Any version after 73.0 will kill microphone for Google Hangouts and not even give the popup permission query but wants to change firewall settings but no go.
If I want to use Google Hangouts to make a phone call I have to stay with 73.0 or earlier. With this I get the permission popup for the microphone and everything works fine. 74.0 and now 75.0 does not popup the permission query but a box appears stating Firefox wishes to make changes to Windows Firewall. Even if I select allow it does not fix the microphone problem. Imaging hd back to 73.0 fixes the problem but at what cost over time? I do have Windows Firewall set to block incoming and outgoing traffic on Domains and Private networks and Public is set to default. I also have Local Security Policy set to treat any connection as Public and cannot be changed by user. So what has changed from 73.0 to 74.0/75.0 that my firewall settings would now impede Firefox from allowing the microphone to work or even producing the popup permission query? Running Win 7 x64 all updated. I am image obsessed and they are all clean and updated with no programs on them. 73.0 and previous work fine with my firewall settings. Firefox-1.png shows 73.0 working properly with Hangouts Firefox-2.png shows 75.0 wanting to change firewall settings which doesn't help and no microphone query.
Thanks for any pointers. I don't feel I should have to lower my securty to have newer versions of Firefox work properly.
Chosen solution
Nudebie Question owner said
I can install 73.0 or previous versions with my existing firewall settings and hangouts in gmail will work perfect. This would clearly indicate that there has been no detrimental coding change on the part of google.
Firefox 74 intentionally stopped prompting for cross-site microphone and camera permissions. Firefox 74+ now follows a standard called Feature Policy. With that approach, if you grant the main site (Gmail) microphone or camera permission, it can pass the permission to the embedded site (no prompt needed). But that's not automatic -- as I understand it, the problem is that Google hasn't made code updates to make Hangouts embedded in Gmail work in Firefox 74+.
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It is possible that this isn't about the microphone, but about using ports or other features that is blocked by the firewall. Did you try to lower the firewall settings temporarily to see if that has effect ?
You can also check the Network Monitor and Web Console to see if that gives a clue.
I don't know why you get that Firefox 75 message.
This other request is no longer displayed because it is a cross-site request: there are two host names involved:
There's apparently a technique Google can use to transfer microphone permission from mail.google.com to the framed page from hangouts.google.com, but I think they need to code this in -- I suspect users can't inject the permission after the fact.
For now, the best way to place calls is to go directly to https://hangouts.google.com/ .
cor-el Top 10 Contributor Moderator said
It is possible that this isn't about the microphone, but about using ports or other features that is blocked by the firewall. Did you try to lower the firewall settings temporarily to see if that has effect ? You can also check the Network Monitor and Web Console to see if that gives a clue.
I'm continuing this as I feel it could help alot of ppl. It would appear that it is about the microphone. I tried jscher2000 suggestion and connected directly to https://hangouts.google.com/ and Firefox popped up the microphone permission query when I went to make a phone call just like 73.0 and previous versions do in gmail. This is on a putter with 75.0 which will not do so in gmail and with the same firewall settings. So I did not need to lower the firewall settings yet why will firefox 74.0 and 75.0 ask to do so?
jscher2000 Top 10 Contributor said
I don't know why you get that Firefox 75 message. This other request is no longer displayed because it is a cross-site request: there are two host names involved:
Just to make this as simple as possible.
I can install 73.0 or previous versions with my existing firewall settings and hangouts in gmail will work perfect. This would clearly indicate that there has been no detrimental coding change on the part of google.
74.0 and 75.0 will not allow the mic to work for hangouts in gmail but wants to change firewall settings.
https://hangouts.google.com/ works in all versions.
Chosen Solution
Nudebie Question owner said
I can install 73.0 or previous versions with my existing firewall settings and hangouts in gmail will work perfect. This would clearly indicate that there has been no detrimental coding change on the part of google.
Firefox 74 intentionally stopped prompting for cross-site microphone and camera permissions. Firefox 74+ now follows a standard called Feature Policy. With that approach, if you grant the main site (Gmail) microphone or camera permission, it can pass the permission to the embedded site (no prompt needed). But that's not automatic -- as I understand it, the problem is that Google hasn't made code updates to make Hangouts embedded in Gmail work in Firefox 74+.
Thanks for the reply jscher2000
As soon as I posted my last reply I started wondering if you were implying that it was a change in Firefox which now you confirmed. I will now re image my hd and install 75.0 to run Network Monitor to see why Firefox wants to make changes to my firewall. The only thing I see from the popup is that it wants to allow traffic on Private Networks which is disabled on my computers. All conections including over lan are treated as Public.
Thanks to you and cor-el for your time on this matter.
Hi Nudebie, you are dedicated tester if you are willing to re-image your hard drive!
The firewall prompt makes me think of connecting to a new network. Real time communication features typically use WebRTC as a connection separate from and more direct than web requests. Perhaps something has changed there, as far as Windows Firewall is concerned?
When you search the WebRTC and Firefox, the majority of results relate to a problem VPN users can experience that WebRTC may bypass the VPN and reveal your real public IP address. Unscrupulous sites may try to take advantage of that; obviously you don't mind if Hangouts knows your real IP since it knows so much about you already. Anyway, please be cautious in applying any settings changes related to WebRTC as they may affect functionality you are trying to use. If you use a VPN, see: https://www.reddit.com/r/firefox/comments/8hjh3h/google_voice_psa_if_you_have_been_recently_having/