Hi all,
I'm checking things regarding speed of GPS connection on my XperiaU. I'm new in this area but as I know, GPS uses /System/etc/gps.conf file when GPS is turned on. The "problem" is that my GPS is connecting appr. 3 minutes till it catch GPS position. For example my old LG P690 is 2-3 x faster to lock GPS signal. I'm using "GPS Test" application on both phones for checking GPS signal strenght and number of found sattelites.
So now, original gps.conf in my XperiaU ICS contain this:
_____________________________________________________
SUPL_HOST=supl.sonyericsson.com
SUPL_PORT=7275
_____________________________________________________
That's nice but it's not telling me what's up I found some threads here in this forum regarding modified gps.conf files for concrete region or concrete country. But noone explained conent of these files. I downloaded one file for my country (Central Europe/Slovakia), and it contain this:
_____________________________________________________
NTP_SERVER=0.Slovakia.pool.ntp.org
NTP_SERVER=1.Slovakia.pool.ntp.org
NTP_SERVER=2.Slovakia.pool.ntp.org
NTP_SERVER=3.Slovakia.pool.ntp.org
NTP_SERVER=0.Europe.pool.ntp.org
NTP_SERVER=1.Europe.pool.ntp.org
NTP_SERVER=2.Europe.pool.ntp.org
NTP_SERVER=3.Europe.pool.ntp.org
NTP_SERVER=Slovakia.pool.ntp.org
XTRA_SERVER_1=http://xtra1.gpsonextra.net/xtra.bin
XTRA_SERVER_2=http://xtra2.gpsonextra.net/xtra.bin
XTRA_SERVER_3=http://xtra3.gpsonextra.net/xtra.bin
# DEBUG LEVELS: 0 - none, 1 - Error, 2 - Warning, 3 - Info
# 4 - Debug, 5 - Verbose
DEBUG_LEVEL =0
# Intermediate position report, 1=enable, 0=disable
INTERMEDIATE_POS=0
# Accuracy threshold for intermediate positions
# less accurate positions are ignored, 0 for passing all positions
ACCURACY_THRES=0
# Report supl ref location as position, 1=enable, 0=disable
REPORT_POSITION_USE_SUPL_REFLOC=1
# Wiper (wifi positioning), 1=enable, 0=disable
ENABLE_WIPER=1
################################
##### AGPS server settings #####
################################
# FOR SUPL SUPPORT, set the following
SUPL_HOST=supl.google.com
SUPL_PORT=7276
SUPL_NO_SECURE_PORT=3425
SUPL_SECURE_PORT=7275
SUPL_TLS_HOST=FQDN
SUPL_TLS_CERT=/etc/SuplRootCert
# FOR C2K PDE SUPPORT, set the following
C2K_HOST=c2k.pde.com
C2K_PORT=1234
CURRENT_CARRIER=common
DEFAULT_AGPS_ENABLE=TRUE
DEFAULT_SSL_ENABLE=FALSE
# TRUE for "User Plane", FALSE for "Control Plane"
DEFAULT_USER_PLANE=TRUE
________________________________________________________
I said wooooow, this must work! But no, time to catch GPS signal is the same...appr. 3 minutes. I'm checking GPS signal allways on the same place on opened space. So what? I found other gps.conf for Slovakia:
________________________________________________________
NTP_SERVER=sk.pool.ntp.org
XTRA_SERVER_1=http://xtra1.gpsonextra.net/
xtra.bin
XTRA_SERVER_2=http://xtra2.gpsonextra.net/
xtra.bin
XTRA_SERVER_3=http://xtra3.gpsonextra.net/
xtra.bin
SUPL_HOST=supl.google.com
SUPL_PORT=7276
_________________________________________________________
What's uuuuuuup????!!?? Still the same fixing time
My opinion - this file is used only with cooperation with using network data. It's not for GPS system itself, but can be used when I turn on also mobile network - for example like using google maps.
And that's my question - is this gps.conf file mandatory for using pure GPS (without using network connection) or not?
