r3dfox, a modern Firefox based web browser for Windows Vista, 7, and 8!

Post by **Duke** » 08 Apr 2026, 13:32

Duke wrote: ↑08 Apr 2026, 10:13 I've noticed that some settings have been changed after updating from v149 beta to v149.0.2 like the warning before opening about:config, network.captive-portal-service.enabled or Safe Browsing.
Very annoying.

On top of that I've just noticed that R3dfox keeps on connecting to detectportal.firefox.com every time I open a new window (Ctrl+N) even though network.captive-portal-service.enabled is set to false.
This never ever happened with previous versions, not even with v149 beta

Correction:
It was there in v149 beta but not in v148.0.2 and previous versions.
I always backup before updating and I've just checked all of these versions.

Update:
Even worse, I have removed the http://detectportal.firefox.com/canonical.html URL from captivedetect.canonicalURL setting and it still connects to detectportal.firefox.com !
WTH is going on ?

: R3dfox-CaptivePortal.png (14.34 KiB) Viewed 3250 times

eclstedt · Post by **eclstedt** » 08 Apr 2026, 18:41

Duke wrote: ↑07 Apr 2026, 00:20 R3dfox v149.0.2 has been released:
https://github.com/Eclipse-Community/r3dfox/releases/tag/v149.0.2

Thanks! Waiting for an ESR release. Will there be updated ESR releases?

Post by **Duke** » 08 Apr 2026, 19:15

eclstedt wrote: ↑08 Apr 2026, 18:41 Waiting for an ESR release. Will there be updated ESR releases?

the_r3dacted said: "Maybe". There:
https://github.com/Eclipse-Community/r3dfox/issues/150#issuecomment-4203476476

I don't know what I'm going to do. Maybe I'll work on 140.9 ESR which will mirror a lot of changes from 149.0.2 since I'm rebuilding it.

Post by **Duke** » 09 Apr 2026, 19:40

Duke wrote: ↑08 Apr 2026, 13:32
Duke wrote: ↑08 Apr 2026, 10:13 I've noticed that some settings have been changed after updating from v149 beta to v149.0.2 like the warning before opening about:config, network.captive-portal-service.enabled or Safe Browsing.
Very annoying.
On top of that I've just noticed that R3dfox keeps on connecting to detectportal.firefox.com every time I open a new window (Ctrl+N) even though network.captive-portal-service.enabled is set to false.
This never ever happened with previous versions, not even with v149 beta

Correction:
It was there in v149 beta but not in v148.0.2 and previous versions.
I always backup before updating and I've just checked all of these versions.

Update:
Even worse, I have removed the http://detectportal.firefox.com/canonical.html URL from captivedetect.canonicalURL setting and it still connects to detectportal.firefox.com !
WTH is going on ?

I had to set network.connectivity-service.enabled to false.

GoodConscience · Post by **GoodConscience** » 09 Apr 2026, 20:41

Duke wrote: ↑09 Apr 2026, 19:40 I had to set network.connectivity-service.enabled to false.

https://firefox-source-docs.mozilla.org/networking/connectivity_checking.html

The NetworkConnectivityService will periodically connect to the same URL we use for captive portal detection, but will restrict its preferences to either IPv4 or IPv6.

Nobody · Post by **Nobody** » 12 Apr 2026, 23:30

Hello
Here is information about an error that has not occurred before.
On Windows 7, 32-bit, I tried to update from version 147.0.1 to 149.0.2. It didn't work. I got the error message:
"r3dfox has stopped working. A problem prevented this program from running correctly. Close the program."
The cause of the error was the following setting in user.js: "dom.enable_resource_timing", false.
After removing this entry, the update was successful.

Post by **Duke** » 16 Apr 2026, 21:07

Duke wrote: ↑08 Apr 2026, 19:15
eclstedt wrote: ↑08 Apr 2026, 18:41 Waiting for an ESR release. Will there be updated ESR releases?
the_r3dacted said: "Maybe". There:
https://github.com/Eclipse-Community/r3dfox/issues/150#issuecomment-4203476476

I don't know what I'm going to do. Maybe I'll work on 140.9 ESR which will mirror a lot of changes from 149.0.2 since I'm rebuilding it.

Well, it looks like there won't be a v140.9 ESR but a v140.10 ESR:
https://github.com/Eclipse-Community/r3dfox/issues/150#issuecomment-4252984990

the-r3dacted wrote:I think I'm just going to skip 140.9. Running into issues with the patches. Will just wait for 140.10 patches.

