Search multiple site collections

Question

I have 7 site collections and would like to return search results from all of them. That currently only works for the first site collection I created while setting up the farm. Whenever I search from site collections 2-7, I only have results returned from the local site collection. Of course if I specify the results page URL in site collection settings, I will be redirected to my search site and get the results I want.

So, I want these results to be returned in the osssearchresults.aspx of the local site collection instead of being redirected to the results.aspx page in my search site.

Thanks in advance.

Answer 1

The search in the osssearchresults.aspx happens by passing the parameters via URL. If you check the search URL of a site2 after clicking on the Search button, the url is like as follows:

http://<Server>/sites/site2/_layouts/15/osssearchresults.aspx?u=</sites/site2>&k=<Searchword>

Now u=</sites/site2> is getting changed in every site collections. If you remove the u=</sites/site2> from the URL, then the sarch will happen in all site collections. The search URL will be.

http://<Server>/sites/site2/_layouts/15/osssearchresults.aspx?k=<Searchword>

So this the solution. So to skip the passing of u=</sites/site2> in site2, Please follow the following steps:

1. Go to site2 and go to Site Settings page
2. Click 'Search Settings' under 'Site Collection Administration'
3. Uncheck 'Use the same results page settings as my parent.'
4. Put /sites/site2/_layouts/15/osssearchresults.aspx in the 'Results page URL:'
5. Click OK
6. Check the Search Result. You need follow the above steps in 2-7 site collections. You do the above settings using powershell as well.

Answer 2

Rather than send your uses to the useless OSSSearch Page, why not just configure the Site Collection to send them to your search center. This way you will get results from all sites?

Alternatively you can teach them what to expect when searching a list (just list content) a site (just site content) and "everything" all site collections.

Answer 3

In the search settings for the site collection you need to choose "Enable custom scopes (such as "All Sites") by connecting this site collection with the following Search". Seems you selected "Do not use custom scopes. Use only contextual scopes (such as "This Site"). Display results in the Site" and hence the contextual results.