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You should have sorted the list by the Process Name as I suggested, we may miss the bottom of the list in your first screenshot.

Anyway, we can see the established connections of Chrome:
142.250.190.3 : https://search.dnslytics.com/ip/142.250.190.3
Description Google LLC
PTR record ord37s32-in-f3.1e100.net

34.104.35.123 : https://search.dnslytics.com/ip/34.104.35.123
Description Google LLC
PTR record 123.35.104.34.bc.googleusercontent.com

And the closed ones [Time Wait]:
74.125.126.84 : https://search.dnslytics.com/ip/74.125.126.84
Description Google LLC
PTR record ik-in-f84.1e100.net

Chrome always connects to Google at launch. Always.
The only version I know which doesn't do it is Ungoogled Chromium.


Funnily LibreWolf is also showing connections to googleusercontent.com:
34.107.243.93 : https://search.dnslytics.com/ip/34.107.243.93
Description Google LLC
PTR record 93.243.107.34.bc.googleusercontent.com

That might be because of some extension, or maybe you added Google as your default search engine, or you have enabled Safe Browsing. But that's content from googleusercontent.com and not .1e100.net which is pure Google. I'm not getting those with LibreWolf on my computer.

But that's only 4 connections, not 77. And not telemetry to Mozilla.

Cool!
I don't know what a PTR record is.
I did a "whois" on the IP address and it only showed Google, not "1e100.net".
So that's one issue solved.

On the LibreWolf issue, "your" tool doesn't show it (TCP). "My" tool does (DNS).
I always thought DNS was way more important than TCP.

I have no extensions installed in LibreWolf. Fresh "portable" download just today, ran in a VM that has never seen any browser beforehand.


Again, I always thought DNS was more important than TCP.
You missed one aspect of my post (or I forgot to mention it) - the SEVENTY SEVEN connections is FIRST LAUNCH ONLY.
Unless you carry over a profile to prevent them, then you have to run that first launch and allow those connections.
Subsequent launches only show these 12 DNS entries.

The-10-Pen wrote: *

10 Jul 2025, 23:12

I don't know what a PTR record is.
I did a "whois" on the IP address and it only showed Google, not "1e100.net".

I took the time to provide links, why don't you take the time to click on them ?

The-10-Pen wrote: *

10 Jul 2025, 23:12

On the LibreWolf issue, "your" tool doesn't show it (TCP). "My" tool does (DNS).

The World Wide Web is using TCP connections, that's it. It's how it works.

The-10-Pen wrote: *

10 Jul 2025, 23:12

I always thought DNS was way more important than TCP.
You missed one aspect of my post (or I forgot to mention it) - the SEVENTY SEVEN connections is FIRST LAUNCH ONLY.

They are not connections, they are DNS queries.
The purpose of DNS servers is to resolve domain names into IP addresses that the browser can use. And these IP addresses are used in TCP connections, as said before.
That's why TCPView and CurrPorts are showing the real connections, I repeat: DNS queries are not connections to WWW servers.
You can also see these activities in about:networking in Mozilla browsers.

Sounds great! Learning more and more each day.

I would put best-to-worst in this order -
1) IceCat [best but kind of "old"]
2) LibreWolf
3) R3dfox [bad but not worst]
4) Firefox [worst]

Google Chrome silently download and install a 4GB Gemini Nano engine without asking for consent neither sending any notification about it:
https://www.malwarebytes.com/blog/news/2026/05/google-chromes-silent-4gb-ai-download-problem
https://www.thatprivacyguy.com/blog/chrome-silent-nano-install/

Here's the thing:
People that use Firefox/Forks 90% of the time know how to tweak it to prevent "silent crap" but are clueless on Chrome/Forks.
People that use Chrome/Forks 90% of the time know how to tweak it to prevent "silent crap" but are clueless on Firefox/Forks.

One of the oldest tricks in the book, a lot of these types of "silent crap" can be PREVENTED by one simple trick on Windows.
ie, you can PREVENT various FOLDERS from being created by simply having a FILE present by the same name - Windows can not create the FOLDER.
ie, you can PREVENT various FILES from being created by simply having a FOLDER present by the same name - Windows can not create the FILE.

But yeah, it takes HEAVY MONITORING of your profile folder and KNOWING when something has been "added without your consent".
But this isn't just a Chrome issue.
Firefox (148+) has AI and Machine Learning that most (but not all) of its users are "clueless of what is going on behind their backs".

I would exclude any-and-all 'fox users that join forums like this.

I'd also submit that nobody should EVER use an "installed" browser.
PORTABLE only. With "loaders" that delete items at each and ever close/exit.

No, it's not for the "faint of heart".
But again, those folks don't join forums like this.

The-10-Pen wrote: *

08 May 2026, 11:18

But this isn't just a Chrome issue.
Firefox (148+) has AI and Machine Learning that most (but not all) of its users are "clueless of what is going on behind their backs".

In this case, it is a Chrome issue. Because it downloads and install another software without any warning. 4GB! 4GB!!!
At least, the AI features of Firefox are built-in ones. AFAWK today nothing is downloaded or installed in the background.


It's even worse if you have installed Claude Desktop:
https://www.thatprivacyguy.com/blog/anthropic-spyware/

Agreed. But I still think you have an "agenda", as if Firefox hasn't done crap like this in the past.
But again, AGREED, all web browser consumers need to be VIGILANT. Trust No One!

Even CLAUDE has been installed on FIREFOX users' machines "without consent".
https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/questions/1570565
I don't think your link even mentioned that, ie, "agenda", but I didn't read the entire thing, I admit.

Firefox has also in the past installed extensions "without consent".
ie, Looking Glass is ONE example.
https://www.ibtimes.co.uk/what-looking-glass-mozilla-blasted-secretly-slipping-mysterious-mr-robot-plugin-into-firefox-1651904

Yeah, that's an OLD example, it only comes to mind because I learned of it first as a Firefox "without consent" install and only THEN learned about, and watched, the Mr Robot tv series.

To be honest, I don't technically buy into the whole "without my consent" argument.
They "consented" by NOT being VIGILANT or just using "default install configs" - ie, in my opinion, "they only have themselves to blame".
Or they are so "click happy" that they DID click to install, they just don't realize it because of being "click happy".