Internet redirects me when I try certain websites

[insanekyo]

Hi, I've only been a customer for 2 days I've been experiencing a crucial problem. Websites I visited would redirect me. For example, when I go to www.ebay.com, I would be redirected www.ebay.com/cgi-bin/redirect.ha/. I can still visit other parts of ebay, just not the main part. Not a big deal for ebay but then there's other sites that are news aggregator where all the website content is on the main page I'm trying to access. For example, eventhubs.com would redirect me to eventhubs.com/cgi-bin/redirect.ha/. Any help?

[bilbaraski]

I have the same problem with w7/ie9. It happens after the router malfunctions, decides it needs to reboot and you get that your internet connection is having problems diagnostic page. The page that you were on then is stuck always going to the "diagnostic" cgi-bin redirect page. To fix the problem, I go to "InPrivate" browsing and open the effected webiste where there  i can view the page normally. After that I can open IE back up in normal mode and the pages opens.

Clearing the temporary internet files and flushing the DNS entries do not fix the problem. I haven't tried to see if deleting cookies does however that would be a poor fix if it did.

[anwear]

Hi everyone. I got the same error. I do know that the power had gone out in the house, so the Uverse modem had reset itself. There were two ways I found to fix it. First, if your computer has a wireless card, disconnect the ethernet cable. The reaction only seems to occur over an ethernet line. Second, clearing the internet cache did work (in Firefox). I would assume it would do the same thing in google chrome and IE (clearing cookies here). It is not an ideal solution, but it does stop the redirect and get the lights next to ethernet to stop blinking.

Hope that helps.

[benthorne]

I have this same "redirect.ha" problem on my homepage. I spoke to tech support and it was the first he had heard  of it although this is clearly a known problem with the Uverse NVG510 router.  I have figured out a "work-a-round" for my laptop using wifi but my desktop not so much.  I have dumped cookies, cache, etc...but to no avail.  Anyone know how to deal with this issue yet?

[tritone]

Clearing the browser cache through F12 Developer Tools worked for me (after a day of cursing the newly installed nvg510).

[davd_bob]

Hi. I'm and IT guy and I've been dealing with this for 4 months now.  I fix lots of problems on lots of computers for lots of people, and this is not a virus or broken computer.

Clearing the cache/cookies is one solution.  Some people do something with the InPrivate setting...but I haven't done that method. In IE9( what I am using right now) you hit:

 Tools

 Internet options

 Delete button(in the Browsing History section)

 This will bring up a box.  You have to UNcheck the very top box about preserving favorite website data. Check the other six boxes, then hit delete.

When  done, close your browser then when you re-open it it should work.

Its happened to me on my 6 netbooks, notebooks, desktop computers.  I've used Win7 Pro, Win7 Home Premium,  XP Pro,  XP Home, and Vista.  IE8 and IE9. I see people with the same problem on Safari, FireFox, Google Chrome, IE8 or IE9 or what ever browser someone happens to be using.

Here is what I've been able to figure out, but haven't found a solution to prevent it.

  1) The U-verse modem looses external connection. Maybe a momentary power loss, or lightning strike, or a hicup in the fiber optic cable or who knows what. It doesn't matter what the reason, the result is the same.

  2) The U-verse NGV510 modem tells whatever browser is running on whatever OS, to redirect to that /cgi-bin/redirect.ha error message.  The router sends a cookie at the same time.

  3) From that moment until the cache is cleared, the cookie redirects whatever webpage was being viewed to the same error ...even though the stupid router may have reestablished connection to the outside world again.  In fact, I've even changed to a working "cable modem" network and still got the error until I cleared the cache.

  4) Call AT&T Tech support and they tell you you have a virus, or something is wrong with your computer or that this is in some way your software's fault, AND they never heard of this before.  Then they guide you through clearing the cookies.