Post by **Duke** » 17 Apr 2026, 10:32

R3dfox 150.0BETA10:
https://github.com/Eclipse-Community/r3dfox/releases/tag/v150.0b10

Bear in mind it's a BETA version. So backup at least your profile, or more, before you update to v150 beta.

jassenna · Post by **jassenna** » 18 Apr 2026, 18:41

Duke said:
| 2. about:profiles should work, pay attention to the destination folder path.
| -Profile "profile name" can work too.

the_r3dacted said:
| Since you're using the portable version, it basically just passes
| -profile Profile to the exe and therefore makes a "Profile" folder
| in the portable browser directory with your profile.
| If about:profiles is broken here, it's because it's being overridden here.
| If you go into (r3dfox folder)\browser, you'll find a pmundprt.mod file,
| and this controls that behavior.
| Deleting it will revert it to stock operation with a profile in Appdata.

1) Is it possible set the profiles folder r3dfox folder ?
I am using the portable version, and would like to have all of r3dfox in
one folder.
2) Is it possible to set a profile folder in the r3dfox folder as default ?
I want to be able to start r3dfox without using a command line, with the
profiles in the r3dfox folder.
I am not asking for a bespoke build of r3dfox; I want to know whether I can
configure r3dfox this way.
Thanks

YouTube · Post by **the_r3dacted** » 18 Apr 2026, 18:58

jassenna wrote: ↑18 Apr 2026, 18:41 1) Is it possible set the profiles folder r3dfox folder ?
I am using the portable version, and would like to have all of r3dfox in
one folder.
2) Is it possible to set a profile folder in the r3dfox folder as default ?
I want to be able to start r3dfox without using a command line, with the
profiles in the r3dfox folder.
I am not asking for a bespoke build of r3dfox; I want to know whether I can
configure r3dfox this way.
Thanks

I'm pretty sure the portable mode already works like that.

jassenna · Post by **jassenna** » 20 Apr 2026, 23:17

the_r3dacted said:
| I 'm pretty sure the portable mode already works like that

Not exactly
- It expects profiles to be in %DEFAULTUSER%/AppData and creates profiles in a folder there (as does the installed
version).
-If started by double clicking on r3dfox.exe or on its icon in desktop, it does not find a profile and exits.
about:profiles does not find any profile in the r3dfox files folder, so it cannot make default a profile
residing in that folder.
- So, to use a profile in the r3dfox folder, r3dfox must be started form command line, with the -profiles
argument. This means opening a commnd window, starting r3dfox, then exiting the command window.
- I want to be able to start r3dfox from a desktop icon or from the program name in its folder, as any
Windows program.

GoodConscience · Post by **GoodConscience** » 21 Apr 2026, 00:14

jassenna wrote: ↑20 Apr 2026, 23:17 the_r3dacted said:
| I 'm pretty sure the portable mode already works like that

Not exactly
- It expects profiles to be in %DEFAULTUSER%/AppData and creates profiles in a folder there (as does the installed
version).
-If started by double clicking on r3dfox.exe or on its icon in desktop, it does not find a profile and exits.
about:profiles does not find any profile in the r3dfox files folder, so it cannot make default a profile
residing in that folder.
- So, to use a profile in the r3dfox folder, r3dfox must be started form command line, with the -profiles
argument. This means opening a commnd window, starting r3dfox, then exiting the command window.
- I want to be able to start r3dfox from a desktop icon or from the program name in its folder, as any
Windows program.

May I ask what version of "portable" r3dfox you're talking about? And, more importantly, where exactly have you unpacked the downloaded "portable" archive of r3dfox? Be aware that if you placed it inside %ProgramFiles%, it WON'T run in portable mode! Please read in its entirety a now archived issue from the old GitHub issue tracker:

https://github.com/Eclipse-Community/r3dfox-old/issues/340

FWIW, I wrote this comment on a "portable" install of r3dfox, where its profile directory (simply called "Profile") is indeed located adjacent to "r3dfox.exe" - but all this is "installed" on an external USB drive:

"G:\PortableApps\r3dfoxPortable\App\"

where the "App" dir contains both the "r3dfox.exe" main executable and the "Profile" dir...

jassenna · Post by **jassenna** » 23 Apr 2026, 00:57

I downloaded this file from SourceForge:
r3dfox-149.0.2.en-US.win32.portable.7z ,
created a R3DFOX folder in %ProgramFiles%
and extracted the files to it.
I ran r3dfox for the first time with the
-profile "User" argument and it created
an "User" folder in the R3DFOX folder.
When I tried to make that profile default
using about:profiles, it did not find
any profile, nor does r3dfox when I try
to run it by clicking. However, if I run
it with profile "User" argument (note
the missing - sign), it lists the contents
of the User folder.
If I understood the Github issue above,
it recommends keeping the r3dfox portable
version in temovanle media, but I use
removable media just for backups and
do not keep them attached to the
computer most of times.

The-10-Pen · Post by **The-10-Pen** » 23 Apr 2026, 02:26

Why do you insist on extracting to ProgramFiles ??? ??? ???

