Is there a way to go past the website's UA checks and always load their desktop versions instead of mobile? Asking because I already set in the preferences of all my phone browsers to always load the full desktop version and still, many websites somehow know I'm using a mobile device and force the mobile version.
Anyone found solution for Dolphin or Boat browsers? I've read about "about:debug" and "about:useragent" showing extra UA menu elements which in my case does nothing (android 6). I was also unable to find an user agent switching app that could always force Desktop parameters to the websites.
Even if there's no immefiate solution, I would like to know the principle websites choose which version to load irrespective to browser settings. Is it network/data/service provider settings, or specific browser/resolution signature? Thanks a lot for any ideas.
Menergy said:
Is there a way to go past the website's UA checks and always load their desktop versions instead of mobile? Asking because I already set in the preferences of all my phone browsers to always load the full desktop version and still, many websites somehow know I'm using a mobile device and force the mobile version.
Anyone found solution for Dolphin or Boat browsers? I've read about "about:debug" and "about:useragent" showing extra UA menu elements which in my case does nothing (android 6). I was also unable to find an user agent switching app that could always force Desktop parameters to the websites.
Even if there's no immefiate solution, I would like to know the principle websites choose which version to load irrespective to browser settings. Is it network/data/service provider settings, or specific browser/resolution signature? Thanks a lot for any ideas.
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If the problem is website's UA check, often you can choose an AdWay or something similar, on my phone i'm surprised to see as "auto check" some pop up, check and box.
But for what never stop working, that's need update every day...
There isn't much you can do in this case.
Sometimes in some browsers you've an option with whitelist or other but I do believe they can be related to the mobile display or desktop of a particular site.
Maybe there is an add-on xposed or plugin that I don't know
My problem is that some websites force the mobile version no matter what, as well as lack on services that I need in there, and you couldn't circumvent that in any way.
Yesterday I had to verify an email address and tried with all the browsers I have on my phone (like 5 different). They were all set to display the desktop version and all were forced into the mobile. But on the mobile you couldn't verify the link, probably on purpose (security if on mobile device), and I would not have access to laptop/desktop browser by the evening. The same is with many other features/missing services on forced mobile websites so I want to find a way to have full functionality when on the go.
Does AdWay have options for influencing data the browser notifies to the websites? Anything similar to Mozilla-code based Random Agent Spoofer browser add-on where you can basically force the browser to inject any incorrect data and prevent other data leaking while browsing? Any special cookie mechanisms inherent to mobile browsers only?
Alternatively, can I access browser settings with something like about:config/debug or else? Dolphin, Boat, others? I am sure the browser notifies the correct desktop user agent, there's something else, probably very simple, that tells websites the connection is from a portable device...
Menergy said:
My problem is that some websites force the mobile version no matter what, as well as lack on services that I need in there, and you couldn't circumvent that in any way.
Yesterday I had to verify an email address and tried with all the browsers I have on my phone (like 5 different). They were all set to display the desktop version and all were forced into the mobile. But on the mobile you couldn't verify the link, probably on purpose (security if on mobile device), and I would not have access to laptop/desktop browser by the evening. The same is with many other features/missing services on forced mobile websites so I want to find a way to have full functionality when on the go.
Does AdWay have options for influencing data the browser notifies to the websites? Anything similar to Mozilla-code based Random Agent Spoofer browser add-on where you can basically force the browser to inject any incorrect data and prevent other data leaking while browsing? Any special cookie mechanisms inherent to mobile browsers only?
Alternatively, can I access browser settings with something like about:config/debug or else? Dolphin, Boat, others? I am sure the browser notifies the correct desktop user agent, there's something else, probably very simple, that tells websites the connection is from a portable device...
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I use "user agent switcher" for chrome and it always works. It requires root though.
Can you provide an example of a website that refuses to show the desktop version?
And additionally, your build.prop contains your device's information. The browser might be transmitting that information to the website.
Thank you, the build.prop info was very helpful. I am not rooted yet as I've got my new phone just less than a month ago so still exploring, but can't really find the file, even among the hidden files on the internal memory. I will explore more and see how it goes.
I am in the UK so for example one of the websites that always loads the limited mobile instead of desktop version is the one of my service provider, EE, ee. co. uk (apologies for the intervals, I'm otherwise not allowed to post it). This mobile version is too basic and 60% of what you could do on a desktop version is cut. I've been on Three Mobile and sometimes I could get their full website working, sometimes not. Other websites are let's say bbc. co. uk and other media/news/bank websites that know, no matter browser settings, you are accessing them from a portable device.
