A short while back a colleague had told me how he got locked out of performing basic searches in Google. His blocking lasted about 4 hours, and he felt his only crime was searching Google too fast. When he told me I must admit I was a little mystified and bemused. It then started happening all over our network and the feeling soon went to one of frustration when the following message appeared instead of search results:
The following page is what you see when your receive the Automated Query Error -
We’re sorry… … but your computer or network may be sending automated queries. To protect our users, we can’t process your request right now. See Google Help for more information.
Note that Google copyright is 2009 which leaves one somewhat concerned as to whether there will be any current help resource etc.
Clicking a link you are then directed to a page http://support.google.com/websearch/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=86640&rd=1 that claims it has found unusual traffic from your computer network. It then provides troubleshooting tips. It advises checking for Malware using HiJack this. I have to admit at this point the frustration level was increasing and beginning to get the better of me. A quick walk outside for some fresh air soon restores my inner-calm. Okay let’s tackle the problem using their suggestions. We resort to using Microsoft’s Bing to search for some answers to our now pressing and immediate problem.
One of our pet hates is Malware and as a result we are fairly diligent about what is on our computers and server. We run a tight ship and constantly check for viruses and malware that may infect our computer network, checking with high grade root cleaning tools etc. We would be surprised if anything got past us – but, it does occasionally happen – it was not that long ago we got caught by the dreaded Babylon search tool that pretty much buried itself into all of our browsers. Removing it takes some superhuman effort and a lot of patience. However, it only served to make us even more vigilant. Still we followed Google’s advice and ran the enumerating app HiJack-This – a free program that allows you to view programs installed on your computer and easily remove malicious items.
Google then suggest after using HiJack-This that the user should update and run the three following programs as the use of Hijack This, this often exposes other issues:
I feel what we use on our systems is probably a lot more effective than what Google is recommending but to give benefit of the doubt and to be completely sure we covered every base, and downloaded their (Google’s) recommendations.
Note: In this time one of our computers started displaying Google results again, however, this is not due to efforts run on the other computer with Google’s suggestions. That computer was simply switched off for a while which then changed the IP address.
Starting with LavaSoft’s Ad Aware, I went through the motions of the installation process and ran the application. It scanned the root kit and came back with a clean bill of health – so far so good and all together 3 hours of time wasted.
Next up was SpyBot Search and Destroy – my computer was beginning to resemble one of those paranoid PC’s that have tons of anti-spyware programs (because some forum told them to do so) all conflicting with each other and bringing in more issues. Nevertheless I installed SpyBot and let it ‘do it’s thing’ on my machine.
SpyBot did find some old adware cookies that it cleaned up for me but nothing that was sending out automated queries and searches to Google.
My next port of call was to clean all Google cookies from Firefox, Chrome, IE, Safari, and Opera – reboot and still nothing.
The problem was still there as I suspected it would be. After a little research I was happy to see I was not being singled out and there were many cases of this. However, I don’t think it was because of what a colleague suspected insomuch we were ‘searching too fast’ It was something else – however, it did appear that when running a fast search from our network it somehow alerted Google and we would receive a annoying Captcha Code from Google that you have to type in to continue using its search engine. Believe me, when you’re running a business that is centred around the World Wide Web, it becomes infuriating having to continuously be hounded by the Captcha code.
Google says if the problem persists then your network administrator should contact us. They provide a link for additional information. Once there you fill out your name, email address, country, IP address, number of users affected, and date Google started blocking. Now you cannot submit that address if you do not submit your IP! It provides a pop-up window that goes to WhatsmyIP.org and lets you retrieve your IP address results.
I then submitted the requested information. It should be noted here that in Google’s drop down, for how many users affected it only gives you the following:
- Single user
- 100+ users
- 1000+ Users
Missing was lower number such as 1 – 10. (We are only 6) Just before I submitted the info I notice Google search engine started working for me again.
Getting blocked from using Google’s search results can be clearly disastrous if you’re running a company whose primary focus is SEO, PPC, and web design – I was keen to prevent this issue from occurring again. We felt that the PPC and SEO reporting software could possibly be the cause of this issue. It runs a lot of queries repeatedly in Google which may have given the impression of an overtly aggressive ‘search bot.’
We thought the answer was maybe to lower the amount of times it was searching and for a while this actually worked – until the problem reappeared again.
Well, your frustrations are over – if you just use parallel private proxy servers you’ll be able to continue with the task at hand without interruption. You’ll require multiple proxy servers enabling any automated software to run multiple reports at the same time, jumping from one IP address to another to avoid the dreaded block and even if one of your IP’s becomes jammed, the automated software will bounce to the next IP address and continue the task until it is completed in its entirety.
