how to disable search assist without toolbar?

[ryandwalker]

Hi,

I want to disable the search assist feature, also known as "error assist".  The only instructions I can find refer to a verizon toolbar: http://www22.verizon.com/ResidentialHelp/Generic/VerizonToolbar2010/VzToolbarFAQs/128047.htm

I have verizon DSL.  I connect via a wireless linksys router.

However, I don't have this toolbar, and don't want it.  I'm guessing that years ago when I signed up with Verizon, I eliminated the toolbar because it is a feature I don't want. 

It will come as no great surprise that I'm quite annoyed at having to disable these features.  These features should be opt-in, not opt-out.

Thank you,

Ryan

[smith6612]

The Search Assist pages you are getting are from Verizon's DNS servers. If your browser or application tries to make a DNS queue that fails, instead of the servers sending the proper "NXDOMAIN" response, it sends you to a sponsored Verizon/Yahoo page. Since the Linksys is more than likely running as a DNS proxy, change your Linksys to use any one of the following servers which do return proper NXDOMAIN notices.

Level3's DNS Servers:

4.2.2.1

4.2.2.2

4.2.2.3

Google's DNS Servers:

8.8.8.8

8.8.4.4

OpenDNS (provided you have an account here and configure them to return NXDOMAIN):

208.67.222.222

208.67.220.220

If you wish to use Verizon's DNS servers that DO provide clean responses back, note the two IP addresses your Linksys (or modem) is holding from Verizon for DNS. The final octet should be changed from .12 to .14. From there NXDOMAINs should be returned rather than a search page.

Keep in mind, you can also configure these DNS Servers invididually on each of your PCs and devices, should any changes you try in the Linksys not do the trick.

[ryandwalker]

Thanks for your reply.

re: "change your Linksys to use any one of the following servers".  I'm not sure where in the router's admin interface to do this.

Under the status tab, one part of the interface shows...

dns 1:  71.252.0.12

dns 2: 68.237.161.12

However, it's not clear how to edit this and I'm not even sure if this is what I need to change.

Under the basic setup tab, the interface has three rows for static DNS 1, static DNS 2 and static DNS 3.  These are all set to 0.0.0.0. Is this what I should be editing?

Ultimately I'm trying to prevent the "search assist" feature from interfering with a setting in my browser than (normally) should handle all keyword searches I perform in the location window with the search engine of my choice. 

[smith6612]

You would enter in any of the DNS servers I mentioned into the Static DNS forms under Basic Settings. Once you save those settings you may need to perform a DHCP release/renew on your PCs to be sure the change has been applied. Once that is completed, it should be all good to go 🙂

[ryandwalker]

It worked!  Thanks.   I changed my static DNS to...

4.2.2.1

4.2.2.2

4.2.2.3

I performed a DHCP refresh/renew.  It still wasn't working.  I then closed the browser and re-opened.  All better now.

[smith6612]

Glad to hear 🙂