Unfortunately I do not trust Google and any of their products so avoid voluntarily and (un)intentionally handing any personal data over to them. I would have used Mozilla for Android if it was close to the functionality Boat and Dolphin browsers provide. I even contacted the Dolphin team having previously assisted them but have got no feedback whatsoever. There must be a way for editing these unusual browser settings, but as pointed out above, I suspect it has something to do will submitting device ID info from within system folders. Thus probably only browser developers could tell us how the problem could be circumvented (and hopefully at least for now, with no root).
Or the developers of addons such as the Random Agent Spoofer or the user agent switchers.
Menergy said:
Thank you, the build.prop info was very helpful. I am not rooted yet as I've got my new phone just less than a month ago so still exploring, but can't really find the file, even among the hidden files on the internal memory. I will explore more and see how it goes.
I am in the UK so for example one of the websites that always loads the limited mobile instead of desktop version is the one of my service provider, EE, ee. co. uk (apologies for the intervals, I'm otherwise not allowed to post it). This mobile version is too basic and 60% of what you could do on a desktop version is cut. I've been on Three Mobile and sometimes I could get their full website working, sometimes not. Other websites are let's say bbc. co. uk and other media/news/bank websites that know, no matter browser settings, you are accessing them from a portable device.
Unfortunately I do not trust Google and any of their products so avoid voluntarily and (un)intentionally handing any personal data over to them. I would have used Mozilla for Android if it was close to the functionality Boat and Dolphin browsers provide. I even contacted the Dolphin team having previously assisted them but have got no feedback whatsoever. There must be a way for editing these unusual browser settings, but as pointed out above, I suspect it has something to do will submitting device ID info from within system folders. Thus probably only browser developers could tell us how the problem could be circumvented (and hopefully at least for now, with no root).
Or the developers of addons such as the Random Agent Spoofer or the user agent switchers.
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The build.prop is a text file which should be located in system/ folder. And you usually can't view the contents of that folder without root, so that's why you haven't been able to find it.
I visited ee.co.uk using chrome, and I was able to switch between the mobile and desktop version of the site without any issues, even without using the UA changing app. All I did was select "request desktop site" from the side menu.
I tried using CM's stock browser though, and just like you experienced, the same website refused to load in desktop mode. I even went as far as changing the UA in its settings menu and even that didn't work.
So all that you wrote in the last two paragraphs have been confirmed.
Right now, it's either chrome or root until the devs fix/properly implement their UA changing feature.
I was testing other browsers the whole morning here and finally reluctantly tried Firefox. Somehow its Android version never impressed me or was too buggy for me when tested before. Probably because just before going for it I tried Pale Moon and have seen that I can readily edit just about everything via about:config. The Pale Moon's UI settings menu was however completely missing (probably a bug), along with no other controls, so I had to skip it.
So I am glad to report that using Firefox's "Request desktop website" option I finally was able to load desktop versions of websites that were forcing me to always have their mobile one instead. This means that Firefix for now becomes my main browser. As suggested by you, I tried first with Chrome but with no success (using its internal user agent options). There were a few Chrome user agent switchers in the market but although some of them did not explicitly require root, upon starting them they did so I had to uninstall them.
My question yet remains, what exactly tells websites not to load full version, even if browser's user agent reports the correct values. I will leave this to me as I go deeper into this. Glad to have got what I wanted
Thanks a lot for all your help.
Just to add for all having my problem and using Firefox for Android.
By default Firefox will always load the mobile website version and every time you will need to tick "Request desktop site" if you dislike it. As I do, there is an addon called "Desktop by Default" that will always keep the tick on for you. You may instead try creating a new string called "general.useragent.override" adding a desktop OS signature but it won't work (tested by me) for exactly the same websites I had issues with above, so do use the addon instead. It will however work for all other websites that don't have issues with Desktop mode on other browsers.
There is another string that I disabled also called general.useragent.site_specific_overrides.
Tweaking with the Chrome for Android settings seems to require root so Firefox in my case is a God bless. I hope this is helpful to all others with my issue...
Related
Well I am using two different browsers right now, the stock honeycomb browser and opera mobile. Opera does seem a bit quicker, but i havent figured out how to disable the mobile mode when doing any search, so thats a bit annoying and i prefer tabs to the method they use for multiple open pages.
Anyway, i was wondering how i can setup a specific site to use mobile or desktop or tablet mode. I only see a master option. Is it possible to do this?
