Is there a better User Agent Switcher?

[T]

Hi All,

Lately, User Agent Switcher doesn't fool anyone. For
example:

https://www.foxitsoftware.com/pdf-reader/

always figures out your are Linux and does not give you the
Windows download options because of it.

Any better switcher out there?


Many thanks,
-T

[EE]

Do you fill in all the blanks in the user-agents? To make a really
convincing fake, you need not only the user-agent in the browser's
request header, but also the navigator.appName, navigator.appCodeName,
navigator.appVersion, and navigator.platform filled in correctly for
each operating system-browser combination.

[Ed Mullen]

On 4/17/2018 at 12:28 AM, T created this epitome of digital genius:

It does not appear the site is checking for browser type or OS. If you
click the Free Foxit Reader Download button you have a drop-down menu to
select your platform.

--
Ed Mullen
https://edmullen.net/
UnHallmark Card: How could two people as beautiful as you ... have such
an ugly baby?

[NFN Smith]

T wrote:
> Lately, User Agent Switcher doesn't fool anyone.  For
> example:
>
> https://www.foxitsoftware.com/pdf-reader/
>
> always figures out your are Linux and does not give you the
> Windows download options because of it.

Which one are you using? There's several out there with nearly identical
names. Also, what user agent string are you actually showing?

I've played with several that all seem to be satisfactory. Which one you
use mostly depends on what fits what you're trying to do. For me, a key
thing is being able to define my own UA strings, for testing how my web
site handles particular instances (e.g., showing strings that I know are
invalid, but frequently turn up in bot scans of my site -- by spoofing
those strings in Firefox, I can verify whether my web server is
rejecting connections, or not).

To that end, I've found that I prefer User Agent Masquerade.
(https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/user-agent-masquerade/)

However, both Alexander Schlarb's User Agent Switcher
(https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/uaswitcher/) and RayLo's
User-Agent Switcher
(https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/user-agent-string-switcher/)
seem to work well.

Both of these seem to be good about updating their lists available
strings, where it's quick/easy to show a UA string that's fairly
current. Some tools make you edit the updates yourself.

Smith

[Paul in Houston, TX]

A good sniffer will see through much of the spoofing.
On Win7 the site sets cookies (3 for me) and uses JS.
You can block the cookies and turn off JS but then the d/l won't work.
I can't plug in the Mint hdd at the moment to try.
On Win7 I get a dropdown asking if I want Win, Mac, or Linux.
It downloaded the Linux 64 for me ok to this Win7 machine.

[Mark Lloyd]

On 04/17/2018 04:02 PM, Paul in Houston, TX wrote:
> T wrote:

[snip]

> A good sniffer will see through much of the spoofing.
> On Win7 the site sets cookies (3 for me) and uses JS.
> You can block the cookies and turn off JS but then the d/l won't work.
> I can't plug in the Mint hdd at the moment to try.
> On Win7 I get a dropdown asking if I want Win, Mac, or Linux.
> It downloaded the Linux 64 for me ok to this Win7 machine.

I tried it on Windows. It defaulted to Windows, but showed a drop down
list with all versions, but defaulted to Windows.

I tried it on Linux, similar but it defaulted to Linux (64-bit) and did
not allow the Windows of Mac versions.

I tried it with Javascript disabled. The button appeared but did nothing
but change color a little.

--
Mark Lloyd
http://notstupid.us/

"Experience is not what happens to you; its what you do with what
happens to you." - NW

[Paul in Houston, TX]

Mark Lloyd wrote:
> On 04/17/2018 04:02 PM, Paul in Houston, TX wrote:
>> T wrote:
>
> [snip]
>
>> A good sniffer will see through much of the spoofing.
>> On Win7 the site sets cookies (3 for me) and uses JS.
>> You can block the cookies and turn off JS but then the d/l won't work.
>> I can't plug in the Mint hdd at the moment to try.
>> On Win7 I get a dropdown asking if I want Win, Mac, or Linux.
>> It downloaded the Linux 64 for me ok to this Win7 machine.
>
> I tried it on Windows. It defaulted to Windows, but showed a drop down list with all
> versions, but defaulted to Windows.
>
> I tried it on Linux, similar but it defaulted to Linux (64-bit) and did not allow the
> Windows of Mac versions.
>
> I tried it with Javascript disabled. The button appeared but did nothing but change color
> a little.

My UA probably confuses the sniffer so it gives up and lets me decide what to do.
I just downloaded the mac and Linux 32 verisons. I can't try them out but they
appear to be the real things at Mac-54mb and Lin32-70mb and Lin64-72mb and not just stubs.

