iPad GPS

 

I was playing with an iPad recently (non-3G). The GPS seems to be tied to the WiFi signal. It seems too accurate for IP Geolocation, and I was wondering if anyone knew how it actually works. I don't think it has an actual GPS chip in it.

IPad with WiFi

Apple states: "iPad with Wi-Fi finds your location using known Wi-Fi hotspots, and Wi-Fi + 3G models use Wi-Fi, GPS, and cellular towers. So you can get routes, get directions, and get there in no time."

So if you have the WiFi only model and you're ONLY logged into ONE wireless router, you're saying it's that accurate? Is the IPad looking at individual IP addresses and getting location info that way? I'm just guessing here.

Fairly Accurate

I'm WiFi only. Its too accurate for IP Geolocation, which I would only expect it to lock me to the coordinates of my ISP.

It knows pretty much where I am, and if I'm walking from my back yard to my front yard.

Its not accurate enough for geocaching, but makes a reasonable approximation for something that won't label itself as GPS.

If I turn off wireless, the Lat/Lon dosent work.

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TheProf wrote:

Apple states: "iPad with Wi-Fi finds your location using known Wi-Fi hotspots, and Wi-Fi + 3G models use Wi-Fi, GPS, and cellular towers. So you can get routes, get directions, and get there in no time."

So if you have the WiFi only model and you're ONLY logged into ONE wireless router, you're saying it's that accurate? Is the IPad looking at individual IP addresses and getting location info that way? I'm just guessing here.

Google street view vans have been collecting WiFi info. My wild guess is that Google keeps a record of all access point MAC addresses (which is unique) and their corresponding Lat/Lon coordinates. Of course I could be wrong.

jjwgps wrote:

I'm WiFi only. Its too accurate for IP Geolocation, which I would only expect it to lock me to the coordinates of my ISP.

It knows pretty much where I am, and if I'm walking from my back yard to my front yard.

Its not accurate enough for geocaching, but makes a reasonable approximation for something that won't label itself as GPS.

If I turn off wireless, the Lat/Lon dosent work.

That's scary. I wonder how it knows your little movements.

WiFi spots

What I found with my iTouch is while moving in the car on city streets it sometimes knows the location even if not logged in to a WiFi spot, my guess it is using the ip from WiFi that are not locked, I tried at a location where all the WiFi in range were locked and the iTouch didn’t know where it was.

--
Garmin 38 - Magellan Gold - Garmin Yellow eTrex - Nuvi 260 - Nuvi 2460LMT - Google Nexus 7 - Toyota Entune NAV

How It Knows

http://www.skyhookwireless.com/

They are the location services provider. You can also register your own routers MAC address with them if you want a truly accurate location to be reported.

--
I support the right to keep and arm bears.

How it knows...

The accelerometer?

--
"If you find a fork in the road, pick it up." Y. Bera.

Login not required

TheProf wrote:

..So if you have the WiFi only model and you're ONLY logged into ONE wireless router, you're saying it's that accurate? Is the IPad looking at individual IP addresses and getting location info that way? I'm just guessing here.

WiFi devices read the IP addresses of all surrounding WiFi transmitters (routers and APs). You don't need to log into any of them to see this. This is just how WiFi works.