Hi there Dave,

Sorry to hear you've been having this problem for some time. Would you be able to provide some further information regarding "google ad services"? Is googleadservices.com coming up when you start up your web browser, or is it some other issue?

If it is coming up every time you start your web browser, try changing your home page settings - See this Mozilla support article on how to change your home page. If it gets changed back, then you may have a browser toolbar or other unwanted software that is messing with settings on your computer.

If you're referring to Google ads in general, there are several Firefox Addons available that can block ads.

Thanks, Rincewind

Thanks for your reply Rincewind. I personally have only had this problem for about 4/6 months, so maybe a Firefox 'update' allowed it to happen, although its been a known problem for at least 4 YEARS! This issue only happens when I click on an advertiser within eBay. They (eBay) say it's Mozillas issue and they should provide a fix, which I agree with. I'm very 'PC literate' and have tried many suggested things to fix - except 'paid for' fixes. I'm rapidly thinking of ditching Firefox and using Chrome, which I'm sure would give me no problems, but I've used Firefox even before it was called that - many years - and want to continue to use it, but this issue is swaying me to change as Mozilla has been aware of this problem for years now and seem to have done nothing to help its users sort it out. Googleadservices never 'comes up', as you say, when I start my browser. I don't use a 'home page', I set it up to 'show my tabs from last time'. The issue only happens when described as above, when I get a blank page with Firefox reporting that, 'The server at googleadservices cannot be reached' and then asking me to 'check my router/network connections', as it seems to think I have no connection, which I do have. Attached is a screengrab of the error msg. Rgds.

Is this temporary -- reload loads the ad -- or a complete block?

Do you use any ad blocking or anti-tracking extensions in Firefox, or any external ad filters (e.g., Kaspersky "Anti-Banner" feature)?

Hello jscher2000, thanks for your reply. It's a complete block. 'Reload Tab' does nothing new. I cannot even go to www.googleadservices.com directly, by typing it into the address bar. Firefox blocks it. I was using AdBlocker but removed it (weeks ago) in case it was causing the issue, but it was not (I haven't re-installed it btw), and I'm not using anti-tracking, not even Firefox's own service. Looks like Google Chrome is going to win!

WOW - What a shock, I installed Chrome with the intention of dissing off Firefox, but I had exactly the same result with Chrome!! I asked a few questions there, and someone asked if I had a PIA/VPN (Private Internet Access/Virtual Private Network) program installed and was using, which I have, and have had for over 6 months (when this issue started). They suggested disabling it to see if that worked, WHICH IT DID! That was the cause of the issue with eBay and a browser. The VPN had an embedded Ad Blocker and Anti-Tracker running while it was in use, which was all the time! So, sorted. Thanks for all the help and contributions. This issue, which has been going on for years with others, seems to be able to be fixed, in my case anyway, by diabling your VPN. UPDATE - I've just uninstalled Chrome and re-instated my VPN, yet removed the AdBlocker and AntiTracker and re-connected my VPN and now no more error msgs from Firefox that it can't connect to googleadservices.

It's always a good idea to test the same sites in other browsers. I should asked whether you had the same issue in Edge. Need more caffeine.