Chromebook in Europe?

[Anna J]

Hi,

Has anyone from the US used a Chromebook while visiting Europe? I am looking for something that I can access the internet from while traveling. Both of the Air B&B places I am staying have internet and I already have a Chromebook, so am trying to find out if it will work overseas.

 

[Christine]

It is a popular gadget in Europe. Work well here in the Scandiwegian countries.

If hooking up to an AirBnB it's the "WiFi" function you need on your Chromebook.

Happy travels!

 

[JustCurious]

Of course it will work, why wouldn't it?

 

[Red Badger]

Have drug mine through ~20 countries in Europe. Works like a champ.
Chromebook limitation is that it has minimal usefulness if internet is unavailable - a common issue about 20 years ago.

 

[Anna J]

Thanks for your replies. I found out that my Kindle fire would only work as an e-reader and that the wifi internet function woudn't work so I wanted to know if people were able to use Chromebook for the internet before I lugged it around

 

[Lagniappe]

That is odd. My kindle fire works fine over wifi in Europe, South America and Asia so far.

 

[Anna J]

That is odd. My kindle fire works fine over wifi in Europe, South America and Asia so far.

^^^^
Were you able to use it as an internet surfing device as well as an e-reader? That was my concern with the kindle. I was reseaching and it seemed that several coments were stating that the kindles could access amazon to purchase books and that you could watch things that were already downloaded but that you couldn't download or surf new items once overseas. Maybe their kindles weren't configured correctly?

 

[Lagniappe]

Yes it was fine once I got on a wifi network. I used the browser. It is a Kindle fire bought last year.

 

[Anna J]

Yes it was fine once I got on a wifi network. I used the browser. It is a Kindle fire bought last year.

Ok...Thanks!

 

[Sunset]

Yes it was fine once I got on a wifi network. I used the browser. It is a Kindle fire bought last year.

I was looking to buy something light weight and low cost that I could take traveling.
Was thinking of a Fire HD 10 tablet.

Are you using this when you say Kindle fire ?

Can you access email and browse the internet (example cnn.com) ?

 

[Lagniappe]

Here is a link to a review I read before buying. I use it for shorter trips where I am mostly web browsing, watching video or reading. Don't have it on my current trip as I need access to spreadsheets and may need to transact with financial institutions.

https://www.theverge.com/2017/10/11/16453622/amazon-fire-hd-10-2017-tablet-review

 

[Red Badger]

FWIW, I'm using my $149 Chromebook to post this from my Airbnb in London.

Also keeping up with that b!tch dancing off the Carolina coast and hoping we don't have to cut our trip short.

But yeah, Chromebook is plugging away just fine as I sit above the river Thames.

 

[Aerides]

Any tablet with a browser and WIFI will work anywhere, including the Fire. I prefer the small samsung galaxy tab, and I like a basic android/google device over amazon, but the fire is gonna be really cheap most of the time.

 

[CaliKid]

Of course it will work, why wouldn't it?

+1

I don't see why any WiFi device would not work in Europe versus anywhere else. It doesn't distinguish the WiFi does it!?

 

[Chuckanut]

+1



I don't see why any WiFi device would not work in Europe versus anywhere else. It doesn't distinguish the WiFi does it!?

I am not familiar with Chromebook controls. But, is there a geographic security setting that might limit logging on outside of user approved countries?

 

[CaliKid]

I am not familiar with Chromebook controls. But, is there a geographic security setting that might limit logging on outside of user approved countries?

Maybe in some spy thriller but I don't think in real life.

 

[omni550]

Article written in 2014 by a business owner and his wife using Chromebook in Europe, successfully with heavy use.

Europe on a Chromebook | Michael McNeil

omni

 

[Chuckanut]

Maybe in some spy thriller but I don't think in real life.

Hmmm..... I'll have to let the some of the software companies whose products I use know that they aren't part of real life.

