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Cellular Phone Forum / Country Specific / UK Group / September 2008Finding location without GPS?
I have a passed-on HTC TyTN (the model without GPS) which I am using on Orange. When I went to Google Maps, using the internet via my WiFi router, it was able to identify my location to within a mile and show it on the map. Since I don't have GPS, I assume the only way it could have got that information is from Orange via my phone signal, based on the cell I was currently connected through. Is that correct? Does anyone have any links to descriptions of the technology involved? Thanks Tony  SignatureTony Mountifield Work: tony@softins.co.uk - http://www.softins.co.uk Play: tony@mountifield.org - http://tony.mountifield.org > I have a passed-on HTC TyTN (the model without GPS) which I am using > on Orange. [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] > > Does anyone have any links to descriptions of the technology involved? Either that, or if you have ever accessed google maps from your PC and entered a "home location" google is associating that home location with your internet IP address? Doubtful but possible I suppose? SignatureRegards Jon >I have a passed-on HTC TyTN (the model without GPS) which I am using >on Orange. [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] > >Does anyone have any links to descriptions of the technology involved? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GSM_localization Signature(\__/) M. (='.'=) Owing to the amount of spam posted via googlegroups and (")_(") their inaction to the problem. I am blocking most articles posted from there. If you wish your postings to be seen by everyone you will need use a different method of posting. See http://improve-usenet.org > >I have a passed-on HTC TyTN (the model without GPS) which I am using > >on Orange. [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] > > http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GSM_localization Thanks! I also found a few details on Google's site under "My Location". Cheers Tony SignatureTony Mountifield Work: tony@softins.co.uk - http://www.softins.co.uk Play: tony@mountifield.org - http://tony.mountifield.org One of Google's various APIs gives you the ability to get a location from an IP address-to-location lookup, so if you were browsing from your WLAN box, it would be quite able to do a lookup of their geolocation database and locate itself like that. On the other hand, when I start up Gmaps on my Nokia E65, whether using WLAN or UMTS it throws a dialog box asking me if it can use the network to send and receive data, so it may be that it does a transaction of some sort with the cellular network in order to get a location. > One of Google's various APIs gives you the ability to get a location > from an IP address-to-location lookup, The accuracy of GeopIP services varies, e.g. http://www.geoiptool.com/ has my location wrong by over 100miles, I suspect it can get much worse than that. > http://www.geoiptool.com/ > > has my location wrong by over 100miles, I suspect it can get much worse > than that. Yep: "153 mi – about 2 hours 42 mins" by my reckoning ;-) Signature<http://ale.cx/> (AIM:troffasky) (UnSoEsNpEaTm@ale.cx) 21:59:10 up 49 days, 36 min, 2 users, load average: 0.24, 0.21, 0.17 They call me titless because I have no tits > >http://www.geoiptool.com/ > [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] > 21:59:10 up 49 days, 36 min, 2 users, load average: 0.24, 0.21, 0.17 > They call me titless because I have no tits That site doesn't seem to have much value? Zooming in on the map showing my alleged location places me about twelve miles away.......but the map deems itself confident enough to pinpoint my "location" right down to a named street. Very misleading. >> Yep: "153 mi – about 2 hours 42 mins" by my reckoning ;-) > That site doesn't seem to have much value? It's only as good as the data in their database. If you're with an ISP who assigns addresses dynamically from a single pool to a large geographical area [eg most BT resellers], then the most accuracy you can hope for is to place you somewhere in the UK. On cable, the address pool is for a much smaller geographical area so the results will be more accurate. I'm not sure how Be assign their address pools. > Zooming in on the map showing my alleged location places me about twelve > miles away.......but the map deems itself confident enough to pinpoint > my "location" right down to a named street. The default view when loading the page [for me] is most of Western Europe. > Very misleading. They certainly could do with a disclaimer on their front page. Having a pushpin on the map is a bit disingenuous too. Signature<http://ale.cx/> (AIM:troffasky) (UnSoEsNpEaTm@ale.cx) 09:56:45 up 50 days, 12:34, 2 users, load average: 0.10, 0.12, 0.09 They call me titless because I have no tits >>> Yep: "153 mi – about 2 hours 42 mins" by my reckoning ;-) > [quoted text clipped - 17 lines] > They certainly could do with a disclaimer on their front page. Having a > pushpin on the map is a bit disingenuous too. Zooming in on their map eventually insisted that I am sitting in the middle of a river. Adding further confusion, switching to the 'satellite' view puts me in a patch of woodland with no river in sight, which might be more comfortable at least. Signature-- ^^^^^^^^^^ -- Whiskers -- ~~~~~~~~~~ In article <4f5c4314-8275-4a03-8999- 87185e2d9a2f@p25g2000hsf.googlegroups.com>, the.pheasant.plucker@gmx.com says... > Zooming in on the map showing my alleged location places me about > twelve miles away.......but the map deems itself confident enough to > pinpoint my "location" right down to a named street. Apparently I'm in Leeds somewhere. SignatureCarl Robson Get cashback on your purchases Topcashback http://www.TopCashBack.co.uk/skraggy_uk/ref/index.htm Greasypalm http://www.greasypalm.co.uk/r/?l=1006553 > > >http://www.geoiptool.com/ > > [quoted text clipped - 15 lines] > > Very misleading. Apparently, I'm in Birmingham. SignatureSteveH 'You're not a real petrolhead unless you've owned an Alfa Romeo' www.italiancar.co.uk - Ducati 750SS - Hongdou GY200 - - Alfa 75 TSpark Alfa 156 Veloce Sportwagon Selespeed -Alfa 156 TSpark- Passat 2.0TDI SE >> One of Google's various APIs gives you the ability to get a location >> from an IP address-to-location lookup, [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > has my location wrong by over 100miles, I suspect it can get much worse > than that. It can: I'm allegedly more than 200 miles from where I thought I was! The best you can get from an IP address is the registered address of whoever 'owns' that IP number - which is usually an ISP. So at least in the UK, the nearest you can reasonably expect to be located is "somewhere in the UK" - or possibly "somewhere in Great Britain". Customers of Hull's own strange telco/ISP can of course be expected to be somewhere in Hull. Signature-- ^^^^^^^^^^ -- Whiskers -- ~~~~~~~~~~ >>> One of Google's various APIs gives you the ability to get a location >>> from an IP address-to-location lookup, [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] > >It can: I'm allegedly more than 200 miles from where I thought I was! Heh... It tells me I'm in Shropshire -> Shrewsbury. I'm in Devon. It didn't even get Entanet's HQ right (Telford) And I have a relative in the Orkneys, also on Entanet - 800 miles out? Can we find an ISP in Shetland (Zetnet?) with a user in the Scillies? Gordon > >> One of Google's various APIs gives you the ability to get a location > >> from an IP address-to-location lookup, [quoted text clipped - 14 lines] > Hull's own strange telco/ISP can of course be expected to be somewhere in > Hull. Since my ISP devolves my IP registration to me, it gives the correct town for my IPs. I seem not to have registered my 'outer' network correctly, though, as that's still set to my ISP. Must fix. SignatureBob Eager Use the BIG mirror service in the UK: http://www.mirrorservice.org |
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