American computer won't recognize European Internet?

Tech, TV, Mobile, Internet and Geek Corner
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Hi,

I came to Switzerland about 3 weeks ago (from the USA), and my laptop computer will connect to the wireless internet at my apartment, but it won't let me access any websites. I know this has to be a problem with the computer itself and some sort of setting, because my iPhone and netbook connect to the internet here just fine.

One of my coworkers thought it might have something to do with a setting on my computer, and I need to switch something over to a European server, or something like that, in order for this to function correctly.

Do you, or have you heard of anyone else having a similar problem? Any suggestions or comments are greatly appreciated.

Thanks for your help!

Kelly

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American computer won't recognize European Internet? is plain wrong. The internet is much the same worldwide.

Is your lappy connecting wirelessly to the internet ? If yes, perhaps this wireless internet is "new" to that lappy, and a correct key / password needs to be entered.

If it is connected by an Ethernet cable to your router, it might likely work straight away. Give it a go.

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my guess is your browser is set up to use a proxy... which was necessary in your US setup. Do you know where to look for proxy settings?

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when you say your iphone and netbook connect to the internet "here" just fine do you mean at your home wireless? or in Switzerland?

are you using Swisscom for your ISP? Is your landline telephone working?

You may need to call Swisscom and have them check the line.

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Er, can you be more specific? You can't use things like hulu.com due to being on an IP that isn't registered as a US IP (though there are ways around that...)? What, exactly, are you unable to connect to? Can you connect to google.com and do a search? If not, assuming it's a mac, do you see the wireless at all? Look under applications->utilities for both the airport and network utilities which will help point you in the right direction if you're not getting any connection at all.

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I had a similar issue with an android tablet I bought in the US. I couldn't connect to my wifi at home while all my other devices could (laptop, phone). The problem was that my wifi router was broadcasting on channel 13 which is perfectly acceptable in Europe but not in the US (this channel is reserved by the US govt). And because this channel can't be used in the US, my US-purchased tablet was not configured to use that channel. I simply forced my router to use a channel (6 for instance) that my tablet could "see" without any problems and the problem was fixed.

In my case though I could not see the SSID at all. I don't know if it's your case.

Hope this will help

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Oh.. hard cheese. The 'European' Internet is written in British English.

Go into window's settings and adjust the colour queue every day for the next fortnight. Once it's working sit back and enjoy a fag.

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No I don't know where to look for those. Can you please advise? And also what exactly needs to be done?

To clarify regarding the other posts: My iPhone and netbook work just fine connected to the internet in Switzerland.

My laptop computer is the only thing that has a problem. It says I'm connected to the internet with "local access", but I can't access any websites. When I map out the connection, I am connected to the modem, but it says there is a problem with the modem and the internet. But this is clearly not the case, as I am typing from my netbook, using this wireless internet.

Does this help and/or make sense?

Thanks again for your help and comments!

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I think your router has not assigned your lappy an IP address, and your lappy ́s OS has given you an APIPA.

http://compnetworking.about.com/cs/p...ldef_apipa.htm

The key / password might still be the issue. What operating system are you using ?

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Thanks to those of you who took the time to post helpful comments.

I was able to talk to an IT person from my old company, using some of your suggestions. It turns out the problem is that my computer is using Windows Vista, and won't work properly with the wireless system here. Luckily it will now work using an ethernet cord until I can get the fix from microsoft.

Thanks again for your help.

Cheers,

Kelly

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I find that very strange though.

There are solutions specific to Vista ( local access is a known problem for Vista ) like this:

http://forums.techarena.in/vista-help/969173.htm

and this

http://www.vistax64.com/network-shar...y-problem.html

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Do you mean "Access Point" ? - Is the Wireless in the Laptop 802.11A, and your Access Point/Iphone/Netbook 802.11B/G/N ?

Doc.

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When I first moved over I had an issue with the IP address, there was a mis match between my laptop settings and the router setting. I ended up downloading a patch to correct it. Have a search on the internet for incorrect length addresses. My laptop was from the UK (also running Vista)so may not be the same issue as yours, but worth a go.

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My first thought (and I'm posting it here in case others have an issue) is that European wireless routers use more channels than US ones. See if your wireless is using channels 12 or 13 (I think they are the EU only ones).

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Where did you get your netbook and iphone? Are those from the US? If so and I'm not 100% sure about this, it would probably rule out the channel 13 issue some people are mentioning. Thanks to those that mentioned that though because it might help me in the future or someone I know.

What does your netbook run? Windows, Linux, etc?

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He/she already said its vista.

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Can you please do an ipconfig and post the output? Same for a tracert to google or somewhere.

Have you tried another browser?

Does your router have DHCP enabled? Is the pool large enough?

Does the laptop use either a manually configured DNS or IP address?

As mentioned before, check the wireless channels.

As you can see, these are very complex devices and issues can have a multitude of possible causes.

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Kelly,

I join CST above.

As you can connect, rule out the access point/router.

I assume it was asking you for the password means you're connected.

It is ether a proxy set or you have set manually a DNS server/IP address.

Proxy

Even if you use another browser, the settings you need to change you'll find within Internet Explorer, common sense of MS. There under Tools/Internet Options/Connections proxy, clear everything off.

Go to your network open the Network Connection, under properties/TCP/IP4

the DNS should be ether empty (both automatic) or you can use the figures below.

DNS 1 = 8.8.8.8

DNS 2 = 8.8.4.4

Its the public DNS server from Google. Will work worldwide

Or you pass by at my place, ca 10km from Baden and I fixed for you. 2 minutes work...

or I come to you, charge you a fortune and you make my day !

George

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and yes, and get rid of VISTA

Its inofficially forbidden here in Switzerland

George

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