 

[texasdiver]

What will happen is that subscription web sites like Netflix will know which county you are connecting from by detecting the IP address of your WiFi connection. So if you are in France you will get the French version of Netflix which may or may not contain the same movies and shows as you get in the US because Netflix has to negotiate rights in each country. But that will happen no matter what kind of device you are using. I have especially noticed this for live sports. When I spent Christmas and New Years in Chile I couldn’t get the ESPN app to stream bowl games on my iPad because they weren’t supporting it in Chile. Very frustrating to try to watch all my favorite college teams and find the video streaming blocked.

But if you just want to do ordinary email and web browsing you will be fine with any device. They will all work equally.

 

[Sunset]

You can use VPN to look like you are still in the USA, so you get all your regular shows.

 

[Alan]

You can use VPN to look like you are still in the USA, so you get all your regular shows.

Doesn’t always work. I use VPN when traveling and Netflix is good at blocking if I try and connect to the USA. HBO doesn’t seem to mind.

 

[Kwirk]

Doesn’t always work. I use VPN when traveling and Netflix is good at blocking if I try and connect to the USA. HBO doesn’t seem to mind.

Do you use a public/commercial VPN? Those can be identified by their IP address and blocked.

Some home routers can be set up so that it appears that you are home when, in fact, you can be anyplace in the world with an internet connection. I haven't tried this extensively but my limited experience suggests that it works well.

 

[Sunset]

Do you use a public/commercial VPN? Those can be identified by their IP address and blocked.

Some home routers can be set up so that it appears that you are home when, in fact, you can be anyplace in the world with an internet connection. I haven't tried this extensively but my limited experience suggests that it works well.

Are you suggesting a home router set up as a vpn site ?

 

[Alan]

Do you use a public/commercial VPN? Those can be identified by their IP address and blocked.

Some home routers can be set up so that it appears that you are home when, in fact, you can be anyplace in the world with an internet connection. I haven't tried this extensively but my limited experience suggests that it works well.

I use TunnelBear, works great most of the time. I don’t know how to set up a home router as you suggest that I can use from anywhere in the world. Most of the time we travel it is the BBC iPlayer and ITV Hub that I want to use.

I mentioned Netflix just to point out that VPN doesn’t always work as suggested for all shows.

 

[Kwirk]

Are you suggesting a home router set up as a vpn site ?

It's an option. I'd recommend that only the most determined users undertake this if the following seems incomprehensible.

I have a Netgear R7000 router that can be used for VPN. Not all routers have this option. I have 2 notebooks, 2 phones, and 1 tablet setup for VPN access when I am away from home. (The VPN connection can't be established while you are actually on your home network. You can guess how I know this.)

The needed options are in the advanced setup section of the router web page.

First, dynamic DNS must be activated. Netgear offers this for free with some routers but it is also available as a service from various vendors. Dynamic DNS provides a text web address (eg kwirk.ddns.com, not my actual) to the Netgear router. This text address can be translated by DNS servers to a numerical address (like 12.122.1.33) which is needed for the remote connection to the router. (DNS servers already do this for you when you enter "www.cnn.com" into your browser address bar.) The router automatically keeps the DNS network informed with the router's current numeric IP address.

Second, there is a checkbox in the router web page to turn on the VPN service. Along with the checkbox are buttons to download instructions and software for installation to computers and phones. This installation can be the most difficult part, especially for phones.

I haven't checked recently but it may also be helpful to change your home router's base address from the default (such as 192.168.1.1) to a different subnet (such as 192.168.5.1). I don't recall clearly but I think this may only be necessary if using a remote router such as a MiFi or, perhaps, a phone's hotspot to share a connection. Again, you can guess how I know this.

With the VPN active your notebook or phone works through your home internet connection and appears as if it is physically on your home network. So, your bank or whatever 'thinks' you are actually at home. As a bonus, the link between your device and your home router is encrypted to reduce the possibility of coffee shop or hotel eavesdropping.

(On the other hand, software, such as HDHomeRun TV, running on your home network won't necessarily be fooled. The speed of light time lag allows the software to detect that you aren't actually at home.)