  5) With the cache cleared, and the system accessing Google, Yahoo, eBay or whatever website you were on when the problem started again(until the next time) the technician says problem solved, and moves on to his next call.

Don't get me wrong, the AT&T Technician is a real person and does actually care, but AT&T limits what he/she can tell you and and do for you.  I'm pretty sure AT&T has the U-verse routers set up to do this on purpose so if you don't pay your bill and they shut off your service, you will get this /cgi-bin/redirect.ha page and call in...so they can get you to pay your bill.

Hope this helps, and hope enough people complain to AT&T so they revise the firmware in the NVG-510 routers.

David

[etcs09]

Thanks David for the great explaination.  

I'm using Vista-64 & Chrome.  The NVG510 router BREAKS my bookmarks by appending "\CGI-BIN\Redirect.ha" to every click links to the domain.  The router has messed up links for Youtube, Craigslist, Ebay etc.  

Your explaination of a router created cookie explains why the error persists after the WAN connection has been restored.  I was forced to give up my 2Wire 2701HG which is obviously a superior piece of equipment.

This Motorola-ATT piece of junk won't allow custom DNS settings and also reveils the WIFI password and local attached hardware with out password protection.  Very unfortunate we are forced to pay money for this garbage.  

http://www.networkworld.com/columnists/2012/031412-gearhead.html

regards Todd

[jimbobka]

I just got talked into U-Verse and am already regretting it - been without Internet now for six days.  The first thing to happen is this redirect on my home page, which led me to this forum.  So even if I am at work now, when I open Chrome, I get this stupid redirect even though U-Verse is not yet working at home.  AT&T has been very nice on the phone, but still has done nothing to get me running - promises of a tech have simply not materialized.  I am about to switch to Comcast!

[mootown2]

my AT&T DSL has always been just short of terrible enough to switch (if I weren't a bundled services customer, I probably would have by now) ... we've had 2 or 3 tech service calls, the loop in our neighborhood partially redone so that we're not on the end, hours and hours of me trying to help/fix it, speeds raised/lowered, etc. trying to find a stable working connection ... latest effort along these lines was letting ourselves get 'upsold' to U-verse from FastAccess ... new Motorola NV510 so far seems even worse than the 2wire ones ... at least, I could shake the error messages more easily ... I've been getting the cgi-bin/redirect or cgi-bin/ipdiag error almost constanly since self-installing ... the first trick I figured out was that you could still get some websites to load by using https:// ... it would display the 'secure' version of the website without redirecting to the diagnostics - this greatly limits what you can do on the internet though so it wasn't a perfect fix ... this post and others helps some as clearing the internet history and resetting the modem does seem to help at least for a little while ... still a hassle to have to do this a couple times a day

[kellmenj]

Once I realized how dumb the gateway was, I resolved not to use it but for the bare minimum requirements I have for it.

I plugged my old 4-port wireless router into the gateway, and told the gateway to DHCP in one range, and the old router to DHCP in another.  Then shutdown wireless on the gateway.  Now I have settings exactly like I had before I switched to U-verse internet, except for the subject of this thread.  Redirecting your urls is a way for ATT to dumb things down while making it look like connection problems are your fault.

I've had connection problems twice in the month I've had Uverse, both late evening, both times my redirected url "cgi-bin/redirect.ha" brought me to a diagnostic page saying it's probably because I don't have a filter on one of my phones.  Seriously?  Their own diagnostic traceroute shows 0 packetloss until the 3rd or 4th hop into ATT's network.

Some aspects of the service you're stuck with, but don't let their stupid gateway compromise your network and home computers.  Enforce your own rules.

[RetiredGI]

Connecting another router behind the NGV510 won't fix the problem.  It'll still hijack your browser cache and basically hose your home page connections.  When I was on DSL, I replaced the 2-wire because of this.  Now I'm on Uverse and don't have that option.  It's really irritating to lose my configuration just because of a router reset.  I have some cookies that I don't want deleted (Security with sites) and when I dump them, I can't reach some sites without updating the security each one again. 