Sent from my Transformer TF101 using xda premium
would love this feature too
The newest version of the stock browser in Prime! v1.9 has an option for "Website settings", allowing advanced settings for individual websites. However, there is no way to manually add new websites to the list, nor is there a way to view or change the settings for websites that do populate the list, and so far I've only seen Google-specific services like Gmail getting their own individual entries.
Sleipnir browser may be what you are looking for
MACscr said:
Well I am using two different browsers right now, the stock honeycomb browser and opera mobile. Opera does seem a bit quicker, but i havent figured out how to disable the mobile mode when doing any search, so thats a bit annoying and i prefer tabs to the method they use for multiple open pages.
Anyway, i was wondering how i can setup a specific site to use mobile or desktop or tablet mode. I only see a master option. Is it possible to do this?
Sent from my Transformer TF101 using xda premium
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It appears that the Sleipnir browser has this capability to set user strings per the actual website. I just downloaded it today to give it a try. I have been trying to find a way to create custom user strings (spoofing??) to truly force the desktop environment, I have been selecting the included "desktop" settings on both the stock browser and Dolphin for Pad browsers and it works ok for some sites, but others it doesn't work worth a crap. I have also been STFA to find the actual text/scripts for adding into the stock and Dolphin browsers under their "custom user agent string" settings. Trying to find the user agent strings that I can copy or type in and implement, has not been very fruitful so far (If anyone knows where I can find the information it would be appreciated)
Since I just downloaded the Sleipnir browser today I can't offer any feedback but it may be worth a try.
LINK:
https://market.android.com/details?id=jp.co.fenrir.android.sleipnir&hl=en
On my rooted Desire i never had an issue, the roms I used included the user agent option in the browser and changing that to desktop ensured that every site I visited was the full desktop version and I was never forced to view mobile versions. The Sensation seems to be a problem though. I am able to activate the user agent setting in the browser but even when I change it to desktop there are still sites that insist on displaying mobile versions (mainly adult video sites but the odd betting site and i'm sure there are more). Is there anything else I can do to fix this? I have even tried typing various custom user agent strings, nicked from other browsers, in there but this still doesn't work. I cant help but think these sites are using some other information received from the browser to determine that it is a mobile device!
Dude, you read my mind, I was just about to post here after spending an hour or so messing around trying to stop the damn mobile view from showing!
Even if you change the setting in about:debug, going to www.google.com still gives me the stupid mobile version. This never happened on my Desire either! I think the Sensation is just bugged and changing the UAString doesn't actually do anything.
Im sure changing the User agent does do something, as it did stop some sites. Also if you got to http://whatsmyuseragent.com/ then change the useragent and go back, you can see the changes! I have changed my useragent to exactly the one that my chrome desktop browser sends, and still some websites dont work. There must be something else determining which site is shown.
Just out of interest, what is your Chrome UA string that you've used? Does it stop www.google.com from defaulting to Mobile view?
My User agent string is set as
Mozilla/5.0 Windows NT 6.0 AppleWebKit/535.1 KHTML, like Gecko Chrome/14.0.835.202 Safari/535.1
But it doesnt sort out google.com!
This question relates to a mango device (HTC titan), and IE9..
Bing is useless in the UK - I understand that it's pretty good in the USA, but rest of the world..it's terrible for search. So as a result, if I want to search on my phone I have to load IE9 and go to google..fine, no problem. I can cope with that until we can unlock the titan to the point where I can remap the search button.
The problem I have is that whenever I go to google, it always takes me to google mobile..never to the "full" version. The mobile google is not very good at all, as it automatically reformats all the websites you visit from it, stripping the formatting and often breaking the sites. That's fine if you are on GPRS, but on a full 3G signal with unlimited data (and a large screen!), I want the full websites.
I presume this is to do with the user-agent of IE9 mobile, but does anyone know a way around this in Mango? It's not just google that does it, many other websites force me into the mobile version too (meaning an exta click to get to the "real" websites). I have set the preference in the IE9 options to "desktop" website versions, but this has no effect whatsoever.
Curious to know if this is a bug (and that setting should work?) or if its something that we'll be able to change once we get a full unlock for mango? Or if there is another solution anyone is aware of?
Spud1 said:
The problem I have is that whenever I go to google, it always takes me to google mobile..never to the "full" version. The mobile google is not very good at all, as it automatically reformats all the websites you visit from it, stripping the formatting and often breaking the sites. That's fine if you are on GPRS, but on a full 3G signal with unlimited data (and a large screen!), I want the full websites.