Obviously it depends how often you run reports as to how many private proxy servers you’ll require – for those working with SEO software we suggest starting with 10 and see how it goes. It’s possible to buy public and private proxy servers but if you go for the public option you’ll be sharing those IP addresses with others, thereby increasing your risk of being blocked early on. Pay the extra and go for your own private proxy servers is our recommendation. If an individual IP address becomes blocked many proxy server suppliers will replace that address with a new one. Also running your software via a VPS will help increase the speed at which reports can run.
We were recommended to Corgitech and worked with one of their team, Junaid, who was extremely helpful in answering any questions we had regarding VPS. For Proxy servers we chose Trusted Proxy’s (www.trustedproxies.com) who specialise in proxies for SEO agencies and are highly regarded. Again, their team are highly efficient and are responsive to any questions, as well as having great online support.
Hopefully this has given a little more clarity to this Google Block issue and now you’ll be on your way to stress-free searches for whatever purpose you desire!
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Is this still happening to you? I came here looking for a solution as the same happened to me several times in the last week. Google does not respond to support request. If you something better please tell me.
Hi!
I also faced the problem that Google was blocking my manually done websearch!
Google’s websearch was totally unusable for me! I had to reset/remove all cookies after every single search-request I did!
Here is my solution: Using Safari you have to install some cookie-blocking extensions (I installed Ghostery and SafariCookies) and set them to block cookies from www. google.com (or whatever Goolge-search-domain you’re using).
Using Firefox you have to setup cookie-blocking for http://www.google.com (or other domain) using firefox’ preferences.
Now I am able to use the Google websearch again…
Thanks for the info. We are still looking at various options including VPS solutions. I am going to try your solution for Firefox and see if I get any results from it.
Thanks
I’m still getting this error on my iPad using Dolphin Browser. Strange thing is, Safari on iPad works fine. Also, the date on the page I get is still 2009.
I am getting blocked by google as well while attempting to search.mmi am a single user using the AT&T network with an iPad. I am not doing anything fancy. I have had to use either Yahoo or Bing to look for something – and most of my inquiries are quite simple. I am 76 years old and don’t need the irritation and frustration this causes. If I am going to be blocked, then I should be afforded the capability to get in touch with some one from Google.
Do all those programs Google say to run work on an iPad?
Thanks
Betty, try clearing your cookies and cache.
To do it on the ipad, if you are using Safari, go into Settings, then hit “Safari” then hit “Clear Cookies and Data” (note: this will sign you out of stuf like Facebook etc).
Hope this helps
Since we wrote this post, several months have gone by and in this time we have switched to a dedicated IP address and moved over to BT’s business fibre service. When that happened the Google blocking stopped. We cannot figure out why this happened, no one here was using automated software to search Google’s search engine and we can only surmise that it is possibly a public IP. However this doesn’t quite add up either.
We are still hoping that whoever is in charge of that department will start reading their emails.
I am using a vpn from china and I have the same problem.
Do some of you also use vpn? Might this problem be related to my ‘jumping’ to several IPs everytime I try to elude the ‘great Firewall’ and go check my fb and watch youtube?
thanks
s
Got the same problem using Dolphin on my Android phone. Perhaps if enough people vote with their feet, Google might start paying attention.
Same problem with my iphone using the safari browser. I have been in touch with AT&T support and Apple support, no one knows what is causing it or how to solve it. Google offers no assistance and the suggested solution on their link does not apply to mobile iphone users (installing malware protection software). This problem has been coming and disappearing for a good 6 months now, sometimes it last hours and some times it lasts days. Currently it’s been at least 2 weeks straight of being blocked from google. The only solution I have found is switching to Bing. Way to go Google!!
Same thing happening to me here in the US on the AT&T network. Sort of ridiculous because I would imagine I am sharing an IP address with quite a few people. The suggested google fix as mentioned does obviously not apply to mobile devices as well so I have no idea what to do. Tried clearing history and cookies etc. turning off VPN. tried deleting the google app. Nothing. So now I am just using another browser. As James says-way to go google.
Having same problem with Dolphin browser on my GSIII. Dolphin AND Google about to lose another user.
For a single computer its fine to clear cookies and clearing cache.
But in a work-group of 35-40 Computers How can i solve this problem ??
In this Group browse are using with page rank, Web rank, seo tool-bars, alexa traffic, moz-bar plugins and extensions are using they are unable to work with out these toolbars.
How can i Fix Google Search “We’re Sorry” Error Pages
i am facing same problem with Google Search Engine….”we are sorry..”
any one can tell me any solution for my SEO Business… i have 50 employee. every one face that’s type of problem..
We have now updated the article with a solution for the problem – read from the heading “Solutions to the problem…” The problem as we believe is SEO reporting software with too many automated queries.
What SEO reporting software are you using? Do you still experience the same problems now?
We are no longer experiencing these problems, and have not for a while.