How does the app store detect country?

geertm · 05-05-2011, 09:48 AM

On the day the 1.2 update was released I could buy several Nook Color apps here in the Netherlands without a problem. The next day I wanted to buy the Quickoffice app, but this order was cancelled. I assume because the app is US-only.

My B&N account is registered with a USunlocked Discover debit card with a real US billing address. This address is also used as the shipping address.
Today I configured my Asus Wifi adapter as a software access point, and shared my US VPN connection (alwaysVPN) with this access point.
I connected the Nook Color to this access point, and used the NC browser to lookup my geo-location. My geo-location was in the US.
I bought the Quickoffice app, but once again the order was cancelled.

- US debit card
- US shipping and billing address
- US IP-addres.
What goes wrong?
Does the app store send some other information to B&N that tells them I am not in the US?

Any ideas anyone?

doc_oli · 05-06-2011, 10:07 AM

Same here from Germany. I used basically the same setup as Geert and got my recent app orders canceled after a few hours, too.

I bought ezPDF on April 25 without any problems but was not successfull with Quickoffice on April 30. My orders for free apps went through without any problems, however. I also ordered two books in the meantime from my PC without any problems. My account and credit card infos should be ok.

I have no idea how they figure out that I'm not in the US when it comes to the Nook apps because my fake IP setup worked flawlessly so far. I will be in the US in about four weeks and I will try to buy the apps then. Let's see what happens there.

Any ideas how to solve this problem from other folks outside the US? Was somebody able to download paid Nook apps during the last few days from outside the US? If so, how did you do it? To make it clear: books and magazines are not an issue, it's just the apps.

Thanks for your help.

goldberry · 05-06-2011, 11:42 AM

I am sure your IP address gives away where you are from.

You probably need to download the apps to your PC then move them to your Nook to install.

Some people use proxies to get around this problem by using a proxy address but doubt that you could set that up on the nook

Browse to a site like this to see what IP your NOOK is giving
http://www.whatismyip.com/

geertm · 05-06-2011, 12:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by goldberry

I am sure your IP address gives away where you are from.

You probably need to download the apps to your PC then move them to your Nook to install.

Some people use proxies to get around this problem by using a proxy address but doubt that you could set that up on the nook

Browse to a site like this to see what IP your NOOK is giving
http://www.whatismyip.com/

My NC was using my alwaysVPN connection (using my PC as a software access point) and looking up my IP-address with the NC browser confirmed that my IP-address location was the US.

doc_oli · 05-06-2011, 01:26 PM

My nook has a US IP while ordering the apps, at least http://www.ipaddresslocation.org/ indicates that. Apart from the IP address there seems to be another network related characteristic which tells the B&N server that I'm not physically in the US at the moment although my IP address indicates that. Unfortunately, it's not possible so far to order apps from the B&N website and download them later. This seems to be only possible for books and mags (where it actually works from outside the US).

jaspereira · 05-09-2011, 11:32 AM

Same problem here, I downloaded some apps just after the update, but could do it no longer (I'm from Brazil). I thought about setting up a VPN connection, but it won't work as I see...

I can download free apps, though...

flake · 05-10-2011, 03:11 AM

Could it be from the wireless access like iphone 2G?

05-05-2011, 09:48 AM	#1
geertm Guru Posts: 822 Karma: 2000000 Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: The Netherlands Device: Kobo Aura One	How does the app store detect country? On the day the 1.2 update was released I could buy several Nook Color apps here in the Netherlands without a problem. The next day I wanted to buy the Quickoffice app, but this order was cancelled. I assume because the app is US-only. My B&N account is registered with a USunlocked Discover debit card with a real US billing address. This address is also used as the shipping address. Today I configured my Asus Wifi adapter as a software access point, and shared my US VPN connection (alwaysVPN) with this access point. I connected the Nook Color to this access point, and used the NC browser to lookup my geo-location. My geo-location was in the US. I bought the Quickoffice app, but once again the order was cancelled. - US debit card - US shipping and billing address - US IP-addres. What goes wrong? Does the app store send some other information to B&N that tells them I am not in the US? Any ideas anyone?

05-06-2011, 10:07 AM	#2
doc_oli Member Posts: 10 Karma: 10 Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Germany Device: Sony PRS-700, Nook Classic, Nook Color & Nook Touch	Same here from Germany. I used basically the same setup as Geert and got my recent app orders canceled after a few hours, too. I bought ezPDF on April 25 without any problems but was not successfull with Quickoffice on April 30. My orders for free apps went through without any problems, however. I also ordered two books in the meantime from my PC without any problems. My account and credit card infos should be ok. I have no idea how they figure out that I'm not in the US when it comes to the Nook apps because my fake IP setup worked flawlessly so far. I will be in the US in about four weeks and I will try to buy the apps then. Let's see what happens there. Any ideas how to solve this problem from other folks outside the US? Was somebody able to download paid Nook apps during the last few days from outside the US? If so, how did you do it? To make it clear: books and magazines are not an issue, it's just the apps. Thanks for your help. Last edited by doc_oli; 05-06-2011 at 10:09 AM.

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05-06-2011, 11:42 AM	#3
goldberry Groupie Posts: 199 Karma: 1105816 Join Date: Sep 2010 Device: Nexus 7, Kindles (wife's), now obsolete Nook and Sony	I am sure your IP address gives away where you are from. You probably need to download the apps to your PC then move them to your Nook to install. Some people use proxies to get around this problem by using a proxy address but doubt that you could set that up on the nook Browse to a site like this to see what IP your NOOK is giving http://www.whatismyip.com/

05-06-2011, 01:26 PM	#5
doc_oli Member Posts: 10 Karma: 10 Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Germany Device: Sony PRS-700, Nook Classic, Nook Color & Nook Touch	My nook has a US IP while ordering the apps, at least http://www.ipaddresslocation.org/ indicates that. Apart from the IP address there seems to be another network related characteristic which tells the B&N server that I'm not physically in the US at the moment although my IP address indicates that. Unfortunately, it's not possible so far to order apps from the B&N website and download them later. This seems to be only possible for books and mags (where it actually works from outside the US).

05-09-2011, 11:32 AM	#6
jaspereira Junior Member Posts: 1 Karma: 10 Join Date: Apr 2011 Device: Nook Color	Same problem here, I downloaded some apps just after the update, but could do it no longer (I'm from Brazil). I thought about setting up a VPN connection, but it won't work as I see... I can download free apps, though...

05-10-2011, 03:11 AM	#7
flake Member Posts: 14 Karma: 18024 Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Kuala Lumpur Device: prs950, prs-t1	Could it be from the wireless access like iphone 2G?

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