# My computer(on the internet) knows I'm in China. How can I stop this? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [September 18, 2004, 7:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-computer-on-the-internet-knows-im-in-china-how-can-i-stop-this/264816 "2004-09-18T07:27:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2004, 7:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-computer-on-the-internet-knows-im-in-china-how-can-i-stop-this/264816/1 "2004-09-18T07:27:06Z")
I’ve been in China over a year now and I have noticed recently that I get Chinese ads on webpages(like IMDB) and that when I go to Google, it takes me first to the Chinese version. I have no adware or spyware. I’ve cleared my history and my cookies. Is there anyway to get it to think I’m in America again? When I get a page that can’t come up, I get a Chinese message(essentially, a 404 in Chinese). I use Firefox, but it doesn’t seem to make a difference. ---
**Author:** ![Mac\_Guffin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/2bfe46/32.png) [@Mac\_Guffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mac_Guffin)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2004, 8:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-computer-on-the-internet-knows-im-in-china-how-can-i-stop-this/264816/2 "2004-09-18T08:10:06Z")
I would bet that it has less to do with your computer and more to do with the websites identifing your IP addy as a chineese one. But that is just a guess. ---
**Author:** ![picunurse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7bcc69/32.png) [@picunurse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/picunurse)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2004, 9:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-computer-on-the-internet-knows-im-in-china-how-can-i-stop-this/264816/3 "2004-09-18T09:14:34Z")
Does the clock on your 'puter have the local time (ie) Chinese time? I don’t know if its relevant, but it made sense to me that if advertisers (or their computers.) are able to see what time your clock reads, then, they know your time zone. I’m sure not many time zones in China are shared by other countries. ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2004, 9:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-computer-on-the-internet-knows-im-in-china-how-can-i-stop-this/264816/4 "2004-09-18T09:31:02Z")
Nah, it’s almost certainly IP address related. There is a website I saw the other day (HBO?) that won’t let me view it because I’m not in the US. Have you tried connecting through a proxy server? ---
**Author:** ![InvidiousCourgette](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/e47c2d/32.png) [@InvidiousCourgette](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/InvidiousCourgette)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2004, 9:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-computer-on-the-internet-knows-im-in-china-how-can-i-stop-this/264816/5 "2004-09-18T09:54:40Z")
> [@jjimm](#): > > Nah, it’s almost certainly IP address related. There is a website I saw the other day (HBO?) that won’t let me view it because I’m not in the US. Have you tried connecting through a proxy server? I have a side question relating to proxy servers: is _all_ of your traffic routed through the one you use? In other words, if I have a fast connection do I need to find a much faster proxy in order not to experience a significant deterioration in my internet experience? Does the website I am connecting to have any means of identifying my IP address? Sorry if I have strayed a little off topic. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2004, 10:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-computer-on-the-internet-knows-im-in-china-how-can-i-stop-this/264816/6 "2004-09-18T10:37:00Z")
My question is this. Why did it take over a year for the IP address to start bringing up Chinese sites? Is there a way(easy and free) to mask my IP address? ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2004, 10:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-computer-on-the-internet-knows-im-in-china-how-can-i-stop-this/264816/7 "2004-09-18T10:52:18Z")
> [@InvidiousCourgette](#): > > I have a side question relating to proxy servers: is _all_ of your traffic routed through the one you use? In other words, if I have a fast connection do I need to find a much faster proxy in order not to experience a significant deterioration in my internet experience? Does the website I am connecting to have any means of identifying my IP address? I am no expert, but I think it does - all TCP/IP traffic will be routed via the proxy, as defined in the network settings of the computer. I am sure there will indeed be some deterioration in performance; however, most proxies keep caches of previously viewed sites, so there may be a dividend in that popular sites may actually load at the same speed, or quicker than normal, on first viewing. > [@Mahaloth](#): > > Why did it take over a year for the IP address to start bringing up Chinese sites? Maybe the advertisers only recently started targetting people regionally? ---
