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Issue abstract: Issues with MS Edge InPrivate browser while using non-Bing search engines, and Norton 360 Premium VPN turned on.
Detailed description: When using the Windows Edge InPrivate browser with non-Bing search engines (Google & Duck Duck Go), and the Norton 360 Premium VPN turned on (I tried both Canada and Denmark), I don’t get any results. Only the time-out error shown below.
Per a chat session with a Norton chat-bot, I reset my home network on this computer, I reset Norton, and I restarted everything. No help. I turned Norton 360 Ad Tracker Blocker on and off. No help. I checked the Firewall. No issues there (as far as I can tell). The only search engine that works with the Edge InPrivate browser is Bing. Everything works fine with the regular Edge browser and Chrome; the issue only occurs with the InPrivate browser.
Background note - There was a service outage in this area last week. When it was over, my internet service did not come back on. My provider’s Customer Support determined that my router had gone bad and I replaced it. That fixed the service problem.
The above connection problem didn’t exist before the outage & router replacement. The Edge InPrivate browser and Duck Duck Go search engine worked fine with the Norton 360 Premium VPN turned on. After the outage, and the new router, they no longer work together.
Suggestions?
Product & version number: Product 25.12.10659 Build 962
OS details: Win 11
What is the error message you are seeing? Search engine site took too long to respond
If you have any supporting screenshots, please add them:
Since the connection issue started immediately after an internet outage and router replacement, the new router’s configuration is the most likely cause. The “ERR_TIMED_OUT” error indicates that data sent via the VPN is not being processed correctly by the new router.
Router-Specific Troubleshooting
Check VPN Passthrough Settings: Many routers have a feature called VPN Passthrough (for protocols like IPSec, PPTP, and L2TP) that must be enabled for a VPN client on a computer to work correctly through the router’s network address translation (NAT).
Access your new router’s admin panel by typing its IP address (often 192.168.0.1 or 192.168.1.1) into your web browser.
Log in with your credentials (usually on a sticker on the router).
Navigate to the VPN, Security, or WAN settings section.
Ensure that IPSec Passthrough, PPTP Passthrough, and L2TP Passthrough are enabled .
Save your changes and restart the router.
Review Router’s Built-in Firewall: The new router’s firewall might be set to a high-security level that blocks VPN traffic.
In the router’s settings, check the Firewall or Security section and ensure the security level is not set too high.
Ensure that outbound ports required by Norton VPN (typically UDP ports 500 and 4500) are not blocked.
Disable Advanced Router Features (Temporarily): Features like SPI Firewall, DoS Protection, or specific VPN-blocking settings may cause conflicts. Disable these temporarily to test if the VPN works.
Computer and Software-Side Solutions
While the router is the likely cause, these steps can help rule out local conflicts that might be aggravated by the network change.
Reset Norton Firewall Rules: The previous firewall rules for Edge might be incompatible with the new network configuration.
Open
Norton 360, go to Security > Advanced Security > Network > Smart Firewall.
Reset the firewall rules to their default settings. This will force Norton to re-evaluate the network connection and the Edge browser’s access.
Update/Reinstall
Norton 360: An outdated VPN client may not be fully compatible with newer router firmware or Windows updates.
Ensure your Norton 360 is updated to the latest version.
If problems persist, use the official Norton Remove and Reinstall tool to perform a clean reinstallation.
Flush DNS and Reset Network Settings: The computer may be holding onto old network information (DNS, IP addresses) from the previous router.
Open Command Prompt as an administrator (search CMD, right-click, Run as administrator).
Run ipconfig /flushdns and then netsh winsock reset.
Restart your computer.
After adjusting router settings or running the commands, attempt to connect the Norton VPN and access DuckDuckGo via Edge InPrivate mode again.
The issue with Edge InPrivate browser and non-Bing search engines when using the Norton 360 Premium VPN is likely caused by a configuration conflict between the new router’s settings, the VPN’s privacy features, and the specific behavior of the InPrivate mode. Bing works because Edge’s default settings prioritize Microsoft services, which bypass the conflict.
Recommended Solutions
Follow these steps in order, testing the connection after each one.
Change VPN server locations: Try connecting to different VPN server locations (e.g., a US server) besides Canada and Denmark, as Google and DuckDuckGo might be temporarily blocking the IP addresses of those specific VPN servers due to suspicious activity.
Temporarily disable Norton firewall: Temporarily disable the Windows Defender Firewall and the Norton 360 Smart Firewall to check if they are blocking the necessary ports or traffic for non-Bing search engines when the VPN is active in InPrivate mode. If this works, you’ll need to add an exception for the Edge browser and the VPN in your firewall settings.
Flush the DNS cache: A DNS cache issue can occur after a router replacement.
Open the Start menu and type cmd.
Right-click on Command Prompt and select Run as administrator.