I presume this is to do with the user-agent of IE9 mobile, but does anyone know a way around this in Mango? It's not just google that does it, many other websites force me into the mobile version too (meaning an exta click to get to the "real" websites). I have set the preference in the IE9 options to "desktop" website versions, but this has no effect whatsoever.
Curious to know if this is a bug (and that setting should work?) or if its something that we'll be able to change once we get a full unlock for mango? Or if there is another solution anyone is aware of?
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If you set IE9 to view desktop sites and not mobile sites, This is an issue I ran into as well.
Google finds IE9 as a mobile browser and defaults to a mobile version (this is a google problem, not IE9 problem). If you look on the google page, there is a settings, go in there and change it to a full browser and it should reslove your problem.
This is a google detecting the browser issue, not a IE 9 one. I have not seen this with any other page I have gone to.
My job requires company access to an intranet site that requires IE for access. Their solution for mobile needs is to haul an IE-equipped laptop around, but I obviously would rather connect in the field with my tablet via VPN.
All the solutions I've found via searching online have ranged from "you can't do that" to a virtual desktop that's way out of reach for in individual user. And due to the way the sites are built, only IE will work. This is not about choosing a different browser.
So does anybody know if any work is being done for those of us needing to use/emulate IE on our tablets? I know from my google searches that this is a common problem, so hopefully somebody is working on it.
I think that the only thing you can do is to have a laptop or a desktop at home with IE and access it through something like Splashtop.
You can also enable Wake-on-Lan on that PC so that it can stay off and it turns on only when you need it.
Check out Opera. I'm not sure about the Android version, but the desktop versions allow you to change the user agent (a string included with every page request that includes the OS you are using, browser, browser version, rendering engine, etc.) so that it looks to other websites like you're using IE. I'm pretty sure Dolphin also has this, and I know that there is an extension for Firefox that can do this, too. Whether or not it will work in your case, I can't guarantee, but it's worth a shot.
Solution!
The "desktop user agent" in the Dolphin browser app did the trick. Thanks to those who replied with suggestions.
Hi,
So I trust the AOSP browser but it's not the greatest security wise, It only updates vulnerabilities with the system update which manufacturers don't always do .
Chrome is updating regularly but I don't like the fact that it's googles, so lets say that I don't trust it.
Firefox sounds great but it crashes on my system (different thread).
there is also some UA browser from china but as far as i understand it has problems both in security and in trustworthiness (it constantly sends your info to some server).
Umm I remember encountering some more but they were all basically forks of those primary three .
anyone knows anything?
thank you.
I would suggest Private Browser by Keepsolid Inc. It may be a branch of one of your aforementioned browsers, but it works. I dunno, it receives constant updates, and it protects everything you do from what I have experienced. Try it out...
Link: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.keepsolid.privatebrowser
Sent from my LGE VS425PP using XDA Labs
thank you!
I may have forgot to add the word "free".
A free browser.
anyway, I checked it out and I'm not sure, it looks like a chrome version. am i wrong?
I'll admit, I'm a bit wary since this looks like a small company/unknown product. not much talk about them.
oy-ster said:
thank you!
I may have forgot to add the word "free".
A free browser.
anyway, I checked it out and I'm not sure, it looks like a chrome version. am i wrong?
I'll admit, I'm a bit wary since this looks like a small company/unknown product. not much talk about them.
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Well, I haven't used it. You might try using a low end private browser. Just search "Free Private Browser" in play store... You should get some results
thx
Puffin Browser or Dolphin Browser. I used to use Dolphin but it got buggy. I don't know how it is now, but I've heard they added Flash support. Puffin browser has Flash support and renders sites well. It also has gaming controls and a touchpad mouse control.
Firefox has the additional benefit that the uBlock Origin extension works. The Chrome version only works with desktop, not mobile
FanboyStudios said:
Puffin Browser or Dolphin Browser. I used to use Dolphin but it got buggy. I don't know how it is now, but I've heard they added Flash support. Puffin browser has Flash support and renders sites well. It also has gaming controls and a touchpad mouse control.
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thx for the response. am i to understand correctly that puffin browser direct all of your traffic through its servers?
also, do you have any particular reason to trust Dolphin or is it just general experience? (I vaguely remember the company was spying after user urls, or something similar, some years back ).
oy-ster said:
thx for the response. am i to understand correctly that puffin browser direct all of your traffic through its servers?
also, do you have any particular reason to trust Dolphin or is it just general experience? (I vaguely remember the company was spying after user urls, or something similar, some years back ).
