Imagine being caught up in an important search when Google blocks your way by showing “Our systems have detected unusual traffic from your computer network.” What a terrible moment when you are desperate for information, and instead, you have to solve CAPTCHAs or are locked out altogether. This error message is not thrown randomly, and we have some effective methods to fix it.

Why Google Flags Your Traffic as Unusual

For security reasons, Google keeps an eye on the users’ search habits to prevent automated scripts, web scrapers, and hackers from wreaking havoc on their system. When their algorithms see that a user is acting like a bot rather than a human, they block them in this manner. The most common reasons that cause this are sending too many search queries in a very short span of time, using automated tools or browser extensions that make continuous requests to Google, or sharing an IP address with a user (or device) that carrying out suspicious activity.

At times, the bad guy is not even you. A shared network at work, school, or a coffee shop can be a scenario where someone else’s automated queries cause the whole network to get flagged. VPN services and proxy servers are also reasons for this kind of alert since a lot of people are sharing the same IP address.

Immediate Solutions to Try First

Start with the simple fixes. If you encounter a CAPTCHA, proceed to put it a check it generally solves the problem straightaway by showing your humanity to the system. It might be worth trying to clear your cookies and cache if corrupted data has confused the Google system. Testing if the problem is caused by your extensions can also be done by simply switching browsers or using incognito mode.

There is a simple way to do this, which is to just power off the router for a while and when you turn it on, the ISP will normally assign you a new IP address. This tip can be extremely handy especially for users of residential internet whose IP address may have been blacklisted due to previous activity on that address. Don’t forget that if you decide to go through your normal connection, then you should disable the VPN for the time being.

Deeper Troubleshooting Steps

Try out your browser extensions and get rid of the ones that send automated requests- especially SEO tools, rank checkers, or download managers. Such programs often query Google without your knowledge even if they are in the background. If your computer is infected with a virus and becomes part of a botnet that sends out automated traffic, then you will undoubtedly get the illegal traffic. Get rid of the virus by running a malware scan with reputable antivirus software.

If you have been trying everything and the problem still occurs after reaching out to the IT department, then you are in the right place. They can figure out whether the network has issues or if security tools are accidentally setting off Google’s security system.

Preventing Future Occurrences

Avoid performing searches too quickly as it may look like bot behavior. Conduct your queries with a normal human pace. Be cautious about browser extensions, and only download ones from developers you trust and that have good reviews. In terms of safeguarding your computer, having the latest antivirus will protect your machine from malware infections which, in turn, will keep your connection safe from being taken over by cybercriminals.

If you use VPNs mostly for anonymity and security, then upgrade to a service offering dedicated IPs instead of shared ones. Doing so will lessen the chances of your address getting flagged due to the activities of other users.

When to Seek Professional Help

If you have tried every trick under the sun and the error is still there after a few days, then the blacklisting of your IP address can be the case. Ask your ISP to assign a new IP to you. In some instances where you need to get in touch with Google support can be beneficial but keep in mind that usually, they just advise you to follow the troubleshooting steps.

You see, this message is highly annoying but it does not go on for long. Thanks to this set of very specific solutions, you will be able to resume your searches quite soon.