support.apple.com: Too many redirects says Safari

[Ratsima]

If I search in Google and come up with a link to an Apple Support page I often can't open the page:

The error message in Safari:

Safari Can't Open the Page

Too many redirects occurred trying to open

https://support.apple.com/en-th/guide/calendar/use-different-time-zones-icl1035/mac

This might occur if you open a page that is redirected to open another page which then is redirected to open the original page.

But, if I copy the URL into Firefox it works fine. Chrome fails with the same "too many redirects" error.

If I use a US based proxy or VPN, the page opens just fine in Safari.

Note: I used the code tag so the forum would display the full URL. Otherwise it truncates it.

 

[pm-r]

I guess you've read these articles...???

If Safari can't open the page because too many redirects occurred
If Safari can'''t open the page because too many redirects occurred - Apple Support

and:
How to resolve the too many redirects error on Safari?
How to resolve the too many redirects error on Safari? – Support

If and when I get that error, like you, I just try using another browser.

I never really found the "fixes and solutions" to fix the problem.



- Patrick
======

 

[Ratsima]

Yes, I've done both of those things. The problem persists.

I believe the problem is caused by Apple inserting the "en-th" into the URL.

But, don't you think it's odd that Apple Support would generate a URL that it's own browser can't open?

 

[pm-r]

FWIW: the extended URL from your post above works in all my browsers.


- Patrick
======

 

[Ratsima]

FWIW: the extended URL from your post above works in all my browsers.

Is the URL you end up at the same as the URL I posted?

If I use a proxy I end up with a different URL:

https://support.apple.com/en-ca/guide/calendar/icl1035/mac

 

[pm-r]

All the URLs you posted take me to the same site regardless of whether I cick or copt/paste them, I end up at:
Use different time zones in Calendar on Mac

All the same with either:
Use different time zones in Calendar on Mac - Apple Support
Use different time zones in Calendar on Mac - Apple Support
Use different time zones in Calendar on Mac - Apple Support


- Patrick
======

 

[Ratsima]

You've got two different URLs there:

The first and third are:

https://support.apple.com/en-ca/guide/calendar/icl1035/mac

The second is:

https://support.apple.com/en-th/guide/calendar/use-different-time-zones-icl1035/mac

The title of the web page is the same even though the URLs are different.

 

[Rod]

Yes I concur, the extended URL in your first post works in Vivaldi, Safari, Firefox and Chrome.
Taking me direct (and quickly) to Use different time zones in Calendar on Mac - Apple Support
As you know I'm using ExpressVPN in Bali Indonesia with MBP running Mojave.

 

[Ratsima]

Still haven't figured out how to fix thisi:

Too many redirects occurred trying to open 
“[B]https://support.apple.com/[I][U]en-th[/U][/I]/guide/mail/if-junk-mail-filters-arent-working-mlhlp1145/mac[/B]”. 
This might occur if you open a page that is redirected to open another page which 
then is redirected to open the original page."

That URL fails in Chrome, Firefox and Safari. But, if I turn on a proxy or VPN it works fine. Why? Because turning on a proxy or VPN has the effect of removing the "en-th" from the URL:

[B]https://support.apple.com/guide/mail/if-junk-mail-filters-arent-working-mlhlp1145/mac[/B]

That's why those of you who are using a VPN or who live in a place where the "en-th" isn't added to the URL can load the page without difficulty.

Aside: I also often have to use a proxy or VPN to get this forum to load. Without that, the forum just hangs. As soon as I turn on a proxy/VPN it loads right away.

 

[Ratsima]

I realize I'm talking to myself here, but sometimes that's the only person I have to talk to:

If I search Google for "Apple junk mail" one of the results returned has this amazing URL:

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=10&cad=rja&
uact=8&ved=2ahUKEwiXy_qC1szlAhUgUI8KHR65DA8QFjAJegQIABAB&
url=https%3A%2F%2Fsupport.apple.com%2Fguide%2Ficloud%2Fmanage-junk-mail-
mm6b1a2ced%2Ficloud&usg=AOvVaw02YNi85JOVu5UEeNtFTHhf

If I click on that URL it gets changed to:

https://support.apple.com/[B]en-th[/B]/guide/icloud/manage-junk-mail-mm6b1a2ced/icloud

which Safari won't load because of too many redirects.

