Safari can't open Google website

Question

DNA1977 Author

Level 1

8 points

Safari can't open Google website

For the last couple of days, my default search engine (www.google.com) was not searching, and giving me following error:

Safari can’t open the page “ http://www.google.com/” because Safari can’t connect to the server “www.google.com”.

I went through pages in support about problems with third-party plugins. I've tried un-checking "Enable plug-ins"; Resetting Safari; Emptying Cache; Re-starting Safari and computer, nothing has worked. Other search engines are working e.g. bing, yahoo. I can't open any of google websites from .com or .co.uk or gmail. I've just tried using Firefox and it also can't open google websites.

I'm using Safari 5.0.3 (5533.19.4) on a Mac OS X 10.5.8.

I had Glims installed on my machine, which I just un-installed it; re-started; re-set safari, but still can't open google website.

As far other websites are concern, so far all the websites which are in frequent use can open. Is there problem with Google, Safari/Firefox (browser) or my mac (virus or something)?

Thanks a lot everyone.

PS: Oh yes. I got update on Safari yesterday, is that causing any issues?

MacBook 2.4 GHz IC2D, Mac OS X (10.5.8)

Posted on Nov 25, 2010 7:57 AM

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Answer 1

Allan Jones

Level 9

68,696 points

Nov 25, 2010 8:57 AM in response to DNA1977

You are not seeing an apparition. If I enter "google.com" in the address bar, I get a similar result to yours in Safari 4.1.3 on my trusty old G4 tower running 10.4.11, but not with Safari 5.0.3 on my MBP 2.2G running 10.6.5. It also works in Camino and FireFox on the G4.

On the G4, entering a search item in Safari's Google window gets me to the proper results page.

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Answer 2

Nov 25, 2010 7:59 PM in response to DNA1977

HI,

From your Safari menu bar click Safari / Preferences then select the Security tab. Click: Show Cookies.
Delete all Google related cookies.

Quit Safari (Command + Q) Relaunch Safari.

See if that helps. If not, open a Finder window. Select your Home folder in the Sidebar on the left. Now open the Library folder, then the Cookies folder. Move the Cookies.plist file from the Cookies folder to the Trash. Relaunch Safari.

Carolyn 🙂

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Answer 3

baltwo

Level 9

62,362 points

Nov 25, 2010 11:53 PM in response to DNA1977

Drop the quotation marks. That's what's causing the error the URL is http://www.google.com/

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Answer 4

DNA1977 Author

Level 1

8 points

Nov 26, 2010 7:30 AM in response to baltwo

Hi Carolyn,

I tried both ways but of no avail. Still can't open www.google.com or any related website with google on it. Can't search or anything...

Wait, I CAN open maps.google.co.uk as well as maps.google.com and video.google.com, but nothing else from Safari or Firefox. Other than google, bing and yahoo and other search engines are working fine in both browsers. I'm getting the same error message that Safari can't connect to the website.

Thanks for the help though.

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Answer 5

DNA1977 Author

Level 1

8 points

Nov 26, 2010 7:32 AM in response to baltwo

Thanks for your reply.

That was an error message. Of course, me not adding quotes.

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Answer 6

baltwo

Level 9

62,362 points

Nov 26, 2010 10:49 AM in response to DNA1977

😉

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Answer 7

DNA1977 Author

Level 1

8 points

Nov 30, 2010 6:29 AM in response to DNA1977

I've just downloaded Chrome and tried to use Google website (www.google.com and www.googl.co.uk). It worked at the beginning then later on stopped - Same error saying website could not be connected. Later, I cleared ALL history from Firefox. Suddenly, I could access these website on Chrome ONLY. Again after a while, I could NOT. Tried again clearing the history from Safari, Firefox and Chrome, and then restarting computer but of no avail.

Is my machine infected with virus or something?

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Answer 8

DNA1977 Author

Level 1

8 points

Dec 3, 2010 8:16 AM in response to DNA1977

OK... I found a solution for myself.

I'd installed NetBarrier X5 and I was getting warnings for a long time that my computer got "scanned" by some IP addresses so I kept blocking them PERMANENTLY. But I was still able to use Google websites until a few days ago.

Yesterday, I was trying to access an online game website and I was told that I couldn't, so either I had to "enable" cookies or "allow" the IP address on my firewall. I went into Netbarrier X5 and it had a huge list of IP addresses blocked. I didn't know how to confirm which one was which so out of frustration I deleted all the list.

I logged into online game, so I tried Google websites... wooolllaaaah... it worked and is still working great!!!!!!!! So I presume it was my Netbarrier X5 causing some kinda problem.

Hope this works for others as well.

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Answer 9

Brhoome

Level 1

0 points

Feb 3, 2011 1:08 PM in response to DNA1977

Kakar, THANK YOU!

I have been struggling with this for a while now, i go to bing.com as an alternative, and from time to time i look for solutions but never found.

Today, you solved my problem. It was Netbarrier X5, i really hated that app now; i cleared the list of IPs that were blocked for trying to retrieve my phone number :/

Anyhow, thanks a bunch again!

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Answer 10

osecours

Level 1

0 points

May 14, 2011 10:32 AM in response to DNA1977

I had the same problem too.

I searched by using bing.com (fortunately MS search engin has helped me 😮)

I found a archived post https://discussions.apple.com/thread/2332104?answerId=11061084022#11061084022

I did what Carolyn said and I also checked the PeerGuardian app

but I don't think it's because of this app that my connection wasn't possible, because I rarely use it.

Et voilà, everything works now.

I'd like to thank Carolyn and Rave for allowing me to do not format my dear iBook G4 that I haven't formated for over 3 years!!! (I've done the whole backup of my iBook) 🙂

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Answer 11

DNA1977 Author

Level 1

8 points

May 15, 2011 10:23 AM in response to osecours

Thank you osecours.

I did go through that page and tried it, but unfortunately it didn't work out for me. I was systematically following the steps to rectify it but of no avail. I was messing around to sort out the problem until I deleted the "block list of IP address" in the NetBarrier X5. It solved my problem, at least.

I will advice people to go through steps mentioned on that page (and search for other remedies) till they have to delete the block list. Going systematically will tell the right cause of the problem 😀

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Answer 12

Jul 18, 2011 2:37 AM in response to DNA1977

its not working for either. the error says

Invalid URL

The requested URL "/", is invalid.

Reference #9.3dd9dd58.1310981689.48c70276

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Answer 13

ayhanap

Level 1

0 points

Aug 11, 2012 5:26 PM in response to Carolyn Samit

Deleting cookies solved my problem.

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Answer 14

DNA1977 Author

Level 1

8 points

Aug 12, 2012 3:13 PM in response to saadfromdubai

Is there some sort of firewall running on your machine?

You could also check your security, and if there are any "allow" list then you might want to ADD the web address. Or if it has "block" list then you could remove the web site from it if not removing the whole list.

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