Thank you very much guys,
Rado
its used to download the AGPS data. Once downloaded, it can help you device to aquire satelites even after the AGPS data has aged. (as long as you not move to another city for example)
orangpelupa said:
its used to download the AGPS data. Once downloaded, it can help you device to aquire satelites even after the AGPS data has aged. (as long as you not move to another city for example)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I hope that I understand. For using AGPS info I have to enable also network data on my phone. Because AGPS (gps.conf) is asking network servers about current position of sattelites. And gps.conf contain info about "which server(s) I have to contact?" After receiving reply from this server (or servers) my GPS should fix quickly. Without enabled internet access on my phone AGPS isn't working and that's why is GPS fixing long time.
Is my explanation correct?
yes
AGPS data download is using WiFi or GSM/3G/4G internet network.
after this data downloaded, GPS Fix should be faster.
Without enabled internet access on my phone AGPS isn't working and that's why is GPS fixing long time.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
usually fresh AGPS data only needed every few days*. So if you already downloaded AGPS data TODAY, tomorrow your GPS fix should be still fast without need to enable internet.
*depends on your location and your activity
orangpelupa said:
yes
AGPS data download is using WiFi or GSM/3G/4G internet network.
after this data downloaded, GPS Fix should be faster.
usually fresh AGPS data only needed every few days*. So if you already downloaded AGPS data TODAY, tomorrow your GPS fix should be still fast without need to enable internet.
*depends on your location and your activity
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Perfect! Thank you very much for info :good:
Does anybody know where Android writes data received by AGPS function? When I'm using AGPS with enabled network data (of course) , I see that some data is transmitted. But can anybody explain which file in folder structure it uses?
Related
Can android make use of wifi location to "seed" AGPS data (timings, locations) similar to AGPS via cell? (I'm using 2.3.5 currently, but if it's in 4 well woohay)
The reason I ask is due to having trouble with gps lock when using a femtocell, so I think I am getting no/dud AGPS data from the network which doesn't seem to have a clue where my femtocell is
Previously posted on the SGS forums at http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1357904
My longer summary of where I see the issue/resolution is at https://plus.google.com/104422026240308775849/posts/YBnqiFeRSfm
Hi guys, i just bought SGS3 in Australia. Everything is perfect and i notice that i can't find AGPS option in my setting ( i saw one picture online that with AGPS option). I reread what samsung said in SGS3 box, I can't find AGPS as well, but accidently, i find GLONASS/ How's ur devices, do they have AGPS or GLONASS?
hello,
On my, i have gps/glonass on writed on the box.
For an appli for AGPS , you can find it on the google play (like gps status).
For the glonass, i don't know if it's possible to connect on it.(i think it depend on the gps appli and maybe the country , only in Russia ?).
Bye
PS: After a little search, i found that the GPS and the GLONASS are active in same time .Now it seems you can find/use 55 active satellites instead of 31 with GPS alone and 24 with GLONASS alone
jasonlu1992 said:
Hi guys, i just bought SGS3 in Australia. Everything is perfect and i notice that i can't find AGPS option in my setting ( i saw one picture online that with AGPS option). I reread what samsung said in SGS3 box, I can't find AGPS as well, but accidently, i find GLONASS/ How's ur devices, do they have AGPS or GLONASS?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
AGPS = settings Location Services Use Wireless Networks .
Glonass its built in to the cpu .
jje
GPS (USA), Glonass (Russia) and the upcoming Galileo (EU) are different protocols provided by different satellites with different features.
But for everything you as a consumer and user care they are the same.
It's just that consumers are used to it being GPS so they call it that way even if it's incorrect.
If your boss,teacher,friend, ... tells you to google something he means to search on the net and (usually) does not actually enforce you to use the Google search.
In technical terms the app couldn't care less about what country and protocol provides the data, I don't think it even could see the difference (except when polling raw data)
It's very easy to check if Glonass works as expected; just fire up a GPS-Test app (e.g. 'GPS Test') and check the amount of satellites it uses.
GPS is designed with 24-30 satellites total in orbit and as such provides visibility to a mimumum of 4 and a maximum of 12 satellites in clear area.
Glonass has roughly the same amount. When holding my phone against the window I get a (more or less) immediate fix on 17 satellites which is impossible with only GPS.