If I search DuckDuckGo for the same terms, the URL it returns is:

https://support.apple.com/guide/icloud/manage-junk-mail-mm6b1a2ced/icloud

If I click on that link it also gets converted to:

https://support.apple.com/[B]en-th[/B]/guide/icloud/manage-junk-mail-mm6b1a2ced/icloud

which Safari won't load.

Even if I copy the URL without the "en-th" and paste it into the address field, it gets converted to a URL with the "en-th" and Safari won't load it, nor will Chrome or Firefox.

Annoying.

 

[pm-r]

Aside: I also often have to use a proxy or VPN to get this forum to load. Without that, the forum just hangs. As soon as I turn on a proxy/VPN it loads right away.

Would changing your DNS settings improve things for you??? Maybe use goggle's or your IPP's???

BTW: copying and pasting all the URLs you had in the code boxes all worked with Google Chrome using Mavericks 10.9.5. Just for your information, If you wanted to know.



- Patrick
======

 

[Ratsima]

Would changing your DNS settings improve things for you??? Maybe use goggle's or your IPP's???

I have my AirPort Extreme set up to use Google's DNS server. I have now added OpenDNS.

BTW: copying and pasting all the URLs you had in the code boxes all worked with Google Chrome using Mavericks 10.9.5. Just for your information, If you wanted to know.

I'm not surprised. Can you come here and try it from Thailand? I think you may get a different result….

 

[krs]

I'm not surprised. Can you come here and try it from Thailand? I think you may get a different result….

I'm on ElCapitan, never use Safari but tried it for the two URL's which you said didn't work for you - for me they work fine.

I'll be happy to come to Thailand to try it from there, just send me the plane tickets; From Montreal and returne, and on a long flight like this I prefer Business Class or at least Premium Economy.

BTW - can you do a route trace to see how many hops are involved?
Safari should really only provide a message that it won't connect if the route ends up in an infinite loop, not connecting because of too many redirects makes no sense to me - how many is too many?

BTW - en-th

 

[Ratsima]

I'm on ElCapitan, never use Safari but tried it for the two URL's which you said didn't work for you - for me they work fine.

So, if you put this address in the address bar:

 https://support.apple.com/en-th/guide/icloud/manage-junk-mail-mm6b1a2ced/icloud

What address is in the address bar after the page loads?

If I'm on a proxy, it removes the en-th and I end up here:

https://support.apple.com/guide/icloud/manage-junk-mail-mm6b1a2ced/icloud

If I'm not on a proxy the page worn't load.

BTW - can you do a route trace to see how many hops are involved?
Safari should really only provide a message that it won't connect if the route ends up in an infinite loop, not connecting because of too many redirects makes no sense to me - how many is too many?

traceroute to what?

 

[krs]

In Safari (after the page loads) it just says "Apple Inc" (without the quotation marks
In Chrome it says:

https://support.apple.com/en-ca/guide/icloud/mm6b1a2ced/icloud

Traceroute to Apple.com

I get 10 hops from the East Coast of Canada

 

[Ratsima]

In Safari (after the page loads) it just says "Apple Inc" (without the quotation marks
In Chrome it says:

https://support.apple.com/[B]en-ca[/B]/guide/icloud/mm6b1a2ced/icloud

Thank you.

You're in Canada so the Akamai server changed the "en-th" in my URL to "en-ca". And, that works for you.

Apple has been using Akamai as a Content Delivery Network for a long time. Akamai has servers all over the world which enables Apple to distribute their content to almost every country and deliver that content without having to make long hops across oceans and continents. I think the problem I'm having is related to this.

I'm not smart enough to figure out just what it is.

 

[krs]

What I could do if you're interested is to fire up my VPN, point it to Thailand and then enter that URL with en-th in it - I assume that stands for english-thailand

 

[Ratsima]

Sure. Give it a try and see what happens. Thanks.

 

[krs]

With VPN set to Thailand I tried Safari, Chrome and Brave browsers

Got the same as you, but both Chrome and Brave specifically blamed Apple with this message:

This page isn’t working
support.apple.com redirected you too many times.

 

[Ratsima]

Thank you very much for taking the time to do that and for thinking of it in the first place.

I appreciate your help.