Google Scholar only working with VPN connection to University

[trueclou]

Hi,

as I just realize, the Google Scholar search is only working when a VPN connection is established to our University network.
When typing a search string to the top line in the 'Online Search' window, it says 'No matches' without VPN. With VPN it works fine if the VPN connection is established BEFORE starting bookends. Establishing the VPN connection with Bookends running won't work until Bookends is restarted.

Weird enough, when you open the Google Scholar page in the build in browser by clicking to the button in the bottom right corner of the Online Search window, it works anyway.

Any suggestions to solve this issue?

Greetings,
Christoph

[Jon]

If your home computer is configured to use university proxies or firewall you probably can't get through without VPN. Check your home settings (System Preferences) and turn everything off -- now try to connect.

Jon
Sonny Software

[trueclou]

Hmmm... this doesn't seem to be the problem! There are no special proxies configured and I deactivated all the firewalls (in the FTTH-Router and my Airport Extreme) for testing. No change... Google Scholar only gives hits after enabling the VPN connection...

Might this be such an IPv6 problem?

[Jon]

I don't know what the problem is. You can access GS from anywhere, nothing special needs to be enabled. You didn't enter a special proxy address in Bookends Internet preferences, did you?

Jon
Sonny Software

[trueclou]

Hi!

Thanks for your reply!

No, I didn't enter a proxy, neither in Bookends nor in my Mac's network settings.
Well, it seems to be an issue with my FTTH fibre connection. When I connect to the internet using my iPhone's hotspot via LTE everything works fine, even without VPN.

I tried the following:
- connect directly to the FTTH router (GENEXIS HRG1000) with a fixed IP without any other routers or computers in the network
-> Network connection is fine in general but the Google Scholar problem persists.
- I then configured the Mac's IP as DMZ host to disable any kind of firewall > no change!
- I changed the Mac's IP assignment to DHCP > no change!
Well, I'm a bit helpless as I don't get where the problem is.

On the other hand: I now realized the reason why the Google Scholar search failed sometimes and enabling VPN is OK for me...

Greetings Christoph