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HttpURLConnection in android doesn't send correct User-Agent header

Answer 1

+3 A:

The HTTP specification states that all clients are supposed to sent User-Agent headers. It however, does not state that they should identify the client in the manner a server wishes to. Android therefore complies with the specification, and there is not a lot you can do about it.

The best you could do is to use the setRequestProperty() method to attempt to get a preferable user-agent value in the request. There are no guarantees that it would work, but it is likely. The method needs to be called in the following manner:

connection.setRequestProperty("User-Agent","<em>USER-AGENT VALUE</em>");

Edit

Android uses WebKit. If you want to set WebKit's user-agent string, you'll either have to use a static value, or read the user-agent string from WebKit. I haven't attempted this, but the WebKit user-agent string is available in Android via the getUserAgentString() method of the WebSettings class.

Vineet Reynolds 2009-09-15 22:43:24

I know about this, but how i can use the same type of connection string that the browser is using? I don't want to hardoced a user-agent myself, i want to use the device user-agent.

Lucas S. 2009-09-15 22:59:03

I've updated the answer to include a possible solution.

Vineet Reynolds 2009-09-15 23:09:19

@answer: The HTTP spec uses the word "should" not "must". This indicates that it would be nice, but you aren't "supposed" to.@Lucas S: Why would you want to identify yourself as the browser when you AREN'T the browser?

fiXedd 2009-09-16 07:55:18

Nice to know that. Didnt know a separate RFC existed for that purpose.

Vineet Reynolds 2009-09-16 12:20:49

I need to do this so my server can identify which device is sending the request. I attached some pics with the output i get when connecting with the browser and by code.

Lucas S. 2009-09-16 19:08:42

Answer 2

A:

it's be wrong if HttpURLConnection faked the user agent of the browser. it's not the browser after all. it would be nice if it sent a little more information, like maybe "Java/1.6 (MacOS 10.5 ..." etc.

Jeffrey Blattman 2009-10-23 03:51:19

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HttpURLConnection in android doesn't send correct User-Agent header

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