[DNS_PROBE_POSSIBLE] Startpage search engine not working with VPN

Browser Support Mobile Support
1

Description of the issue:
While being connected to a VPN, after selecting Startpage as the default search engine, no search query loads result and rather returns the DNS_PROBE_POSSIBLE error

How can this issue be reproduced?
Happens everytime

  1. Turn on VPN (in my case, I was using Vyper VPN (setting - Protocol: WireGuard, DNS: VyperDNS)
  2. Open Brave and then go to Settings → Search engines (in General section) → Standard Tab → Select Startpage
  3. Search any query from the top Search bar

Expected result:
Open the result page of the given query from the startpage.com search engine

Brave Version( check About Brave):
Brave 1.29.81, Chromium 93.0.4577.82

Mobile Device details
Android 10; Build/QPIS30.73-33-9

Additional Information:

  • This happens only with VPN turned ON. I turned off the VPN and it was working perfectly. Also, this problem is not there with Brave Desktop (Windows).
  • If I open the startpage.com separately and then search something, then it doesn’t throw that error. However, the website loads way too slow. VERY VERY slow.
  • I have recently started using VPN and even on Brave Desktop, it happened to me 2-3 times on random websites where I got DNS_PROBE_POSSIBLE. However, it isn’t specific to Startpage’s search bar.
  • Just a while back, I also cleared my DNS cache and flushed socket pools on Brave DESKTOP (not MOBILE) so I don’t know whether it could be a factor because I don’t know what exactly gets synced through sync chain since, to my surprise, many settings still don’t get synced (such as default search engine).

Hope to see this bug getting resolved!

Thanks!

1 Like
2

Thanks for the detailed reporting @pascal_gabriel. I encounter the same issue.

3

Does it only occur when the VPN is enabled?

4

Yes, the issue of not being able to perform search, after selecting Startpage as the default search engine, occurs only with VPN enabled. However, I have started to experience occasional instances where I encounter DNS_PROBE_POSSIBLE on random websites (irrespective of VPN). I have NEVER even seen this error on other browsers I have used.

5

I’ve had this problem for a long time using the desktop version. Plenty of others have reported this same issue https://community.brave.com/search?q=dns_probe_possible%20order%3Alatest

6

Switching VPN provider seems to solve
the DNS_PROBE_POSSIBLE issue when making a search using Startpage as default engine. A bit drastic, but the only workaround found until now. Cheers !

7

For me, this happens simply by switching to 4G on Android. No VPN required.

8

This topic was automatically closed 30 days after the last reply. New replies are no longer allowed.