AGPS is something totally different which regroups network-based GPS with satellite-based GPS, accelerometers and satellite trajectory prediction to allow you to get an approximate fix when it would otherwise not be possible (e.g. underground) and to accelerate the time-to-fix.
AGPS is a combination of gps + mobile network data. With the GS3 you get gps + glonas + mobile networks + wireless networks + sensors (I assume barometer + magnetometer) all working together. I get very good positioning even indoors.
Sent from my GT-I9300 using XDA
Glonass satellites are detected automatically. I'm in nz and now pick up 17 sats rather than the 12 on previous devices using GPS sats only. TIFF is also excellent, a matter of seconds only for a cold start.
Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk 2
d4fseeker said:
GPS (USA), Glonass (Russia) and the upcoming Galileo (EU) are different protocols provided by different satellites with different features.
But for everything you as a consumer and user care they are the same.
It's just that consumers are used to it being GPS so they call it that way even if it's incorrect.
If your boss,teacher,friend, ... tells you to google something he means to search on the net and (usually) does not actually enforce you to use the Google search.
In technical terms the app couldn't care less about what country and protocol provides the data, I don't think it even could see the difference (except when polling raw data)
It's very easy to check if Glonass works as expected; just fire up a GPS-Test app (e.g. 'GPS Test') and check the amount of satellites it uses.
GPS is designed with 24-30 satellites total in orbit and as such provides visibility to a mimumum of 4 and a maximum of 12 satellites in clear area.
Glonass has roughly the same amount. When holding my phone against the window I get a (more or less) immediate fix on 17 satellites which is impossible with only GPS.
AGPS is something totally different which regroups network-based GPS with satellite-based GPS, accelerometers and satellite trajectory prediction to allow you to get an approximate fix when it would otherwise not be possible (e.g. underground) and to accelerate the time-to-fix.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
thnx for your answer i just want to know if u guys have AGPS
jasonlu1992 said:
thnx for your answer i just want to know if u guys have AGPS
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Im pretty sure all S3s have aGPS (Assisted GPS).
Its not really designed as an accurate positioning system on its own - it was originally designed as a clever means to get faster GPS fix by using cell network and/or WiFi provided time and location.
It can also be used to provide less accurate location data to mobile apps (eg GMaps), without GPS.
Per a previous post if you have
System Settings->Location Services->Use Wireless Networks
checked, then you have enabled aGPS
Its a pretty standard thing on most smartphones these days.
subvertbeats said:
Im pretty sure all S3s have aGPS (Assisted GPS).
Its not really designed as an accurate positioning system on its own - it was originally designed as a clever means to get faster GPS fix by using cell network and/or WiFi provided time and location.
It can also be used to provide less accurate location data to mobile apps (eg GMaps), without GPS.
Per a previous post if you have
System Settings->Location Services->Use Wireless Networks
checked, then you have enabled aGPS
Its a pretty standard thing on most smartphones these days.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for your answering now i am sure my device have aGPS !
Hi guys, i flashed my rom to an updated official version not to long ago. after the flash i noticed WiFi is taking up 20-25% of my battery usage. battery life from full to naught is just 6 hours without any use. there's two other higher battery consuming items but they are cell standby and phone idle each at 25++%, but i learnt from my local LG O4X forum that they are nothing to worry about.
I tried to search over the internet for solutions which brought up serveral answers like:
wifi.supplicant_set_scan_interval=300 in build.prop (i had to create this line because there wasn't any, and doesn't help my problem. Line Deleted.)
then i realise whether the above works depends on
config.xml from a folder that also doesn't exists on my phone, which probably means wifi.supplicant_set_scan_interval=300 doesn't work at all.
