Safari redirecting to National websites.

[godzilla1200]

Hi, I wish someone could help me. I am in Mexico, and sometimes I want to visit a website from either US or other part of the world. The problem is that when I type for example: google.com, it redirects it to google.com.mx. Now there are some sites like google which gives you the option to change locations, but a lot don't.

So is there a way to stop Safari from redirecting to local websites. I didn't have this problem when I had Snow Leopard with whichever version Safari was then.

 

[PeterHolbrook]

Localisation is a feature or a nuisance offered by many websites, including Google. It doesn't depend on the web browser you use, I think. If I go to Google or other websites using either Safari (in Snow Leopard or Lion) or Internet Explorer in Windows 7, such sites always try to show localised versions, not always their English or American versions. I guess they try to match the version of their pages for your current IP range.

 

[kurolap]

I would also like a fix to this, it's complete stupidity for Apple not to have control. If I'm using Safari, it should have NOTHING to do with google when I type http://www.website.com - if on the other hand I type in google the website then by all means google, screw me over.

Please fix this Apple or if anyone knows solution let me know because location services are off in my settings for Safari.

 

[aristobrat]

I would also like a fix to this, it's complete stupidity for Apple not to have control. If I'm using Safari, it should have NOTHING to do with google when I type http://www.website.com - if on the other hand I type in google the website then by all means google, screw me over.

Please fix this Apple or if anyone knows solution let me know because location services are off in my settings for Safari.

Don't forget that websites can use your external IP address to get a rough idea of where you're at. This process has nothing to do with your computer or web browser. A computer in your location (home?) running Windows 8 should show the same external IP address as your Mac running in the same location.

When I'm at home here in the US and visit google.com or netflix, everything works as expected.

When I'm working abroad (Hong Kong) and visit google.com or netflix, I get redirected the Hong Kong version of google, and Netflix tells me it can only be accessed within the US.

However, when I'm working abroad (Hong Kong) and am connected to the Internet with company's VPN (which pops me on the Internet back here in the US), going to google or Netflix works exactly like it does when I'm at home.

The only difference between the last two scenarios is that when I use a VPN connection from Hong Kong, I get an external IP address from the US, so google doesn't know to redirect me to the HK site, and Netflix thinks that I'm in the US, when I'm actually sitting in a hotel room in Hong Kong.

My Mac/Safari/Location Services don't have any effect on that.

 

[kurolap]

These VPNs - are they free or you have to pay to use them?

 

[b0fh666]

this is not the browser's fault (usually), but a retared web design thing.

it gets interesting when you are in japan or another country whose language you have no clue and need to visit such websites