LG P500h android - Telecom XT - wrong GPS location

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arbe

4 posts

Wannabe Geek

#95339 31-Dec-2011 10:57

Hi there,

I got the new LGP500h a few weeks back when I was still living in Auckland (runs on Telecom XT) - there the GPS location (latitude and google maps - and directions) worked fine - but now that I moved to the Bay of Islands it seems to go all over the place.

Either it shows me in Opua - about 4.5km away - or it shows me at my old address in Auckland (though I have changed that on all my google accounts already). I tried numerous things that are floating around the web such as:

emptying the cache

shut down and restart the phone

reset factory settings

manually change address (that only works until I turn the phone off and on again)

turn off and on the GPS satellite location and the WIFI location (with the WIFI off it does not find

me up here at all - always shows me in Auckland) - at least if I have both on it shows me in Opua - but still that is far away from my actual location..

It's rather frustrating now - I loved the GPS feature but now I think it is a waste of battery power having it on at all.

I thought the GPS is running of a satellite - not the cell towers? Am I wrong - it seems only with the WIFI enabled it shows a remote chance of finding me - and I guess the nearest cell tower might be in Opua - which is why it shows me there.. and not here in Paihia where I am actually at.

Perhaps someone can help me with this? I am a bit of a novice when it comes to smart phones...

Thank you in advance for your help you knowledgeable people!! Happy New Year!

numfarr

329 posts

Ultimate Geek

#563197 31-Dec-2011 12:16

Are you outside with a clear view of the sky when you test the GPS? Install the GPS Test application from the market, go outside and see if it gets a lock. It can take a few minutes the first time in a new location.

sbiddle

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#563198 31-Dec-2011 12:18

I could understand if the WiFi location showed you in correctly - the MAC address of your router is no doubt logged online in the many databases as having a GPS location in Auckland, so when the phone does a quick fix it'll think you're in Auckland.

arbe

4 posts

Wannabe Geek

#563291 31-Dec-2011 16:54

thanks numfarr,

I tried that - that little tool is great - and does show my location accurate - however - on google maps and latidute it still shows me in Auckland - though my gmail account for that location says Opua... now I am completely confused - I tried to uninstall the map completely but somehow this can't be done - or I have not found it - perhaps that might solve the problem?

I just had a look in Ndrive however - and there it says - No GPS... though the testing tool says GPS ON... instead it tells me I am in Wellington - good one:-)

I guess I have to leave this whole thing alone and do it the old fashioned way with a paper map - normally I know where I am - so don't really need GPS - but would have been handy if I need to find a place and how to get there on the go...

If you have any other suggestion that might be helpful - thank you in advance

arbe

4 posts

Wannabe Geek

#563294 31-Dec-2011 17:00

Hi sbiddle.

as above - still not working - and I don't really know how to change the address of my IP address either - but the GPS should still work on it's own I guess. I will try and un-install google maps - perhaps that does the trick

Thank you for your help! I will try a few more things and keep you all updated (perhaps someone else has the same problem)...

nitrotech

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#563295 31-Dec-2011 17:02

Sounds like a factory reset might be worth a go - remember to backup

LennonNZ

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#563320 31-Dec-2011 18:01

Try this page from your normal computer and your phone

http://merged.ca/iphone/html5-geolocation

On the Android there should some options to choose use GPS only (disable AGPS). Also try disabling Wireless and your cell phone network each and see what different results you have.

When I do it from home it actually finds my location form the computer and phone and as my mac doesn't have a GPS built in it must be getting it from my wireless information I'm connected to.

freitasm

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#563323 31-Dec-2011 18:16

arbe: Hi sbiddle.

as above - still not working - and I don't really know how to change the address of my IP address either - but the GPS should still work on it's own I guess. I will try and un-install google maps - perhaps that does the trick

What sbiddle was saying is that your WiFi router is recorded in many database as located in Auckland. This happens because when you use Google Maps (and some other software in other platforms), the program will collect its current GPS location and send to Google all the WiFi access points around it. It records the MAC address, not the IP address.

This way Google creates a database of WiFi access points, that will help Google Maps and other products using the Google Location API to quickly get a coarse location based on WiFi access points around you, even if the sky is not visible (GPS will not work well or not work at all if your device has not a clear sky view).

When you took you WiFi access point with you the databases still "know" this device is in Auckland, so when your mobile sees the WiFi access point it will first think it is in Auckland, and then try and lock to GPS satellites based on this information - looking in the wrong places in the sky for information.

My suggestion is to you to turn your WiFi access point off, then take your handset outside, open Google Maps and wait - it may take up to ten minutes to get a lock depending on time of the day, clouds, buildings around, etc.

After this leave it running for some time, before turning your WiFi back on.

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gregmcc

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#563334 31-Dec-2011 19:29

download gps test, that will let you know how well the GPS is working, the number of sat fixes and strength, it does look like google is just going by AGPS which also gets data from wifi mac addresses, there should be a setting somewhere to turn off AGPS and this should force google to use regular GPS

arbe

4 posts

Wannabe Geek

#563349 31-Dec-2011 20:04

Hi freitasm,

you are a legend - that done the trick - I've done exactly what you suggested and it worked - finally! Thank you so much for explaining it in a way that I could actually understand to (being not such a tech wiz) - I hope if ever anybody is looking for a solution to the same problem they will find this and use it as well!

Also thanks to LennonNZ! I tried that first of course:-)

Thank you all for getting me help so quickly on New Years Eve - Happy New Year to you all!