Best browser if restricting Vanguard account?

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conundrum
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Joined: Sat May 09, 2009 7:00 pm

Best browser if restricting Vanguard account?

Post by conundrum »

What is the best browser to use if I restrict my access to only one computer? I am currently using Safari and once a month or so it doesn’t recognize my computer and I have to call in to get access. Is there any browsers that are less likely to not be recognized?
Thanks so much.
Drum :D
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cowdogman
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Re: Best browser if restricting Vanguard account?

Post by cowdogman »

conundrum wrote: Fri Jan 21, 2022 1:59 pm What is the best browser to use if I restrict my access to only one computer? I am currently using Safari and once a month or so it doesn’t recognize my computer and I have to call in to get access. Is there any browsers that are less likely to not be recognized?
Thanks so much.
Drum :D
I don't think a different browser will help. I use Firefox and Chrome and it happens in both. Very annoying, especially since it always happens on the weekend when VG is closed.

Recently I started using a Yubikey with Vanguard, and turned off "recognize computer." I also set up my SMS using Google Voice. There is a very long thread here discussing both: viewtopic.php?f=11&t=349826
Keith5337
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Re: Best browser if restricting Vanguard account?

Post by Keith5337 »

I use Pale Moon, a Firefox derivative. I have never need to call in. I may have needed to retrieve a code from my email or a text message. That should be something you set up in your account preferences.
RedDog
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Re: Best browser if restricting Vanguard account?

Post by RedDog »

cowdogman wrote: Fri Jan 21, 2022 6:03 pm
conundrum wrote: Fri Jan 21, 2022 1:59 pm What is the best browser to use if I restrict my access to only one computer? I am currently using Safari and once a month or so it doesn’t recognize my computer and I have to call in to get access. Is there any browsers that are less likely to not be recognized?
Thanks so much.
Drum :D
I don't think a different browser will help. I use Firefox and Chrome and it happens in both. Very annoying, especially since it always happens on the weekend when VG is closed.

Recently I started using a Yubikey with Vanguard, and turned off "recognize computer." I also set up my SMS using Google Voice. There is a very long thread here discussing both: viewtopic.php?f=11&t=349826
+1…I’ve used the same strategy (even during international travel) for 3-years and have experienced no difficulties.
Topic Author
conundrum
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Re: Best browser if restricting Vanguard account?

Post by conundrum »

Thanks so much, appreciate all the thoughts and advice.
Drum
tj
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Re: Best browser if restricting Vanguard account?

Post by tj »

Keith5337 wrote: Fri Jan 21, 2022 6:36 pm I use Pale Moon, a Firefox derivative. I have never need to call in. I may have needed to retrieve a code from my email or a text message. That should be something you set up in your account preferences.
I never heard of this browser. How did you discover it?
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Sandtrap
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Re: Best browser if restricting Vanguard account?

Post by Sandtrap »

Firefox
2 factor ID: code to cell phone
VPN

j :D
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Keith5337
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Re: Best browser if restricting Vanguard account?

Post by Keith5337 »

tj wrote: Sun Jan 23, 2022 4:43 pm
Keith5337 wrote: Fri Jan 21, 2022 6:36 pm I use Pale Moon, a Firefox derivative. I have never need to call in. I may have needed to retrieve a code from my email or a text message. That should be something you set up in your account preferences.
I never heard of this browser. How did you discover it?
I believe in I was listening to a Dennis Prager program. He was talking about the CEO catching flack for supporting a certain moral stance in his personal life. Of which he never carried over into his corporate life.

Prager recommended Pale Moon as an alternative to Fire Fox as a protest.
dboeger1
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Re: Best browser if restricting Vanguard account?

Post by dboeger1 »

Not that you asked, but for what it's worth, a security practice that is gaining traction in recent times is more frequent, periodic re-authentication. The idea is that if an attacker gains access to your content, they shouldn't necessarily be allowed to keep it for very long. If you're only having this problem once per month, I wouldn't be shocked to learn that was by design, even if there doesn't seem to be any explicit note of that. Obviously, that doesn't protect your account from getting accessed; it's more of a backup defense mechanism rather than a frontline measure.

My Vanguard account forgets my browser every time I get on and off my company's VPN, which is often several times per day, so I've given up hope of being able to log in without an SMS code. I'm tempted to get one of those hard keys just so I don't have to check my texts every single time.
Makefile
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Re: Best browser if restricting Vanguard account?

Post by Makefile »

Keith5337 wrote: Mon Jan 24, 2022 6:13 pm
tj wrote: Sun Jan 23, 2022 4:43 pm
Keith5337 wrote: Fri Jan 21, 2022 6:36 pm I use Pale Moon, a Firefox derivative. I have never need to call in. I may have needed to retrieve a code from my email or a text message. That should be something you set up in your account preferences.
I never heard of this browser. How did you discover it?
I believe in I was listening to a Dennis Prager program. He was talking about the CEO catching flack for supporting a certain moral stance in his personal life. Of which he never carried over into his corporate life.

