Chrome Browser Issues and Fixes

Chromium-based browsers use the same underlying browser engine. This includes Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge, Brave, Opera, Vivaldi, and Arc.

Because they share the same engine, they often behave the same way when loading Schoolbox, handling sign-in, or connecting to internal school systems.

This page helps you troubleshoot common issues in Chromium-based browsers.

Chromium-based browsers may block or restrict access to Schoolbox due to security and privacy updates.

Common issues include:

• Schoolbox showing as offline or not loading.
• Login failures or sign-in not completing.
• Pages partially loading or appearing blank.
• External tools (SAML or LTI) not working.

Use the steps below to identify and resolve the issue.

Follow these steps to resolve most issues in Chromium-based browsers.

1. Check browser version

• Ensure the browser is up to date.
• Restart the browser after updating.

2. Clear cache and cookies

• Open browser settings.
• Clear browsing data, including cookies and cached files.
• Restart the browser and try again.

3. Disable extensions

• Disable browser extensions, especially ad blockers or privacy tools.
• Reload the page and test again.

4. Test in another browser

• Try accessing Schoolbox in a different browser.

If the issue only occurs in Chromium-based browsers, continue with the specific fixes below.

This issue does not affect Schoolbox sites hosted on the Schoolbox cloud platform.

This only affects self-hosted or on-premise Schoolbox sites where the Schoolbox URL resolves to a private network address (for example, 10.x.x.x or 192.168.x.x).

Recent updates to Chromium-based browsers (including Chrome and Edge) block websites from accessing private network addresses by default.

Symptoms

• Schoolbox shows as offline.
• Login fails or does not complete.
• Pages do not load correctly.

How to fix

You must allow your Schoolbox URL using a browser policy.

Step 1: Install browser policy templates

• Download the Google Chrome Enterprise Bundle.
• Download the Microsoft Edge policy files.
• Add them to your central store: \\domain\SYSVOL\domain\Policies\PolicyDefinitions

Step 2: Create a Group Policy Object (GPO)

1. Open Group Policy Management (gpmc.msc).
2. Right-click your target OU.
3. Select Create a GPO in this domain, and Link it here.
4. Name the policy Web browser - local network allowlist.

Step 3: Configure the policy (Chrome and Edge)

1. Edit the new GPO.
2. Go to:

Computer Configuration > Policies > Administrative Templates > Google Chrome > Network settings

or

Computer Configuration > Policies > Administrative Templates > Microsoft Edge > Network settings

1. Open Allow sites to make requests to local network endpoints.
2. Set to Enabled.
3. Select Show and add your Schoolbox URL: https://schoolbox.school.edu.au

Step 4: Apply and verify

1. On a user device, run: gpupdate /force
2. Open chrome://policy or edge://policy.
3. Search for LocalNetworkAccessAllowedForUrls.
4. Confirm the status is OK and your URL is listed.

For unmanaged devices

If you do not use Active Directory or device management, you can test the issue by launching the browser with: --disable-features=BlockInsecurePrivateNetworkRequests

This is for testing only and should not be used as a long-term solution.

Long-term solutions

The steps above rely on browser policies. These can change over time and may require ongoing management.

To remove this dependency and avoid future disruption, consider the following long-term options:

• Migrate to Schoolbox Cloud
  This fully removes the issue, as cloud-hosted Schoolbox sites are not affected by private network restrictions.
• Expose your Schoolbox instance via a public IP address
  Hosting your instance on a public address avoids private network blocking and aligns with modern browser security requirements.

These approaches ensure your Schoolbox instance is not impacted by ongoing browser changes and removes the need for policy-based workarounds.