It's really a pain and AT&T needs to at least make the cookies nonpersistent so a reboot would clear the problem. 

[RetiredGI]

I just found a fix on another site that fixes the problem without clearing all of the cookies.  If only some of the sites are hosed, you can remove the individual cookies by using InPrivate browsing.  Start a browser session (Works with IE 8 & 9) and press Ctl+Shift+P.  This opens a new browser window.  Open the sites which are being redirected.  The site will open normally.  When you close the InPrivate browser session, the cookies are deleted.  Opening a new session will then work normally.  It's a little bit like going around your elbow to get back to your thumb (From your finger).  This redirect cookie is coded in most if not all of the AT&T routers to notify the user that the router has a connection problem (We're too stupid to deduce this by all the connection errors) but there's no cleanup coded into the router (Cookie is persistent).

[Roundtone]

1. Call UVERSE tech support 

2. Have them disable IPv6 for your service (which comes turned on)

3. Clear history, cookies and cache in your browser

4. Enjoy your service

[asdz]

I'm having the same problem ever since I "upgraded" to this U-Verse thing. Presumably, I'd be getting lightening fast speeds. I guess it is so fast that the service ran out the door = \

I do get connected to the internet, but I keep getting this cgi-bin/redirect.ha very often. I couldn't use my internet last night, because the browser kept sening me to diagnostics, stating that my DSL filters probably aren't hooked right. I've been having this problem with both of my desktops. With my new desktop, which runs Windows 7, I can barely get a stable connection even though all the lights on the router are solid green. I get "page cannot be displayed." I hooked on my old computer running Windows XP, and I do get a more stable connection; however, I do get the diagnostics page on me very often.

I did call Tech Support, and they sent me a new modem, but I'm still having the same problems. What do I do? Switch to Comcast???

[mdluke]

Decided to join the group.  While I am not a computer tech person, I have enough knowledge to know that this message was not my computer.  The "funny" thing was that my home page was for att and I kept getting the same message.  I searched for what is cgi-bin/redirect.ha and I found these 14 messages.  I sure was glad because I was about decide my "new" computer was the problem--even though I was pretty sure it was not.  So, I cleared the browsing history and it worked. . .this time. 

I was also trying to connect with my Ipad, my ipod touch, and my iphone.  I would sometimes get the message and sometimes it would work. 

This is crazy.  Will I have to deal with this on a continuous basis?

[Roundtone]

Have AT&T Uverse support force off IPv6. This works!

[mdluke]

Tried the suggestion from Retired GI and it worked. At least for now. . .hope it does next time--and I am sure there will be a next time! Thanks.

[mdluke]

I have been dealing with problems with UVerse since July 9.  The 4th technician left yesterday and everything worked for approximately 24 hours. . .then I lost connection.  Once the connection is lost, a whole set of new problems occur.  I have lost count of the hours and number of support people to whom I have talked since July 9.  I am sure by now they have a name for me.  Today, I probably spent an hour and a half getting reconnected.  My question, am I going to have to unplug "everything" when I lose connection everytime?  How ridiculous!  One suggestion was to move the router at least 3 feet from the computer. . .so I have moved it.  We will see.

After I got reconnected, I started getting the cgi-bin/redirect message on "some" websites (again).  Of course, according to my newest contact at AT&T, it is my software issue and for a charge they will help me resolve it.  So, I got transferred to a new person and by now I am ready to scream because I know that it is not my software but something that is happening as a result of losing connection.  I finally just told him that AT&T had a piece of junk and I was tired of them wanting to put the blame on my computer.  I also told them I was not paying them one more dime.  By the way, I signed up for self-installation and now they are trying to charge me the $149.  Yesterday, they agreed to remove the charge but as of today it is still on my account!  My question, does this sound like they have done anything?

