How to Fix Cannot Connect to Real Google SSL Error on Google Chrome

A Quick Guide to Solve SSL Connection Error “Cannot Connect to Real Google”

Nowadays, having an internet connection is a new norm for most of the people. Small to big things can be done online, and having a website is not something new. And, one of the most popular browsers of the world used for surfing the internet or visiting a website is Google Chrome.

Furthermore, having a website also means that having an SSL/TLS certificate installed for security reasons as cyber threats isn’t an unheard name anymore. Google Chrome heavily promotes it by showing “Not Secure” and other types of warning messages if any website doesn’t comply with their policy of having an SSL installed.

But, it’s equally valid that having an SSL certificate installed doesn’t guarantee that the user won’t face an error message. Sometimes, it happens that users get greeted by the error message due to one or the other reasons from the user’s side or admin side.

Amazingly, sometimes the Google search engine website can also throw such error messages on their Google Chrome browser itself when you try opening using Google Chrome. For example: Cannot Connect to Real www.google.com, though it’s not limited to only Google.com. Any website can show it.

Here in this article, we’ll discuss this error message, its causes, and how to solve it.

But, before we dive into it, be sure that you’re clear what does an SSL/TLS certificate means. If you don’t know, then we suggest going through this piece of article, which will help you understand what an SSL/TLS certificate is.

What Causes This SSL Connection Error – Cannot Connect to Real Google

Some of the common reasons that you face such error messages are like:

The time and date are not appropriately set into your computer system. If it’s is not displayed correctly or not matches the real one, then it can show SSL related error messages.
An installed SSL/TLS certificate is expired. In other words, an SSL certificate comes with a validity period, and once it exceeds, SSL is not considered valid, and it starts showing error.
Some mistakes might have been made while installing an SSL/TLS certificate or not installed correctly.
The version of used Google Chrome is quite old.
Installed antivirus could be blocking the HTTPS connection.
The website you’re trying to open uses older encryption standard such as 128-bit.
The website is using the older SHA-1 algorithm.
The browsers do not trust the certificate authority who issued the certificate.

How to Fix Cannot Connect to Real Google

Go through these mentioned steps to solve one of the commonly seen SSL related error messages – Cannot Connect to Real Google SSL Error that sometimes occurs while trying to make Google browser default for surfing the internet.

Confirm Whether Date & Time Is Correct or Not
Verify Validity Period of Installed SSL/TLS Certificate
Make Sure SSL/TLS Certificate Is Installed Properly
Use the Latest Google Chrome Version
Disable SSL Scanning Option From Your Installed Antivirus Program
Enable Latest 256-Bit Encryption Standard Rather Than 128-Bit
Upgrade to Latest Algorithm SHA-2
Purchase Your SSL/TLS Certificate From Trusted CA

Confirm Whether Date & Time Is Correct or Not

If your computer is not set to correct time and date, you’ll most likely face error while using Google Chrome. To avoid error, all you’ve to do is go to systems settings and change your computer’s time and date to the correct one based on your country and location.

Verify Validity Period of Installed SSL/TLS Certificate

All SSL/TLS certificate comes with the validity period. And once it exceeds that time frame, the browser starts showing an error message, and simultaneously connection doesn’t stay secure, which does harm the website.

Furthermore, if you’re the website owner, then renew the SSL/TLS certificate or else if you’re a visitor, then go ahead and contact the concerned person of the website (can be found easily on their website itself). And email them to inform their website’s SSL/TLS certificate is expired and they should renew it to keep their website running smoothly without any error message.

Make Sure SSL/TLS Certificate Is Installed Properly

If the SSL/TLS certificate is not installed correctly, then SSL errors can occur.

If you’re a system admin, then you should follow all the SSL installation steps. Once it’s completed, you should also verify it once using SSL tools like SSL Checker Tool. It will help you acknowledge whether the installation process was successful or else any mistake has been made or any file hasn’t been changed to, which likely causes issues even after the installation.

Use the Latest Google Chrome Version

Verify whether your Google Chrome is updated with the latest available version. If not, update it and restart Google Chrome, and hopefully, it should solve the issue.

Disable SSL Scanning Option From Your Installed Antivirus Program

Sometimes it happens that installed antivirus program can cause SSL related errors. Though antivirus programs block unsafe and malicious websites but, sometimes it can even block the secured HTTPS website due to the conflicts between the encryption standards and programs.

However, to prevent such scenarios, it’s best to change the settings and disable the HTTPS scanning feature on the installed antivirus.

Enable Latest 256-Bit Encryption Standard Rather Than 128-Bit

According to Google, the 128-bit encryption standard is open to attack, and its security level is also very low. For preventing such situations, its best that users have their SSL/TLS certificate installed that have the 256-bit encryption standard.

So, if you do not have 256-bit standard encryption, it’s likely that you may come across SSL related error and if that’s the case, then simply get it reissued and while creating CSR look for the 256-bit encryption.

Upgrade to Latest Algorithm SHA-2

Similar to the encryption standard, Google has also declared that usage of SHA-1 is no longer fruitful and it’s not even used anymore. So, if your website has an SSL installed that works on SHA-1, it’ll cause an issue, and it’ll display an error message whoever tires visiting it.

So, to prevent that situation, you should verify whether you’ve installed an SSL certificate that uses the SHA-2 algorithm. If not, then the only option is to migrate to the SHA-2 algorithm.

Purchase Your SSL/TLS Certificate From Trusted CA

Getting your SSL/TLS certificate issued by CA is not enough. You should also be aware that they’re trusted and accepted globally by all the major web browsers like Mozilla Firefox and obviously Google Chrome-like Sectigo or DigiCert.

If you’ve installed an SSL/TLS certificate, which is self-signed or else it’s issued by any CA who’s not registered in the certificate root store of the browsers, it’ll show an error message.

Summary

Usually, the SSL/TLS certificate was necessary for those sites that were dealing with financial details. But, it’s been a few years that Google, along with other popular web browsers like Mozilla Firefox, has made it compulsory for all types of websites to have an SSL/TLS certificate installed.

So, if you’re having a website and not installed an SSL certificate, it’s very likely errors, and a warning message will be displayed, whoever tries to visit it. But, sometimes it happens that even if the SSL is installed and everything is working fine, then also error message like Cannot Connect to Real Google occurs. If that’s the scenario with you, then go through the above guide and quickly solve it without stressing on it.

Other SSL Certificate Error and Troubleshoot Guide

AboutSSL’s Best Stuff

