Mac Book in China
 

When I was in China in March, I had a problem connecting to the internet using the ethernet port on my Mac Book. It seem to be just an Apple thing because the tech came to my room with an IBM laptop and it worked fine. Also when I went to the lobby, the wireless worked fine.

Has anybody with a MAC had a similar problem in China recently? If so, is there a fix? Thanks in advance.

No issues getting online in Shanghai 2 wks ago. Mail didn't work and I had to use web mail to get my email!

They have little experience with Macs. All of their training is on how to duplicate the hard drives on the windows based machines of our diplomats and nuclear scientists.

I had that problem a lot in Japan a couple of years ago as well as some western EU hotels. My co-workers were high speed with a pc and I could not connect at all. Basically you can just count on being screwed in that hotel. Believe me I tried for many days to get it to work. Some of my trips were to spend weeks in the same hotel without flying and I had nothing but time to fix it. Even called Apple long distance for help and they said Sorry, they got us on that one.

This is part of being a mac owner. I love the stability of it but they are not true international machines. Mine is a 4 year old powerbook. Maybe the new ones are better.

I am due for a new computer but the MAC problems I have might steer me toward a cheap pc laptop.

One word will steer you back to a Mac: Vista!

Once you go Mac you never go back....

you couldn't make me go back to Dell Hell for any reason... 80 hrs in Osaka and I still wouldn't do it!!!!! :D

So they do not work in Osaka either?

I have a recent macbook and had the same problem in Shenzhen. (but only there) Interestingly enough, after going down to the lobby and connecting successfully there wirelessly, it worked fine back in my room via the cable - go figure. It definitely was Mac related but I'm also clueless what was going on.

ABSOLUTELY... I never wanted a MAC, but my wife did. I bought her one... used it now and then... and now I bought my first. It's awesome.

My PC works everywhere! :D

Did you get an ip address?
Could you ping the gateway(router that lets you out)?
Did you get dns servers?
Could you ping them?
Did the tech check his working settings so you could set them manually with Network Preferences?

Quite frequently the wired and wireless systems in hotels and other buildings are separate networks hence your ability to get on with the wireless.

I've run into networks that had some obscure setting that was granted automagically in Windows(usually a nonstandard mask) but not in Linux or OSX. In the case of the Linux problems it was with the same hardware, dual boot laptop, just different drivers and settings. Networking is platform agnostic. Unless the router verifies the system type and excludes from that but even that can be spoofed.

Of course if you like the new Mac hardware you can run Windows on it if you feel the need.

I'm a pretty smart Mac guy ...

I couldn't get on in Shanghai. I called the front desk, they told me to call the business center. I did ... they had some seemingly backwards way to connect that worked quite well. I'm sorry I don't remember the details to share. My point is to ask the locals if they have any local knowledge ... :D

I've run into this as well, mostly stateside. I found that Bootcamp (Windows running) causes the hangup to getting online. In every case, I shut down the PC side, then getting online is easy... then I start up Bootcamp (Windows) if I need it...

no.. osaka works great... just hate long Osaka layovers... it's gotten better, but there are a lot of places that are a lot more fun for 80 hours...

my MBP works in Osaka, Shenzhen, taipei.. what doesn't work in places like Pudong and such is the blog address's.. for some reason they block out the address's that end in *blog.com

go figure... even have trouble in HKG with that... not sure why...

Just Got to PVG, it connected no problem. I bought my Mac in March, so it has Leopard. Whatever the problem was it's gone. BTW, I would never go back to a PC no matter what. I love m MAC!

That probably would be due to the Great Firewall of China.

The Great Firewall of China

The Connection Has Been Reset

I am using Mac OS X and have had no problems in Osaka or Tokyo. Macs are actually pretty popular in Japan.

Just don't try to use it in the Intercontinental Hotel in Yokohama...

Those of you who switched from PC to Mac - how hard was the transition? Is there anything you miss? Specific programs, etc? How do you deal with it?

I am about to get the new iPhone and noticed there's a really neat pilot logbook software you can download to the iPhone but it only works with Mac so I'm thinking about getting a Mac as well.

(http://www.apple.com/downloads/macosx/productivity_tools/logtenpropilotlogbook.html)

However, I like computer games and have never been impressed with Mac in that arena, also I’ve heard there are plenty of viruses affecting Mac but for whatever reason people don’t think it’s as bad so I'm having my doubts about making the 'jump.'

Any inputs from former PC addicts would be appreciated...

I switched about four years ago from a Dell Latitude laptop to a 13" Powerbook. Recently upgraded to a MacAir. It takes a bit to get used to no right click. I think if you get a newer mouse you can program it. The overall end result is no looking back. Much more stable, can now run most if not all the of the IBM type programs, and will outlast normal PCs by several years.
Go the Mac Store and use the computers there for an hour or two. Get a salesman / person to show you how to do things. Don't make the leap totally cold like I did. I will be getting the new 3G iPhone shortly, can't wait.

Hold the ctrl key down when you click the mouse pad and your right click will be back.

Or turn on the option to tap 2 fingers on the trackpad for right click.