Thankfully as per usual there is a workaround. Now normally this involves removing the beta element from the browser identity string so the browser identifies as the release version even though it isn’t out yet. Not this time though as Natwest refuse to acknowledge that a new version of firefox is coming…. there’s good web design, design your site so it breaks with every single browser release. So rather than telling a little white lie to the website we are going to have to tell a bare faced porky.

Crack open about:config ignoring any warnings about dragons as there is no such thing as dragons and even if there were Gandalf the master wizard will protect you. In the resultant screen search for the string “general.useragent.extra.firefox” and change the text from “Firefox/3.6b2″ to “Firefox/3.5.5″ and then stick two fingers up at what is the most stupid and pointless browser detection system known to man….. oh and the internet banking site will work once again too!

Fortunately, as I’ve previously posted HERE there is a way to solve the problem and fool natwest into thinking you are using a compatible browser.

The new problem is that mozilla have just reclassified the beta release from firefox 3.1 to firefox 3.5. The previous fix involved deleting the beta string from the user agent in about:config leaving Firefox/3.1 or Firefox/3.5 as the user agent. The new problem is that natwest don’t acknowledge the existence of firefox 3.5.

So for the meantime follow the steps in my previous fix making sure the identifier is Firefox/3.1 as before. Least until Natwest catch up or even better remove the stupid browser detection routine

Basically Natwest (and presumably RBS) online banking has the most atrocious browser detection routine which essentially looks at your browser user agent string and if it doesn’t match the strings it’s been told work with the site it refuses to let you in. Now this is stupid because the vast majority of modern browsers work with Natwest no problems however each time a new (or a beta) version comes out Natwest assume that it wont work with online banking.

So once again it’s time for my little trick to make Natwest think it’s working. This involves the following steps

• In the location bar type “about:config” and press enter
• You’ll then get a warning about dragons. As Peter Jones isn’t that scary just ignore it
• Find the preference “general.useragent.extra.firefox” and delete the b3 bit so it reads “Firefox/3.1″
• Laugh in the face of Natwest’s stupid browser detection system
• Log into internet banking
• Send me all your money (just kidding)

Until today I’ve been using the IE Tab extension to make natwest open in an Internet Explorer tab within firefox however that isn’t ideal as it means having to use internet explorer which is never a good idea.

Fortunately, I’ve now solved the problem and internet banking works fine in firefox 3 beta 5. To solve simply crack open about:config in firefox. Ignore the nice warning about dragons and then find the string general.useragent.extra.firefox. Right click on that string and select modify. Then simply remove the b5 so it reads as Firefox/3.0

Firefox will now identify itself as firefox 3 and not as firefox 3b5 and internet banking will no longer complain!