[T]

On 04/17/2018 10:36 AM, Ed Mullen wrote:
> On 4/17/2018 at 12:28 AM, T created this epitome of digital genius:
>> Hi All,
>>
>> Lately, User Agent Switcher doesn't fool anyone.  For
>> example:
>>
>> https://www.foxitsoftware.com/pdf-reader/
>>
>> always figures out your are Linux and does not give you the
>> Windows download options because of it.
>>
>> Any better switcher out there?
>>
>>
>> Many thanks,
>> -T
>
> It does not appear the site is checking for browser type or OS.  If you
> click the Free Foxit Reader Download button you have a drop-down menu to
> select your platform.
>

Your only two choices are Linux 32 bit and Linux 64 bit

[T]

I am using Fedora, so maybe the web site ha a bug that only lets me
see Linux 32 bit and Linux 64 bit

[B00ze]

Does User Agent Switcher still work? Wow, there's like 6 different ones
on AMO with that name. I used to use User Agent JS Fixer to make sure
navigator.userAgent was also modified. You using Alexander Schlarb's?
That one claims to fix that variable...

Regards,

--
! _\|/_ Sylvain / B00...@hotmail.com
! (o o) Member:David-Suzuki-Fdn/EFF/Red+Cross/SPCA/Planetary-Society
oO-( )-Oo We all know you're the daughter of the fifth house!!!

[T]

On 04/17/2018 01:34 PM, NFN Smith wrote:
> Which one are you using?

https://mybrowseraddon.com/useragent-switcher.html

[T]

On 04/17/2018 09:07 PM, B00ze wrote:
> there's like 6 different ones on AMO with that name

https://mybrowseraddon.com/useragent-switcher.html

[T]

On 04/17/2018 09:07 PM, B00ze wrote:

> I used to use User Agent JS Fixer

Nee too and that always did the trick. But, I can't find it anymore.

[T]

Found it:
https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/user-agent-js-fixer/
"Not compatible with Firefox Quantum"

Poop!

[T]

On 04/17/2018 09:07 PM, B00ze wrote:

> You using Alexander Schlarb's?

Now I am. AND IT WORKS PERFECTLY!

Thank you!

[T]

On 04/17/2018 01:34 PM, NFN Smith wrote:

> Alexander Schlarb's User Agent Switcher

Works perfectly!

[accountholder]

I have sporadic luck with the "Free Download" button at this url

<https://www.foxitsoftware.com/downloads/#Foxit-Reader/>

Win, Mac, and Linux are offered first visit, then it offers Linux only
when I leave and come back. Clearing cookies sometimes gives another chance.

[T]

Apparently, a true Windows computer will give your a pull down
of lots of OS options. But, if it senses a Linux computer
it only gives you Linux 32 bit and Linux 64 bit.

Anyway, Alexander Schlarb's work perfectly.

[Ed Mullen]

On 4/17/2018 at 10:20 PM, T created this epitome of digital genius:

I see four choices: Windows, MacOSX, Linux 32-bit, Linux 64-bit.

--
Ed Mullen
https://edmullen.net/

The problem with the gene pool is that there is no lifeguard.

[B00ze]

Nice! Gotta pick the one that says it also modifies the JavaScript
variables ;-)

--
! _\|/_ Sylvain / B00...@hotmail.com
! (o o) Member:David-Suzuki-Fdn/EFF/Red+Cross/SPCA/Planetary-Society

oO-( )-Oo You think I care which way you face? -O'Brien

[T]

On 04/18/2018 07:19 AM, Ed Mullen wrote:
> On 4/17/2018 at 10:20 PM, T created this epitome of digital genius:
>> On 04/17/2018 10:36 AM, Ed Mullen wrote:
>>> On 4/17/2018 at 12:28 AM, T created this epitome of digital genius:
>>>> Hi All,
>>>>
>>>> Lately, User Agent Switcher doesn't fool anyone.  For
>>>> example:
>>>>
>>>> https://www.foxitsoftware.com/pdf-reader/
>>>>
>>>> always figures out your are Linux and does not give you the
>>>> Windows download options because of it.
>>>>
>>>> Any better switcher out there?
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Many thanks,
>>>> -T
>>>
>>> It does not appear the site is checking for browser type or OS.  If
>>> you click the Free Foxit Reader Download button you have a drop-down
>>> menu to select your platform.
>>>
>>
>> Your only two choices are Linux 32 bit and Linux 64 bit
>
> I see four choices:  Windows, MacOSX, Linux 32-bit, Linux 64-bit.
>

This is what Windows users see. What OS are you using?

[Ed Mullen]

On 4/19/2018 at 12:19 PM, T created this epitome of digital genius:

W10 Pro

--
Ed Mullen
https://edmullen.net/

"If you plan to face tomorrow, do it soon." - Gordon Lightfoot

[T]

You won't be able to reproduce unless you are using Linux

[pe...@never.here]

The wife and I never had to use Linux <g> Sorry Chris, I cou;dn't
resist it.
--
Pete