahRoseRyan
    Level 7 (32,056 points)
    iPad
    May 8, 2016 10:12 AM in response to RebekkahRoseRyan

    You did say that was on Windows...... but, I understand your hesitation. It's just that the two operating systems are quite different with many security measures in place on the Mac vs. the wide open door on Windows, so it's like comparing oranges to apples... so, any third party software will also be different.

  • by RebekkahRoseRyan,

    RebekkahRoseRyan RebekkahRoseRyan May 8, 2016 11:56 AM in response to babowa
    Level 1 (31 points)
    iPhone
    May 8, 2016 11:56 AM in response to babowa

    My daughter's computer was another Windows based laptop. Do you think that her view would be different of Firefox because she has a different brand of a Windows based unit?  This was not my understanding of how Windows units work. If you think her view was different because she has an Apple device, then I misled you.

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