I decided to look at the forum from my Verizon Iphone to see if there were any suggestions for the cgi-bin/redirect.ha.  I tried RetiredGI's suggestion and it worked on IE9.  I then had to do the same thing on my Ipad and Ipod touch.  My learning curve is straight up right now!  Thanks RetiredGI.

By the way, I did try to get them to disable the ipv6 and I guess they think I am stupid because they act like they do not know what/where ipv6 is.  However, I did find a place you could do it yourself.

Right now, I am on my desktop and all appears to be working.  The ipad and the Ipod are also working.  Now to try and rearrange the computer desk to accommodate the 3 feet.

[mdluke]

Update:  Internet worked from Friday around 3:00 pm until around 8:00 am Sunday.  I was on my Ipod and lost connection.   I went to the desktop.  I could get to some websites but most go to the IP diagnostics page. . .wireless does not work at all.  I called the 1-800-288-2020 number again.  This time I got someone who was very helpful.  According to this very helpful young man, it appears there is a weak signal to my house.  Technician #5 will be at my house in the morning.

I checked at various times during the day and there would be no improvement. . .until around 6:00 pm at which time the internet is back up and working.  So, I guess the technician will be here in the morning and now it is working.  I am at loss and do not know what to do next.

[he1us · Accepted solution]

The suggestion to delete thoroughly the IE Browser cache, cookies, and browser site history is good advice, but one thing is missing in this delete. We must check the Preserve Favorites Web Sites data and include this in the delete.  We normally would leave out this top offering in the delete because this Favorites Web Site data speeds the URLs when clicking a favorite.  This will reset and begin speeding up the favorites in a very short time.  This appears to solve the problem.  We'll see over time.  Hope this helps most you out there.

[Roselienjessie]

May be its due to some virus also, have you tried for a scan using a good antivirus?

[JohnMcGinnis]

I have had two new AT&T U-verse installtions in the last 3 months and BOTH have resulted with the redirect virus being installed on computers connected to the network while access the Internet during a network drop.  This is obviously an AT&T problem where they are purposely or accidentally placing this on the computer.  I did find out from AT&T support the NVG510 router has a known firmware problem that causes the network outages and their not yet a known fix, nor is there a different router that can be used.  It does seem the router, or something, put the redirect virus on a computer via a cookie for the browser.  When I clear all cookies, the redirect goes away.

AT&T has a real problem here.  Their NVG510 router, the only one you can get from them, has a firmware problem and puts a virus on the customer's computers.  Based on my conversation with support today, they also do not have any idea on how to fix it.  Plus I have seen this problem occur in 2 new installations over the last 3 months so any new U-verse DSL installs over the last 3 months, at least, have corrupted their customer's computers.  Also, they are experiencing ongoing network drops.  So I hope AT&T senior management actually cares about their customers and will place a high priority on getting these problems fixed now because I am telling everyone I know to NOT order U-verse and to get OFF of U-verse as soon as their contract ends.  I guess we will see.

[sante1111]

All of the above I have gone through modems service calls and nothing but trouble with this unit....however ROUNDTONE IS RIGHT turn of the IPv6.....................THIS WORKS PEOPLE YOU CAN DO IT YOUR SELF...HERE IS HOW TO DO IT YOURSELF NO MORE REDIRECT
Right click on connection bars, lower right toolbar
Left Click on Open Network and Sharing Center
Left click change adapter settings (this is in the left hand column)
Right click on Wireless network settings (the ATT one)
Box will open left click “properties”
Box will open scroll down until you see “Internet Protocol Version 6 (TCP/IPv6)
Uncheck the box hit ok……………..
then clear all your history and cache on your browser
Restart computer and you are done THIS WORKS
ALL COMPUTERS ARE NOT SET UP TO RUN IPv6….I got this directly from Att Tech support
Good luck this does work! Call tech support if you want them to guide you very helpful
Tell them what you want to do.

