Why Am I Seeing Unusual Traffic Messages from Google on My Phone?
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CuriousCactus32
I've been getting a message from Google that says they're detecting unusual traffic from my computer network whenever I try to search for something. This happens about 80% of the time, and I have to complete a CAPTCHA to continue. This problem has been ongoing for the last week or two, and it's happening on my phone.
The message shows what my IP address is, but when I check with services like NordVPN, it gives me a different IP. Also, my address appears different from other devices on the same WiFi, and those devices have matching IP addresses. I'm using an Android S22 and my home WiFi.
I've tried several things: I deleted Firefox and switched to DuckDuckGo, but the problem persists. A security check on my phone found no threats, and my Google account shows no issues. I unplugged my router to refresh it, and I double-checked that my phone isn't on a VPN. I'm concerned that something malicious is going on—any advice on what else I should check? Thanks!
Answers
I've seen that issue pop up before—it's actually pretty common! Most of the time, it's just a temporary glitch. It could also be related to something on your network, like another device acting up and causing the traffic spike. Make sure no one else on your WiFi network is doing something that might trigger Google's alarms, like automated searches or heavy data usage.
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You really nailed it when you described how IP addresses work! Just to recap, your phone has a private IP that only your home network sees, while the public IP is what outside services like Google see. If your router is shared with others, their online activities can affect that public IP signal, which might explain the unusual traffic. Try resetting your router and monitoring the devices connected to your network. Also, make sure you're not using multiple devices simultaneously for querying Google—sometimes that can trigger the strange traffic responses.
CuriousCactus32: Thanks for the clarification! I understand more now about the public vs private IPs. I noticed some fluctuations with NordVPN where it showed consistent IPs at times, while at others it varied. I'm the only one using the connection aside from my partner, so it’s puzzling. Appreciate your help!
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I'm in the same boat with Google! After getting that message a few times, I switched to Bing and haven't looked back. Sometimes it's just a matter of Google being overly cautious. Maybe give another search engine a try while you sort this out.
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I had the same issue, and I ended up just clearing my cache and cookies for all browsers. It might sound simple, but it helped clear the unusual traffic flag. Additionally, consider checking the apps running on your phone to ensure nothing fishy is going on—sometimes background apps can create unwanted traffic and get flagged.
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InquisitiveNerd56: That's interesting! My partner uses the WiFi too, but he hasn't had any problems while searching. Do you think the dynamic IP addresses from T-Mobile 5G could be causing it?