IP Location and Google maps

wexie

Folks,

Could anyone explain to me what mechanism Google maps uses to 'know' where I am?

ie. when I open Google maps (on laptop) it gives me a pretty accurate view of where I am (North Wexford)

Yet when I look up my IP using something like Geolocation....it has me down in Wicklow (I understand the mechanisms behind this, more or less)

So how does Google maps know?

btw I'm not logged into Google on the laptop...

ED E

Wifi SSIDs.


Android phones wandering around map SSIDs to geo points. Then Chrome can know where you are based on the Google location service.

wexie

ED E wrote: »

Wifi SSIDs.
Android phones wandering around map SSIDs to geo points.

hmmm....

it seems to work really well...

but that's kinda creepy to be honest :eek:

thanks for clearing that up though, I guess.
Knowing more isn't always a good thing

FanadMan

ED E wrote: »

Wifi SSIDs.


Android phones wandering around map SSIDs to geo points. Then Chrome can know where you are based on the Google location service.

Dunno how accurate that is. I'm on Three for my broadband (contract....not PAYG tethering). Anytime I do a location check, it says I'm based in Dublin which is a long way from my real location. However, if I connect on my mobiles connection, it tracks me down perfectly.

Maybe it just depends on who your ISP is and what technology you use.

Victor

ED E wrote: »

Wifi SSIDs.

Android phones wandering around map SSIDs to geo points. Then Chrome can know where you are based on the Google location service.

I'm not sure it does that for everything. I just get a generic "Dublin" location on my laptop. Recently, for a few months, it thought I was elsewhere in Dublin. I suspect it is down to blocks of IPs used by ISPs.

smuggler.ie

Here you can see more info how its done, and don't forget - google drove their "camera" cars to get street-view across almost all globe - believe me, on the way they recorded every single WiFi SSID+MAC, cell tower and hell know what else.
Once you allowed geolocation service on your browser(its build in all of them)....



...."Big brother" is watching you....

OldMrBrennan83

This post has been deleted.

smuggler.ie

Patww79 wrote: »

This post has been deleted.

It doesn't - if you didn't enable this, one of you family has done this, you or family member using one of thousands apps that has permission to read you location.

We know that data being collected for years now, and its only a matter to establish/update links

You never know what will happen in the future, but it's to late for all of us.


.....Scary, feels like paranoia....:D

Johnboy1951

smuggler.ie wrote: »

Here you can see more info how its done, and don't forget - google drove their "camera" cars to get street-view across almost all globe - believe me, on the way they recorded every single WiFi SSID+MAC, cell tower and hell know what else.
Once you allowed geolocation service on your browser(its build in all of them)....

[IMG]http s://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/attachment.php?attachmentid=452913&stc=1&d=1528530396[/IMG]

...."Big brother" is watching you....

Patww79 wrote: »

This post has been deleted.

Not sure what you mean by that!

Privacy matters ....... a heck of a lot!

Although it does seem to be abandoned by the majority of the younger generations just to save a few euros.

OldMrBrennan83

This post has been deleted.

Johnboy1951

Patww79 wrote: »

This post has been deleted.

The euros comment is that there is only one reason for collection of data about you and others .... to monitise it. Without that monitisation you would have to spend a few euros for those conveniences you get 'for free'.
Nothing is free!

That you 'fail to see why it matters' is what is concerning.
If you know fully what you are 'paying' for those conveniences, and still do so then at least you have the knowledge on which to base your decision.

Maybe it is time you informed yourself about such matters .... there are lots of sites/videos/blogs etc etc on line which deal with the subject.
This one is years old but should provide a good starting point.
https://lifehacker.com/why-your-privacy-matters-even-if-youre-not-doing-anyt-1645884650

Remember, that your location is but one piece of a jig-saw. The more pieces that can be gathered together, the more complete will be the jig-saw, and thus the more complete will be the info held on you.

This is off topic for this thread so no more from me on the subject.

ED E

Victor wrote: »

I'm not sure it does that for everything. I just get a generic "Dublin" location on my laptop. Recently, for a few months, it thought I was elsewhere in Dublin. I suspect it is down to blocks of IPs used by ISPs.

Thats Maxmind and the others. It does that as a fallback (loads of Dubs will register as Citywest/Leopardstown as thats where the telcos are based).

Mobiles use cell sites as a very good fuzzy location, neighbour cells will give you a 1-2 street area in urban environs.

EvolvedApe

Patww79 wrote: »

This post has been deleted.

That's a stupid statement.

So you allow companies to track your every move because you are "not up to anything". Smart.

Will you let someone put a camera in your home. Why not?, you are not up to anything shady are you.:D

OldMrBrennan83

This post has been deleted.

Del2005

EvolvedApe wrote: »

That's a stupid statement.

So you allow companies to track your every move because you are "not up to anything". Smart.

Will you let someone put a camera in your home. Why not?, you are not up to anything shady are you.:D

Plenty of people have cameras in their home. Same as everything else if you are smart there is no inconvenience to you.

I've no idea how any company makes money off my data as I never buy from ads and every morning when I get home from work Google tells me what the traffic is like to get to work! I've work and home saved so it knows where I am..

unit 1

Some companies will make money out of your data, while others will make money by selling you stuff to hide your data, win win for the neverending treadmill of slavery to tech.
Built in obsolesence applies as much to tech and software as it does to physical goods.

Capt'n Midnight

https://panopticlick.eff.org/

A lot of location is based on the IP given by your internet provider.

Google is great for data analysis.
You probably use the same gmail account on your mobile and computer. Your phone will let them know WiFi you have at home and it's location.

Nefarious people have been known to take over microphones and cameras on PC's and phones so there's that too.

degsie

Capt'n Midnight

^^^^^
Depending on the style a tin foil hat is just a corner cube reflector or parabolic dish. You're putting your brain at the focal point, it's what they want you to do :eek:

https://archive.org/details/OnTheEffectivenessOfAluminiumFoilHelmetsAnEmpiricalStudy


https://www.badscience.net/2005/12/just-keep-wearing-the-hats/

the helmets did in fact amplify signals, in certain very specific frequency ranges, by a huge 30dB at 2.6GHz, and by 20dB around 1.5GHz.

What are those frequencies used for? I’ll tell you what they’re used for. They coincide almost perfectly with frequencies allocated to the US government, between 1.2 Ghz and 1.4 Ghz.

Capt'n Midnight

From YLYL

New Home wrote: »