[sante1111]

Line 6 should say Right click on Network Wireless Connection ....the above instructions I apologize this works...........dont get a new modem dont get service to come out try this first I was so frustrated I was going to quit with U-verse..some of the techs know and some are clueless

[sante1111]

WHAT "heus1" says is OK for clearing history, cache, and cookies.....But only a temporary fix, good to do after you shut your IPv6 off!

and on my system it did nothing, I do not understand why it is checked as a solution IT IS NOT A SOLUTION,,,,one of the 10 calls to tech support we did exactly as stated, it did nothing so tech sent me another modem which is totally inappropriate. TECH SUPPORT HAD NEVER EVEN HEARD OF THE 'REDIRECT PROBLEM"?????????????????????? good luck to all, I hope what I have posted helps. I have 3 wireless Windows 7 laptops up and running and have not had one re-direct "none".

[mrbojangles1]

The video is a little bit technical (you need a telnet client) but it gets the job done perfectly and AT&T's idiotic redirection script will never show up again.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o_O6rus8Yqw

[bassmike]

Called ATT support talked to level 2 who as previously mentioned previous post, was typically clueless and referred as usual to Geeksquad number and resulting 50.00 charge. I'm hesitant to go in and start changing settings as this will mostly likely result in

more complications and charges. Bully for Geeksquad getting a national acct...

1. Is there a for sure solution to this redirect problem that all have found to be the cure and

2. Is this related to the "outage" that att is telling me has occurred at this time and if so

3. Aren't they responsible for sending out a technician to solve directly related problem?

4. If ATT is not accountable and "it is what it is- look at Comcast", IS THERE A VERIFIED SOLUTION? tks M.

[bassmike]

Update to my own post?  I followed santee1111 suggestion to the word. rebooted and found my favorites and login info links were totally useless and to compound the situation- I got no internet connection. I could type in google.com and get to the home page but got connection (http error 404 website not found) errors and ATT diagnostics errors. Remembering an earier post- ATT squirreling a link to get you call in to pay your bill; I contacted them asked if I was behind to which they replied I wasn't owing... ok. Spectre of Geek Squad wreathing his hands in the little VW "excellent- excellent".   Before you go off changing settings or getting an ATT tecnician 2

@99.00/ GeekDeathSquad hipster@ 50.00 out for your Christmas funds..try RESTORE COMPUTER TO EARLIER POINT. 

Can't hurt. I'm running like a greased pig after a simple restore.  Start>All Programs>Accessories>System Tools>System Restore.

Not saying it's an absolute fix but certainly is a good start. Good luck to all. Merry Christmas. (I know this had nothing to do with tomorrows' date :0 )

[sante1111]

I have 3 computers did the redirect change as I stated that was almost 1 month ago I have had no problems at all, may be other problems BUT I AM TELLING YOU I WENT THROUGH WEEKS OF PROBLEMS UNTIL I DID EXACTLY AS I STATED ABOVE AND IT WORKS .......THATS ALL I CAN SAY IF ONE COMPUTER MAYBE BUT 3 UP AND NOT ONE PROBLEM????????????????????? I WILL LEAVE UP TO YOURSELF THE THING IT IS VERY REVERSIBLE JUST GO BACK AND RECHECK WHAT YOU UNCHECKED THAT DOESN'T TAKE A GENIUS!!!!!!! SO YOU CAN'T HARM YOUR COMPUTER IF YOU CAN REVERSE YOUR STEPS....................da  SO THE POSTER ABOVE DID NOT DO AS STATED.

[cartmanne]

I have just discovered a similar problem.  I have DSL, not uverse.  Had to get a new modem and router (Netgear).  Now for some odd reason I cannot get on Craigslist on any browser.  I eventually get directed to modem control website.  I tried disabling IPv6 per Sante's suggestion but did not work.  I have not found any other websites with this problem yet, but I need Craigslist for work related stuff badly.  Very frustrating that this has been going on for so long with no help from ATT.