Post by **Duke** » 23 Apr 2026, 06:04

With R3dfox 150.0b10 DNS over HTTPS settings for max protection can't open when you click on the down arrow so you can't change the settings:

: R3dfox-DoH.png (14.67 KiB) Viewed 1011 times

GoodConscience · Post by **GoodConscience** » 23 Apr 2026, 21:47

jassenna wrote: ↑23 Apr 2026, 00:57 I downloaded this file from SourceForge: r3dfox-149.0.2.en-US.win32.portable.7z,
created a R3DFOX folder in %ProgramFiles% and extracted the files to it.

... Which, as I had correctly suspected, is where your fault lies; DO NOT EXTRACT THE CONTENTS OF THE "r3dfox-149.0.2.en-US.win32.portable.7z" ARCHIVE INSIDE %ProgramFiles% (or, probably, any other system-protected directory), else it won't auto-run in "portable" mode; this is what I already told you!

If you're not going to use r3dfox portable across different machines, the recommendation to extract to a "removable" medium (e.g USB external HDD) is not a requirement; just create the R3DFOX directory on a disk location you have write privileges for (e.g. "C:\R3DFOX") and extract the portable archive there; when you first launch r3dfox.exe without any special arguments, it will run in portable mode and will create its default profile inside a "Profile" directory adjacent to r3dfox.exe; nothing more is required on your part! You can create a desktop shortcut for r3dfox.exe and launch the browser that way, if you so wish...
NB1: "about:profiles" doesn't work in portable mode!
NB2: Portable r3dfox is NOT meant to have any file or protocol association with the rest of the host OS (e.g. be set as the OS's "default browser"); if you want that, use the "normal/standard" installer!

The-10-Pen · Post by **The-10-Pen** » 23 Apr 2026, 21:55

► Show Spoiler

AGREED !!!

I didn't have the PATIENCE to reply to that level of.. um.. let's just call it "insistence". Glad somebody else did!

YouTube · Post by **the_r3dacted** » 24 Apr 2026, 02:50

GoodConscience wrote: ↑23 Apr 2026, 21:47 NB2: Portable r3dfox is NOT meant to have any file or protocol association with the rest of the host OS (e.g. be set as the OS's "default browser"); if you want that, use the "normal/standard" installer!

Actually this is incorrect. pmundprt mode (the way portable mode ships) works completely fine as the default browser. Only pmprt mode breaks if used as default browser.

GoodConscience · Post by **GoodConscience** » 24 Apr 2026, 23:06

the_r3dacted wrote: ↑24 Apr 2026, 02:50 Actually this is incorrect. pmundprt mode (the way portable mode ships) works completely fine as the default browser. Only pmprt mode breaks if used as default browser.

Thanks for this clarification, which I realised I had forgotten about after you pointed it out

; indeed, it was mentioned in the old repo:

https://github.com/Eclipse-Community/r3dfox-old/releases/tag/v128.12.0rc-hotfix

Added the rest of the portable mode code (pmprt.mod now makes the browser run in no-remote mode as it should and completely disables set as default functionality) (Normal portable mode (pmundprt.mod) works the same as before)

However, I have grown over many years the habit of treating "portable" apps in the original sense of the term, i.e. in being transferable across different devices; thus, I religiously avoid to associate in any manner any instance of a said "portable" app with a given host OS; and since pmprt.mod became available, I manually rename the default ".\browser\pmundprt.mod" file to ".\browser\pmundprt.mod.BAK" and create a ".\browser\pmprt.mod" (empty) file in its place; only then do I launch r3dfox.exe

...

The-10-Pen · Post by **The-10-Pen** » 24 Apr 2026, 23:22

GoodConscience wrote: ↑24 Apr 2026, 23:06 However, I have grown over many years the habit of treating "portable" apps in the original sense of the term, i.e. in being transferable across different devices; thus, I religiously avoid to associate in any manner any instance of a said "portable" app with a given host OS;

Agreed! Same here!
In fact, my OS has no "default browser" of any kind!
It's become my default config for a good twenty years or so, maybe even thirty.
Got too ticked off with how "installers" would launch a 'default web browser' and advertise other products or whatnot.
So now I configure all of my OS's to *NOT* have *ANY* 'default web brower'.
Installers *CAN'T* open any web page because there is **NO** web browser configured to "handle" that UNSOLICITED request.
Email links *CAN'T* open any web page, links embedded in .pdf's or .ppt's or you-name-it *CAN'T* open any web page.
Works great for me! Though I suppose 'not for all'.

Post by **Duke** » 26 Apr 2026, 16:18

Duke wrote: ↑23 Apr 2026, 06:04 With R3dfox 150.0b10 DNS over HTTPS settings for max protection can't open when you click on the down arrow so you can't change the settings

Another annoyance with R3dfox 150.0b10: the calculation of the browsing data seems to be stuck:

R3dfox 150.0b10:

: R3dfox-150-BrowsingData.png (24.8 KiB) Viewed 181 times

R3dfox 149.0.2:

: R3dfox-149-BrowsingData.png (4.2 KiB) Viewed 181 times

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