If you are a Time Warner Internet customer, you might be experiencing some issues when accessing google.com. It seems that Google is redirecting some users to google.ca (that’s Google Canada). With this redirection, your search results will also be from Canada. For example, if you were looking for a new dishwasher, you search results might come back with sites like sears.ca (Sears Canada).
I did some testing and I confirmed that the issue only is happening with Google. After conducting a trace of the traffic I learned that when browsing to google.com, I am receiving an HTTP 302 message (redirection from Google) to google.ca. For some reason, Google think my IP address is in Canada, when in fact I am in the USA.
I have forced Time Warner’s system to provide me with different IP addresses, but the problem continues. I also verified that my friends and co-workers with Time Warner Internet are experiencing the same behavior.
The problem is Time Warner’s to solve. And despite calling to report the issue, they seem clueless in correcting the problem with Google. As a matter of fact, they recommend I call Google. I explained I would be more than happy to resolve their network issues – for the right fee.
In the mean time there is a workaround. When you get redirected to the google.ca page, scroll down to the bottom. There is a link that says, “Go to google.com.” Click on it. You’ll be all set, but if you clear your browser cache/cookies, you end up getting redirected to google.ca.
Maybe one day Time Warner will call Google and clarify their location data.
EDIT: After a couple months or so, Time Warner finally corrected the issue.