Gmail not loading emails

[ryanplym]

Hi all

 

I have recently received a flood of complaints from staff and students saying that when they click on an email in their inbox, they just get a "Loading..." bar and nothing happens (screenshot attached). I initially thought it was an issue with our Smooth wall filtering system as I am aware Googles doesn’t like being inspected but it doesn’t appear to be smooth wall and its only hitting certain staff/students. Below is what I have tried so far:

 

1. Deleting cookies and history - no luck

2. Trying in incognito mode - no luck

3. Exceptional the PC from smooth wall - no luck

4. Tried the account on another PC - no luck

 

I did try logging into my personal Gmail account on the same PC that was having issues and my personal Gmail works fine. Also, Office 365 web-based email works fine.

 

I was wondering if anyone else had the same issue and managed to resolve it?

[mrstrong]

Yes I have had the same issue but not found a solution yet. We also use a smoothwall so thought that may

have something to do with it but on checking web filter log nothing obvious like "denied", some http 204, 206, 302 but mainly 200

Strangely it seems to be ok on a PC but won't work on a chrombook so maybe a chrome os device setting ?

Note we have PCs and chromebooks on different vlan.

 

The only workaround I've found is to use the basic html version of gmail: https://support.google.com/mail/answer/15049?hl=en

 

Hoping someone can shed some light ?!

[ryanplym]

Thanks, I will give the basic HTML version a go. We dont use Chromebooks here just windows PC's. Not sure if its a domain group policy thing? I have just disabled all the group policies related to Google - just waiting for the policy to roll out.

[mrstrong]

As we have smoothwall in common, how did you "bypass it" to rule it out as the issue ? @ibpalle can you advise on best way to bypass smoothwall filtering etc when troubleshooting ?

[ryanplym]

Morning

 

I just grabbed the IP address of the client and added it to:

 

Guardian -> Web Filter --> Exceptions --> Source exception IP Addresses (http://smoothwall:81/modules/guardian3/cgi-bin/guardian/filteringexceptions.cgi) then press save at the bottom of the page

 

Another way to check is to bypass the https inspection:

 

1. Create a new location and add the client IP Address: (http://smoothwall:81/modules/guardian3/cgi-bin/guardian/locations.cgi)

2. Go to https inspection --> Manage policies. At the very bottom of the page in small text, click on create a new policy (http://smoothwall:81/modules/guardian3/cgi-bin/guardian/https.cgi)

3. Select the following:

 

Who: Everyone

What: All https content and all https urls containing an IP

Where: Add the location you have set from 1.

When: Always

Action: Do not inspect

 

Don't forget to remove the IP address from the exception list otherwise students will have a good time :-)

[mrstrong]

had another look at this yesterday. Ruled out internal networks / smoothwall by connecting to mobile phone hotspot

 

Weirdly my account super admin works, ie I can open emails fine, so I created another user account in same OU as me

and they can't open emails, just hangs on "Loading..."

 

So in summary:

 

1. my super admin account on chromebook opens emails fine

2. new account in same OU as me on same chromebook can't open emails: can view inbox fine but click to open just hangs on "Loading..."

(also hangs on "Loading..." when I try to "See all settings")

3. new account in same OU as me on PC opens emails fine !

 

 

not sure what to try next, maybe raise a ticket with google support ?

[ryanplym]

Thanks for testing this at your end. We do not have any Chromebooks here only desktop PCs and a few windows laptops. Office 365 works with no issues. I tried using Google Chrome and Edge but none of these browsers work. I can only assume its something to do with the Google admin end? I will speak with Google support and keep you informed with any progress

[ryanplym]

From Google Support:

 

Google Workspace Support, Kushal1:14 PM

Thank you for contacting Google Workspace Support. My name is Kushal and I'll be working with you today. While I read over your message, is there anything else you'd like to add?

 

Google Workspace Support, Kushal1:14 PM

Hello, how are you doing?

 

1:17 PM

Great thanks. We have a large number of students and staff that keep getting the "loading" message everytime they try and open a message. They are unable to load any messages

 

Google Workspace Support, Kushal1:19 PM

Please inform the students to clear cache and cookies in the browser, and use google chrome browser with an incognito window.

 

Google Workspace Support, Kushal1:20 PM

I am sure the problem will be resolved after doing this.