Then from somewhere i learnt of another file wpa_supplicant.config in system/etc/wifi/
Inside this config file lies a whole load of #'ed texts that descripts what each line does but one caught my attention which is
Code:
# AP scanning/selection
# By default, wpa_supplicant requests driver to perform AP scanning and then
# uses the scan results to select a suitable AP. Another alternative is to
# allow the driver to take care of AP scanning and selection and use
# wpa_supplicant just to process EAPOL frames based on IEEE 802.11 association
# information from the driver.
# 1: wpa_supplicant initiates scanning and AP selection
# 0: driver takes care of scanning, AP selection, and IEEE 802.11 association
# parameters (e.g., WPA IE generation); this mode can also be used with
# non-WPA drivers when using IEEE 802.1X mode; do not try to associate with
# APs (i.e., external program needs to control association). This mode must
# also be used when using wired Ethernet drivers.
# 2: like 0, but associate with APs using security policy and SSID (but not
# BSSID); this can be used, e.g., with ndiswrapper and NDIS drivers to
# enable operation with hidden SSIDs and optimized roaming; in this mode,
# the network blocks in the configuration file are tried one by one until
# the driver reports successful association; each network block should have
# explicit security policy (i.e., only one option in the lists) for
# key_mgmt, pairwise, group, proto variables
[B]ap_scan=2[/B]
this is my current setting.
After trying all these my WiFi seems to be still taking up too much battery and at the 'show processes overlay' i still see 'wpa_supplicant' running on and off with approx 5 seconds intervals in between.
My only worry is the methods i've tried are not applicable for ICS, which my phone is. On the link i've attached there's this newer wpa_supplicant_8 version for ICS. How to determine which version im on?
There seems to be more and more ways to troubleshoot as i look further and further, but im not really willing to risk venturing into unknown area without knowledge. Are there any other ways to fix my WiFi consumption issue? i need a fix desperately.
Hey,
so I've got this weird problem where Android apparently ignores the location of my wifi. But let me explain:
Whenever I'm at home google now suggests that my current location is not where I currently am but rather 10 to 15 miles away from my home address.
That is kind of annoying because I get wrong weather updates, location based reminders will not work on my home address and my location history is a complete mess.
Android primarily uses these three methods for checking on your location:
- gps
- cell towers
- wifi
am I right?
So I did some tests:
1. Testing gps
In location settings I checked "Device only" (so that it would only use gps for determining my location) and opened maps
-> works flawlessly
2. Testing wifi
In location settings I checked "Battery saving" (only wifi and mobile networks). And activated airplane mode to ensure that it could not use mobile networks for location.
Reboot (any kind of "location cache" should then be wiped, I guess).
-> works flawlessly
3. Testing cell towers (mobile networks)
In location settings I checked "Battery saving" (only wifi and mobile networks) and then disabled wifi. In advanced wifi settings I unchecked "Scanning always available" (so that it could not scan for wifi networks even though I disabled wifi).
Reboot (any kind of "location cache" should then be wiped, I guess).
-> does not work flawlessly. It determines the wrong location (that google now always uses).
I live in a more rural part of the country so it makes perfect sense that mobile networks cannot determine my exact location, but why would Android ignore the wifi location (as we have seen, it knows where my wifi is located, otherwise it could not have shown me my correct location in test 2), when I'm signed in on the wifi network?
I tested this on two different devices (Moto X stock / HTC One S with CM 11).
Is there anything I could do?
*bumping
No one knows?
Could someone (who preferably lives on countryside, lol) try to reproduce this or tell me if this is how android is supposed to work (this wouldn't make any sense to me, though).
// This is the right board for this kind of question, isn't it? If not, feel free to move this thread :>
*bump
I still have no idea why this is happening.
If this is the wrong board please tell me or move the thread.
Have you ever had a GPS lock while being connected to the WLAN network? I would assume Google learns the MAC addresses and WLAN SSIDs and correlates them to your location ...
145
GarryKG said:
Have you ever had a GPS lock while being connected to the WLAN network? I would assume Google learns the MAC addresses and WLAN SSIDs and correlates them to your location ...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes. I'm using maps quite frequently (with gps enabled ofc).
But I am pretty sure google already knows the correct location of my wfi, since when I activate airplane mode and check "Battery saving" (only wifi and mobile networks are being used for location) in location settings, my correct location is determined. Since the airplane mode is activated it means that my phone can only use wifi for determining my location.
But as soon as I disable airplane mode my location is wrong again.
So I would conclude that, although google knows the correct location of my wifi, it just prioritizes mobile networks for some reason. Which is driving me insane.
*bümp
*bump
This is still bugging me. I mean I can't be the only one.
