What is "http://googleads.g.doubleclic… ? How can I disable it?

Question

Lately any time I click on a link at the top of a Google search page, it results in "server not found". I notice that the link is routing through "http://googleads.g.doubleclick.net" whenever this problem happens. I know that the server works at the true page I want to link because I can go directly to the site by typing it into the address bar. My antivirus utility is running. I've done several full sweeps which did remove one malware.

I can't seem to go to any page unless I go to a website directly by typing in the web address. Like I said, clicking on links through the search engine results in "server not found".

Any information would be appreciated

Answer 1

Best Answer - Chosen by Voters

Advertising. A lot of websites contract with DoubleClick (which is owned by Google) to place their ads on other websites. This allows DoubleClick to both serve the ad and to track the delivery and charges for advertising.

Your anti-malware software might be blocking the DoubleClick.net domain as a policy of blocking spyware or advertising tracking sites, hence you are not able to access it. Or it might have placed an entry for this URL in the HOSTS file.

Anyone can block all access to this domain on their computer with the HOSTS file.

More information:

This website keeps track (no pun intended) of advertising websites that use tracking cookies and publishes a HOST file that helps you block those sites.

http://www.mvps.org/winhelp2002/hosts.ht…

But the instructions on the website are terribly written, it's no problem for me, as I know what to do and ignore the instructions. Otherwise, the information is useful, if obfuscated by other details.