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I don't know if Puffin directs traffic through it servers, but I do know that Opera Mini does.
Opera Mini is also a good browser. I'm on Tracfone (on my main phone) and I get 1200mb per year. Divided up, its 100mb per month. To add data it cost about $33.33 per gig. It's highly overpriced.
As for Dolphin, back a few years ago I was looking for a browser that would render desktop sites like on a desktop. Dolphin did better than Firefox for me at the time so I used it. It also had some add-ons that I used as well and the features were nice.
Chrome was to slow and buggy to use, Firefox was a little slow, and I didn't like Opera (not talking about the mini version which I liked). Opera got rid of bookmarks (which I more frequently used) and just overall kind of sucked.
If you're wanting privacy, you're best to stay away from using Tor ( the government recently developed a new system for tracking Tor users). I wouldn't recommend proxies either (as some are malicious and want to snoop). Use a VPN instead, there's many to choose from and some may be more private than others. Some are free and some don't require an app to use (as they use android's built-in VPN settings). Be sure to do your research first.
FanboyStudios said:
I don't know if Puffin directs traffic through it servers, but I do know that Opera Mini does.
Opera Mini is also a good browser. I'm on Tracfone (on my main phone) and I get 1200mb per year. Divided up, its 100mb per month. To add data it cost about $33.33 per gig. It's highly overpriced.
As for Dolphin, back a few years ago I was looking for a browser that would render desktop sites like on a desktop. Dolphin did better than Firefox for me at the time so I used it. It also had some add-ons that I used as well and the features were nice.
Chrome was to slow and buggy to use, Firefox was a little slow, and I didn't like Opera (not talking about the mini version which I liked). Opera got rid of bookmarks (which I more frequently used) and just overall kind of sucked.
If you're wanting privacy, you're best to stay away from using Tor ( the government recently developed a new system for tracking Tor users). I wouldn't recommend proxies either (as some are malicious and want to snoop). Use a VPN instead, there's many to choose from and some may be more private than others. Some are free and some don't require an app to use (as they use android's built-in VPN settings). Be sure to do your research first.
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Thank you, that is an interesting info.
In terms of privacy, don't you worry about Operas handling of your information?
About TOR I don't know if I wanted to use it but I am a little interested in the subject, what recent government technique are you referring to? I did a google search but I'm not sure what is new...
And you right, I do want privacy, but involving a third party like a VPN... Unless I'm on a public wifi... how smart is that? I thought about the old fashioned device-trusty browser-my router/provider antena -my isp- the requested website model...
Anyway at the moment I need a secure browser.
oh and thx.
Nathan2 said:
Firefox has the additional benefit that the uBlock Origin extension works. The Chrome version only works with desktop, not mobile
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yeah I wanted them, but unfortunately it always crashes on me.
oy-ster said:
Thank you, that is an interesting info.
In terms of privacy, don't you worry about Operas handling of your information?
About TOR I don't know if I wanted to use it but I am a little interested in the subject, what recent government technique are you referring to? I did a google search but I'm not sure what is new...
And you right, I do want privacy, but involving a third party like a VPN... Unless I'm on a public wifi... how smart is that? I thought about the old fashioned device-trusty browser-my router/provider antena -my isp- the requested website model...
Anyway at the moment I need a secure browser.
oh and thx.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't worry much about Opera Mini. It's really my only option for Tracfone, since the data is so expensive. Basically I can make 100mb last more like 1gb. However some sites break, and any video I watch I watch usually in 144p.
As for Tor, it can be exploited in a number of ways. One being malicious nodes. Another is by your mouse movements. https://www.hackread.com/tracking-tor-users-with-mouse-movements/
If you really want privacy, the best way to get it is to go completely off grid. Otherwise just abandon using sites that require sign in or accounts, cookies, plugins or other scripts, and use a VPN from a public place on a computer with an amnesic operating system like Tails.
Ok, cool, thank you.
At the moment I don't need to worry about data usage (wifi), but if ever the need arises, I'll keep your idea in mind.
As for the privacy issue, well, I think I'll stave off for a while with my disappearance from the world, at least until I'll learn to properly hunt for the most dangerous game...
But yeah, I get your point.
Anyway, thanks man, , and if anyone else has any more suggestions for secure trusted browsers, that would be great.