**Author:** ![six\_personalities](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3da27b/32.png) [@six\_personalities](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/six_personalities)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2004, 10:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-computer-on-the-internet-knows-im-in-china-how-can-i-stop-this/264816/8 "2004-09-18T10:58:57Z")
Move to another country? ---
**Author:** ![Greg\_Charles](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/839c29/32.png) [@Greg\_Charles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Greg_Charles)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2004, 11:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-computer-on-the-internet-knows-im-in-china-how-can-i-stop-this/264816/9 "2004-09-18T11:05:22Z")
The proxy server is probably the best bet, but are there publicly available ones? I use a proxy server at work, which allows me to reach sites normally blocked in Vietnam, such as sites run by overseas Vietnamese, and things like Net2Phone. (The Vietnamese government runs the phone company, and doesn’t appreciate competition.) ---
**Author:** ![six\_personalities](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3da27b/32.png) [@six\_personalities](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/six_personalities)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2004, 11:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-computer-on-the-internet-knows-im-in-china-how-can-i-stop-this/264816/10 "2004-09-18T11:06:35Z")
Is it a Commie computer?Every key is equal 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Morris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peter_morris/32/359_2.png) [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2004, 11:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-computer-on-the-internet-knows-im-in-china-how-can-i-stop-this/264816/11 "2004-09-18T11:08:02Z")
On the right hand side of the search bar in google t5here are three links. In English they are - Advanced Search - Preferences - Language tools Go to the third link, which will be 语言工具 in the Chinese version. This will give you a list of languages you can select. Click on the fourth one down in the fourth column 英语 and that takes you to the English language version of Google. Use the preferenvces link to select default language for web pages to search. ---
**Author:** ![six\_personalities](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3da27b/32.png) [@six\_personalities](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/six_personalities)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2004, 11:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-computer-on-the-internet-knows-im-in-china-how-can-i-stop-this/264816/12 "2004-09-18T11:09:48Z")
How do Chinese computers work with all those symbols anyway? ---
**Author:** ![TheLoadedDog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/35a633/32.png) [@TheLoadedDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheLoadedDog)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2004, 11:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-computer-on-the-internet-knows-im-in-china-how-can-i-stop-this/264816/13 "2004-09-18T11:32:27Z")
> [@six\_personalities](#): > > How do Chinese computers work with all those symbols anyway? With a bloody long keyboard, of course! 😃 Seriously, I’m not sure, but I think it is similar to the way Chinese dictionaries work - in the case of the computer, you “build” the character you want by using multiple keystrokes referencing different sections or quadrants of the final character. Chinese-speaking friends of mine in Hong Kong say that when they are using chat programs, they use romanised Chinese peppered with English, because it’s quicker. ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2004, 11:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-computer-on-the-internet-knows-im-in-china-how-can-i-stop-this/264816/14 "2004-09-18T11:38:56Z")
There are severaly versions, some involving strokes, but the system I used in Hong Kong was that you typed in the English transliteration of the syllable, and it gave you a number of choices of character, with the most popular ones first, that you could click. It was quite an efficient system. ---
**Author:** ![NoCoolUserName](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/5fc32e/32.png) [@NoCoolUserName](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NoCoolUserName)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2004, 1:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-computer-on-the-internet-knows-im-in-china-how-can-i-stop-this/264816/15 "2004-09-18T13:25:34Z")
> [@six\_personalities](#): > > How do Chinese computers work with all those symbols anyway? There are several different “input systems” for Chinese. As jjimm says, one is to type the Pinyin (romanized Chinese) and then convert. Others have to do with looking up the number of strokes in the character or the “root” (primary sub character) and then selecting from a list. [Back on topic] When I was in China, I got Chinese Google immediately. When I came back to the US, I never saw it again. IANAIE, but to my understanding it works like this: you type “[www.google.com](http://www.google.com)” in the Address bar. You browser passes that up to an address server somewhere that looks up the name and returns an IP address. Then you computer sends the request to that IP address. Which page you get depends on which IP address the server gives you–so in China the servers return a different address than in other countries. [/I’m back] Peter Morris, how did you get Chinese characters to appear correctly? (Those are “traditional” by the way. If Mahaloth is in mainland China they will be “simplified” or “modern” and will be a bit different. Which I’m sure PM will know, but others might not.) ---
