Why OTTO Shows 'Not Detected'
After installing the Search Atlas WordPress plugin, OTTO communicates with your site using automated monitoring requests. If your site runs behind Cloudflare or another bot-protection service, those requests may be blocked before OTTO can verify the connection. This causes the Not Detected status to persist even when the plugin is correctly installed.
Step 1: Confirm the Plugin Is Installed Correctly
- Log in to your WordPress admin dashboard.
- Go to Plugins → Installed Plugins and confirm Search Atlas is listed and Active.
- If the plugin is inactive, click Activate and recheck OTTO in your Search Atlas dashboard.
- If the plugin is missing, reinstall it from your Search Atlas dashboard and repeat activation.
Step 2: Whitelist the Search Atlas Bot in Cloudflare
If the plugin is active but OTTO still shows Not Detected, Cloudflare is most likely blocking the monitoring requests. The most effective fix is to whitelist Search Atlas traffic in your Cloudflare settings. Because the specific IP addresses used by Search Atlas may change, open the chat widget in the bottom-right corner of the platform and type human teammate to request the current IP list before completing these steps.
- Log in to your Cloudflare dashboard and select the domain connected to your WordPress site.
- Locate your firewall or bot-protection settings and add an Allow rule for the Search Atlas IP addresses provided by our support team.
- Check whether any bot-blocking features on your Cloudflare account are set to block automated or non-browser traffic, and create an exception for Search Atlas if so.
- Review any active custom firewall rules that may block automated requests to your domain, and pause or adjust rules that could be interfering.
- Save all changes and allow time for settings to propagate before rechecking OTTO.
Step 3: Re-verify the Connection in Search Atlas
- Return to your Search Atlas dashboard and locate your connected site.
- Check the OTTO status to confirm it has updated.
- If the status remains Not Detected after completing the Cloudflare steps, proceed to the section below.
Other Firewall and Hosting Configurations
Cloudflare is the most common cause, but other configurations can also block OTTO. Check the following if the issue persists after the Cloudflare steps.
- Security plugins (e.g. Sucuri or Wordfence): Add the Search Atlas IP addresses (provided by our support team) to the allowlist in your security plugin settings.
- Hosting-level firewalls: Some managed hosting providers apply their own bot-blocking rules. Contact your host and ask them to whitelist the Search Atlas IP addresses.
- Staging or subdomain sites: Ensure the plugin is installed and active on the correct domain that is connected to your Search Atlas account.
If you need further assistance, open the chat widget in the bottom-right corner of the platform and type human teammate to be connected with a member of our team.