 

1:20 PM

We have already tried clearing the cache and cookies and this does work for a single session then stops working again. Incognito mode is disabled for students for safeguarding reasons

 

Google Workspace Support, Kushal1:21 PM

Okay.

 

Google Workspace Support, Kushal1:22 PM

 

Are all the devices personal or from the institution?

 

1:23 PM

These are all from the college. None of these devices are personal. Thanks

 

Google Workspace Support, Kushal1:23 PM

Okay, please uninstall the chrome app and try installing it again.

 

Google Workspace Support, Kushal1:24 PM

in all the devices.

 

Google Workspace Support, Kushal1:24 PM

Also please make sure that the internet connection is stable as well.

 

1:25 PM

Thanks I will give it a try

[mrstrong]

yes I tried google support chat and went through 3 or 4 agents last week. The final guy sent me instructions on how to gather

network logs on a chromebook which I did and sent off for "engineering team" to look at (no response so far)

Had another email saying they were confused and was my google drive working now!

 

Just having another look at this today, I'm now thinking it may be smoothwall again plus some weird "caching"

See my other post here http://www.edugeek.net/forums/internet-related-filtering-firewall/225139-best-practice-filtering-chromebooks.html

 

Where I'm at now is two chromebooks, same model, same chrome os version, same user, one unfiltered is working, other one through smoothwall

not working (this one has errors from network_diag --hosts e.g. checking clients1.google.com... FAIL: non-Google SSL/TLS certificate)

 

but last week when bypassing smoothwall completely via mobile hotspot and network_diag --hosts was all PASS the email was still failing with "Loading..."

 

One other thing I found is on one that wasn't working if I remove account off chromebook and log in again this can fix issue hence why I'm thinking something

cached. I guess on a PC you could delete the chrome profile of the user ?

 

Difficult to concentrate on this at the moment without getting interrupted with all the usual pre-christmas madness.

[mrstrong]

added the failing sites from network_diag --hosts to "do not inspect" and "allow", so now have:

 

two chromebooks, same model, same chrome os version, same user:

one totally unfiltered (web filter exception IP) is working fine

one via normal web filtering not working (this one now has no errors from network_diag --hosts e.g. all PASS)

 

[DGardiner]

added the failing sites from network_diag --hosts to "do not inspect" and "allow", so now have:

 

two chromebooks, same model, same chrome os version, same user:

one totally unfiltered (web filter exception IP) is working fine

one via normal web filtering not working (this one now has no errors from network_diag --hosts e.g. all PASS)

 

when on the erroring mail page, open developer tools and refresh it and see what red errors you get - these are usually urls that google wont like you inspecting, theyre usually pretty easy to spot

[mrstrong]

cheers will try if I get time later. Guess who just got the job of videoing /editing / uploading all the christmas performances

 

back on topic, why is it we have to set "do not inspect" google stuff e.g. even when we've installed the smoothwall cert to enable

decrypt and inspect via mitm ?

[DGardiner]

cheers will try if I get time later. Guess who just got the job of videoing /editing / uploading all the christmas performances

 

back on topic, why is it we have to set "do not inspect" google stuff e.g. even when we've installed the smoothwall cert to enable

decrypt and inspect via mitm ?

 

 

not sure to be honest, i had issues on day and just went through the urls refusing to connecte for whatever reason and added them to not inspect and it resolved it for us

[mrstrong]

had another quick look at this, now thinking it could be a dns issue. hopefully get a few hours next week

to finally sort

[mrstrong]

just an update: not had any time to look into this (its not urgent as kids don't use gmail)

 

anyway I opened a support case with google to see if they could help.

The original support guy said I could send them a HAR file which I did and I also said we use a proxy.

 

Just found out they've closed my case. This is the last "support" I got:

 

HAR file will not be needed as we don't support proxy and network issues and there is no one I can show it to to analyze.

 

This must be fixed by network administrators - it is out of our scope.

 

I have limited knowledge in networking (maybe even none at all, if I have to be honest ).

 

Please let me know if you have any questions.

 

I wish you a wonderful rest of the day!

 

 

Wish I could get away with a reply like that to a support ticket!

Edited January 14, 2022 by mrstrong

[The_Prisoner]

I know that this is an old thread but was wondering if you managed to get this resolved?