**Author:** ![Mathochist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c89c15/32.png) [@Mathochist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mathochist)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2004, 1:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-computer-on-the-internet-knows-im-in-china-how-can-i-stop-this/264816/16 "2004-09-18T13:56:18Z")
> [@Mahaloth](#): > > Is there anyway to get it to think I’m in America again? Of course. Move back to America. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Excellent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f19dbf/32.png) [@Mr.Excellent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Excellent)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2004, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-computer-on-the-internet-knows-im-in-china-how-can-i-stop-this/264816/17 "2004-09-18T15:19:20Z")
This may be a little off-topic, but here’s a question: Would it be okay for us to have a “how to circumvent the Great Firewall of China” thread? It would be illegal for any of our China-Dopers (like the OP) to use such advice, and so technically it would be against the board’s policy on illegal activity. But on the other hand, surely promoting freedom of speech and access to information would be the higher good? Just a thought - and I know this wasn’t really what the OP was asking about, but the mention of proxies got me thinking. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2004, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-computer-on-the-internet-knows-im-in-china-how-can-i-stop-this/264816/18 "2004-09-18T16:02:59Z")
Chinese people type the things they want to say in Pinyin, the romanization of their language. They then choose the correct charachter and it appears on the screen. It’s all very easy, actually. What is the easiest way to find a “proxy” server. I admit my ignoracnce. I assume proxy server means a server which I run through that hides my actua IP addresss. ---
**Author:** ![InvidiousCourgette](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/e47c2d/32.png) [@InvidiousCourgette](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/InvidiousCourgette)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2004, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-computer-on-the-internet-knows-im-in-china-how-can-i-stop-this/264816/19 "2004-09-18T16:29:48Z")
> [@Mahaloth](#): > > What is the easiest way to find a “proxy” server. I admit my ignoracnce. I assume proxy server means a server which I run through that hides my actua IP addresss. I just found this [list of proxies](http://www.publicproxyservers.com/page1.html) at the bottom of this [page](http://www.publicproxyservers.com/index.html) by googling for “proxy server”. As an experiment I went into IE’s Tools\>Internet Options\>Connections\>Settings and filled in all the info for one of the anonymous proxy servers listed and enabled it. I then went to the web page [what is my ip](http://www.whatismyip.com/) to see what IP it told me I had. It seems like it got the correct IP, and not the proxy IP. 😕 As I don’t really understand this stuff too much, can anyone explain what is going on? Will a proxy server be any use to **Mahaloth**? ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2004, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-computer-on-the-internet-knows-im-in-china-how-can-i-stop-this/264816/20 "2004-09-18T18:53:19Z")
> [@Mr. Excellent](#): > > Would it be okay for us to have a “how to circumvent the Great Firewall of China” thread? It would be illegal for any of our China-Dopers (like the OP) to use such advice, and so technically it would be against the board’s [policy](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=247049) on illegal activity. As far as I can tell, the Board is only concerned with discussing activites which are illegal per _US law_: > [@](#): > > You agree, through your use of this service, that you will not use the SDMB to post any material that is knowingly false and/or defamatory, inaccurate, abusive, vulgar, hateful, harassing, obscene, profane, threatening, invasive of a person’s privacy, or **violative of U.S. law**. You agree not to post material that in our opinion fosters or promotes activity that is **illegal in the U.S.** Bolding mine. I could be wrong, but I would think that if something were legal in the US it would be perfectly acceptable to discuss it here (within limits), regardless of its legality elsewhere. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-computer-on-the-internet-knows-im-in-china-how-can-i-stop-this/264816.md?page=2)