In the command prompt window, type ipconfig /flushdns and press Enter.
Restart your computer.
Change DNS settings: Your new router might be using default DNS servers that conflict with the VPN in InPrivate mode. Changing them to public DNS servers like Google’s can help.
Go to Windows Settings > Network & Internet > Change adapter options (or Advanced network settings).
Right-click your active network connection and select Properties.
Select Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4) and click Properties.
Select “Use the following DNS server addresses” and enter 8.8.8.8 as the Preferred DNS server and 8.8.4.4 as the Alternate DNS server.
Click OK and restart Edge.
Clear browser data and disable extensions: Even though it’s InPrivate mode, residual data or an extension (if allowed in InPrivate) can cause issues.
Open Edge, go to the three-dot menu > Settings > Privacy, search, and services.
Under “Clear browsing data,” select Choose what to clear and clear all data, including cached images and files, for all time.
Go to the Extensions menu (edge://extensions/) and ensure all extensions are disabled or that the “Allow in InPrivate” toggle is off for all extensions.
Next Steps if the Problem Persists
If the above solutions fail, the issue might be specific to a configuration within the Edge application itself or the Norton VPN’s interaction with the new network environment.
Reinstall Norton 360: A complete uninstall and reinstall of the Norton application can reset its permissions and resolve potential software conflicts related to the network changes from the new router.
Repair Microsoft Edge:
Go to Windows Settings > Apps > Installed apps (or Apps & features).
Find Microsoft Edge, click the three dots (⋮) or the entry, and select Modify (you may need admin permission).
Thank you for taking the time to reply. I appreciate it. I will try your suggestions that I’ve not already tried. The Router specific ones in particular. I have not messed with it yet, and I should have thought about it as possibly an issue since it was the only known change in the equation. I will let you know how it goes.
Quick update - I did most of your second reply; flush, reset, etc. No luck. I have not reinstalled Norton or repaired Edge yet. I attempted the first reply first, i.e., the router suggestions. My new router is a Spectrum Wifi7 router. It’s controlled by the Spectrum app. You can’t get to the granular level the old school 192.168.1.1 way. It doesn’t let you sign in, and Spectrum Support didn’t offer/have any work arounds. I’m going to keep beating on that door to see if in fact there is a way to log onto the router as an Admin. My old router was 6-7 years old. It was no problem to login. The new ones are very different and above my pay grade as far as messing with them. We’ll see.
To log in to your Spectrum WiFi 7 router, you primarily use the My Spectrum App or the Spectrum website, as direct browser access to the router’s admin page is often disabled on newer Spectrum equipment.
Method 1: Using the My Spectrum App (Recommended)
This is the standard and most feature-rich method for managing newer Spectrum Advanced WiFi routers, including the WiFi 7 model.
Download the app: Get the My Spectrum App on your smartphone or tablet.
Sign in: Open the app and sign in using your Spectrum username and password.
Navigate to settings: Select the Services tab, then select Internet. Your WiFi information and advanced settings will be displayed here.
Manage settings: You can view and update your network name (SSID), password, set parental controls, manage connected devices, and access other advanced features like port forwarding.
Method 2: Using the Spectrum Website
You can also manage settings through your online account portal.
Access Internet services: In the “Your Services” section, select Internet.
View router details: Find your router or gateway and select the arrow to view more information and access Advanced Settings.
Manage settings: From here, you can view and update network details and other configurations.
Method 3: Direct Browser Access (May Not Work on WiFi 7 models)
Older or non-Spectrum-branded routers can typically be accessed via a web browser using an IP address. Newer Spectrum Advanced WiFi routers generally lack this functionality, redirecting you to the app or website instead.
Connect to the network: Ensure your device is connected to your router’s WiFi network or via an Ethernet cable.
Open a browser: Type a common IP address into the address bar: http://192.168.1.1 or http://192.168.0.1.
Check the label: If the common IP addresses don’t work, check the sticker on the back of your specific router model for the correct IP address and default login credentials.
Login: If a login prompt appears, enter the username and password from the sticker (often admin and password, or a unique code).
If direct browser access does not work, use Method 1 or 2. If you want full control and traditional admin access, many users recommend purchasing your own router instead of using the Spectrum-provided equipment.
Your last suggestion may be the way I have to go. Per your first reply, since the problem popped up with the new Router, my intent was to log on to the router (like I could do previously) and address the following:
The Spectrum app doesn’t allow me to address the above, so it’s not too helpful (for this level of troubleshooting). I was able to turn their router “Security Suite” on & off, but that was about it as far as addressing things that were relevant to my issue. As stated above, that change didn’t solve my problem.
The upper-level tech support person I spoke with said the same thing you just did. The new routers don’t allow much tinkering, and I may have to buy my own if I want to get granular. I find that hard to believe, but I may not have a choice. I’m going to keep digging.
