On my android phone, certain sites now refuse to load. I can't tell if it is that the site says "I don't like your phone, I refuse to load" or it the browser says "I refuse to load that site". I've tried with two different browsers (the one that comes with the phone and Naked Browser) with identical error messages about 'certificate errors." I've not figured out a way to say "oh, no certificate, just load the page anyway!"

I had this error years ago and had fixed it, inadvertently, by getting a new phone. This time around, I don't want to have to get a new phone just to browse web sites.

Two specific sites that don't load are 4chan (don't judge) and bash.org.

Can anyone advise please?

I assume the Android version is outdated and not receiving updates anymore, hence the problem.
I once (kitkat) fixed a similar problem by adding/replacing certificates on the device, but I'm 99% sure that the rpocedure has changed.
A web search will help, but it will be very difficult to separate the wheat from the chaff.
Try this (yep, outdated, too).

edit: I might have spoken too hastily, maybe we need more info on the exact errors you're seeing.

The only permanent solution: use an OS that will receive continuous updates, just like GNU/Linux distros.

Isn't the whole android ecosystem nice? Made that way on purpose. Carriers refuse to update devices after a year, until finally the certificates expire, and there is almost no way to update them. Solution, buy a new model. I think that is what you call a captive audience.

To the OP. You are going to have to update the devices certificates, if you can.

You might look at a ROM for the phone, if you can find one that supports all of the hardware, and your carrier lets you do that.

Thank you, everyone, for the replies.

You know, that last reply of mine is too terse. I do apreciate the information in the replies, but I had nothing to say when I made that reply.

I had more time to think about the information in this thread.

I'm not really surprised by the information of the replies: I'd had the feeling the only way to fix the situation would be something like what was posted in the replies.

How ironic that the Android operation system is a closed system despite being based on a GPL'd Kernel.

Custom ROMs (is that connected to this "rooting a phone" I hear about?) is not something I'm really up on. Much to learn.

Anyway, thanks again.

Try a user agent switcher. Might help.
Dolphin browser for android has that feature built in.

https://www.technipages.com/dolphin-...nge-user-agent

Chameleon Browser is another.

or
https://chrome.google.com/webstore/d...elmhiheolhjflj

1 members found this post helpful.

^ Certificate error ≠ user agent error.

However, installing another browser might actually work if it brings its own certificates.

https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2018...ans-necessary/

Which model? If LineageOS supports it, that just might fix everything:
https://wiki.lineageos.org/devices/

Interesting! Will have to look into that and find out which ones do.

Scary! Worse than I had figured.

Would you believe I went to the LineageOS site and, despite reading the FAQ, am still not sure exactly what it is? I'll just have to do more searches.

Thank you for the information!

What's your device?
Manufacturer should be obvious.
Device model is in Android Settings => System somewhere or, on Android 10 at least, in Settings => About phone.

Strange site. They say this program is a browser and it is great and private and then they list anti-features. Then they say some of the f-droid programs have some anti-features and some don't. So now fdroid is not a browser but a collection of programs? Well, that confused me.

F-Droid is not a browser, f-droid is the biggest FOSS app store/repository for Android apps, and has been for a decade.... it's like google play store for free and open source apps. But unlike the google play store, f-droid tells you which apps have "anti-features" and describes what they are. Like the google play store, you can access it via the web or a dedicated android app. To install your first app from f-droid, usually you install f-droid itself and give it permission to install other apps, and then use the f-droid app to install and update apps from their official repository (and other repos you add).

Fennec is their build of Firefox. Remember when Debian used to call their build of firefox ice-weasel cuz of some licensing requirements? Same deal. F-Droid builds everything from source and signs it. I dunno what in particular are the anti-features of fennec, probably because it "connects to various Mozilla and Google services that can track users".

2 members found this post helpful.

That's a little extreme.

Both those site load on my Android tablet using Firefox set up like I use it on my desktops.
With the NoScript, uBlock Origin, HTTPS Everywhere, Privacy Badger, Toggle Referrer and User-Agent Switcher extensions.
I don't allow JavaScript to run globally, am not allowing JS for either site and can view posts on bash.org at least.


My tablet isn't rooted, but with the UserLand app for Android you can run Linux distros without rooting your device. Ubuntu, Debian and Kali are listed as available for it and operate on top of your resident Android installation without hosing it.

I've got the Termux command line app installed and got it to install nmap the other day and it's not recognized as being installed through the Google Play Store.

X-plore File Manager let's you do some rooty stuff from inside it, has a lot of features you wouldn't expect in a FM and is really nice.

Wow! Thank you so much! I was utterly bewildered and now you have provided an anchor-point for my understanding.

I'm still a little unclear on anti-features. If an anti-feature for an app is in-app advertisements, does that mean it doesn't have ads?

Oooo, that sounds fascinating, provided I've got enough space.

Hey wow, I've had that a while and never noticed. D'oh!

p.s. To all, thank you. In the Linux realm I'm an advanced noob but in the phone world I'm a complete ignoramus, so all of your replies have been very helpful!