Prager recommended Pale Moon as an alternative to Fire Fox as a protest.
Eh, it's a bit deeper than politics.
Firefox usage peaked in the late 2000s as an IE alternative in the 30% range. The addons in particular were its "killer" feature.
Many feel Firefox lost its way after version 3.x, largely focusing on reimplementing Chrome features ever since and repeated pointless UI redesigns.
In particular, for good and necessary reasons, the Firefox addon system was reworked at some point, but this broke compatibility with all existing addons, and the replacement interface is such that a Firefox and Chrome extension share a common feature set and this is no longer a differentiator for Firefox.
One of the first rounds of Pale Moon was to keep that old extension system, if I remember right.
Keith5337
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Re: Best browser if restricting Vanguard account?

Post by Keith5337 »

Makefile wrote: Mon Jan 24, 2022 6:32 pm
Keith5337 wrote: Mon Jan 24, 2022 6:13 pm
tj wrote: Sun Jan 23, 2022 4:43 pm
Keith5337 wrote: Fri Jan 21, 2022 6:36 pm I use Pale Moon, a Firefox derivative. I have never need to call in. I may have needed to retrieve a code from my email or a text message. That should be something you set up in your account preferences.
I never heard of this browser. How did you discover it?
I believe in I was listening to a Dennis Prager program. He was talking about the CEO catching flack for supporting a certain moral stance in his personal life. Of which he never carried over into his corporate life.

Prager recommended Pale Moon as an alternative to Fire Fox as a protest.
Eh, it's a bit deeper than politics.
Firefox usage peaked in the late 2000s as an IE alternative in the 30% range. The addons in particular were its "killer" feature.
Many feel Firefox lost its way after version 3.x, largely focusing on reimplementing Chrome features ever since and repeated pointless UI redesigns.
In particular, for good and necessary reasons, the Firefox addon system was reworked at some point, but this broke compatibility with all existing addons, and the replacement interface is such that a Firefox and Chrome extension share a common feature set and this is no longer a differentiator for Firefox.
One of the first rounds of Pale Moon was to keep that old extension system, if I remember right.
The question was how did I discover Pale Moon. What I relayed is how/why I found out about Pale Moon and why I started using it.
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Flymore
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Re: Best browser if restricting Vanguard account?

Post by Flymore »

Multiple computers is my solution.

I have a home office computer and my laptop. If it doesn't work on my laptop, I can usually sign on my home office PC. Then I go in and turn off the restriction on my account and re-authenticate my laptop, then turn the restriction back on.

I use chrome, firefox and now trying out Brave without issue. This issue maybe caused when the browser is updated, but don't know for sure.

My favorite is the Symantec VIP Access app on my phone for Etrade.
1. Download app to phone.
2. Sync app with Etrade account.

The app generates a random 6 digit number that is appended to my password when I sign on to Etrade. Works great and I don't need anything extra, just my phone.
Narpule
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Re: Best browser if restricting Vanguard account?

Post by Narpule »

What about Microsoft Edge in the context of using the Vanguard feature called computer access restriction? I have stayed away from Edge for a long time, using Firefox instead, but I wonder if Edge has finally 'come of age'. Supposedly the underlying software is Chromium, like Chrome but likely without Google's motives for tracking on web use. I agree with the earlier post that Vanguard's computer access restriction goes away unpredictably. Many times I have asked Vanguard customer service if cookie protection is sufficient to maintain access, and they always say yes, but that is not really the case, as shown in the current Memorial Day weekend. Friday I used the Vanguard site twice with no problem. But on Saturday at the beginning of a long weekend, my computer is no longer recognized, and neither is my spouse's. Clients are not told the truth on this issue, and I tired of that. They could be more forthcoming and truthful, without revealing security-related details.
Carl53
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Joined: Sun Mar 07, 2010 7:26 pm

Re: Best browser if restricting Vanguard account?

Post by Carl53 »

Flymore wrote: Mon Jan 24, 2022 7:02 pm Multiple computers is my solution.

I have a home office computer and my laptop. If it doesn't work on my laptop, I can usually sign on my home office PC. Then I go in and turn off the restriction on my account and re-authenticate my laptop, then turn the restriction back on.

I use chrome, firefox and now trying out Brave without issue. This issue maybe caused when the browser is updated, but don't know for sure.

My favorite is the Symantec VIP Access app on my phone for Etrade.
1. Download app to phone.
2. Sync app with Etrade account.

The app generates a random 6 digit number that is appended to my password when I sign on to Etrade. Works great and I don't need anything extra, just my phone.
I use Chrome on Windows desktop and Spouse uses Safari on a Apple laptop. I've had restricted access set up for some time for my and my spouses VG accounts for some time. One account restricted to the desktop and one to the laptop. Yesterday I decided to try to restrict each account so that each could be accessed by either account and ended up having no access to either account from any computer. Eventually VG support got us both back on but suggested that possibly I needed to close window that had made the change prior making a further change. In any case I would appreciate it if someone could advise the proper sequence to making two computers having restricted access to two VG accounts. As noted by others I will not attempt this on a weekend, in case I get shut out again.
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