*bamp
The problem is still existent and is bugging me.
The forums look different now.
*bomp
I wish someone knew what causes this behavior.
*bemp
Even after all this time the problem still exists.
bömp
No answers
bämp.
So I guess there is no solution?
Anyway, I will keep bumping this thread but less frequent.
*bumping every once in a while.
I haven't found the "one" best mock location fake gps app - but I found a few good ones that have ads.
But if I had to pick just one as the "best", I'd pick Lexa simply because it works without ads.
*Fake GPS Location* by LexaFree, no ads, requires gsf, rated 4.6, 456K reviews, 10M+ Downloads<https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.lexa.fakegps>
Note that these mock location apps are set inside the operating system, such that EVERY app gets their information from them, and that these mock location apps can randomly move along roadways by a given distance per a given time period, and they can start at the last location, and they can randomize the amount of movement per second, and they can spoof the altitude, and some can set a specific exact location by the keyboard instead of only graphically, etc. They can even send the location to another phone or get the location from another phone if you want that.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
But others (with ads) do a better job of random location following roadways with random movement time periods.
Others (with ads) can also shift the GPS location from one phone to another (either way) - but what use is that for you?
Also others (with ads) can spoof both the wi-fi provider & the GPS provider - but what use is that for you?
Which fake GPS mock location app do you feel is best and why?
GPS position falsification is currently not very effective when RIL is enabled on the phone. Apps can easily orient the phone in space based on the signal strength to the network operator's mast.
ze7zez said:
GPS position falsification is currently not very effective when RIL is enabled on the phone. Apps can easily orient the phone in space based on the signal strength to the network operator's mast.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
For privacy reasons... I have every setting for location accuracy turned off, and I also have every unused radio on the phone turned off (e.g., NFC, bluetooth, gps, wi-fi, etc.) and my phone's wi-fi does NOT reconnect (auto-connect is turned off) as my home AP SSID is hidden (for privacy, not for security!) and it has a "_nomap" appended to keep out of the well-behaved databases such as Google/Mozilla, but not Wigle/Netstumbler/Kismet,etc, which aren't well behaved, and I randomize the phone's Wi-Fi MAC upon every connection - which is a new feature of Android 12 in Developer options, etc., ....
... But I had to look up what RIL stands for, so I thank you for bringing up that unknown-to-me Radio Interface Layer detail...
RIL references:
https://wladimir-tm4pda.github.io/porting/telephony.html
https://source.android.com/devices/tech/connect/ril
Specifically
Radio Interface Layer: It is the bridge between Android phone framework services and the hardware. In other words, it is the protocol stack for Telephone. The RIL consist of two primary components.
RIL Daemon
Vendor RIL
RIL DaemonRILD will be initialized during the Android system start up. It will read the system property to find which library has to be used for Vendor RIL, provide the appropriate input for vendor RIL and finally calls RIL_Init function of Vendor RIL to map all the Vendor RIL functions to the upper layer. Each vendor RIL has RIL_Init function.Vendor RILIt is a library specific to each modem. In other words, we can call it as a driver to function the modem. The RIL daemon will call the RIL_Init function with the device location (eg: /dev/ttyS0). It will initiate the modem and returns theRIL_RadioFunctions structure contains the handles of radio functions
After skimming that RIL information, I'm not sure exactly what you're trying to tell me, but I guess you're saying that we can be geolocated when we make phone calls and even when we don't, in that the cell towers can be triangulated if the phone is in calling mode... which I understand full well.
But, in terms of privacy, how many apps that need to be fooled by their GPS location have access to that cell tower radio location information?
You understood correctly. A phone in call mode, as you wrote, can be easily located while moving.
The google map tricked out by "Fake GPS Location", does quite well while driving a car, as I recently verified in the field.
I don't analyze the app for route tracking.
ze7zez said:
You understood correctly. A phone in call mode, as you wrote, can be easily located while moving.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I agree with you that any phone, if it's going to be used for two (or three) things, will be easily tracked by those with the resources to do so
Make/receive phone calls
Send/receive sms/mms texts (mms requiring data)
Wi-Fi connections (aka "the Internet")
However, in all cases above, the geolocation isn't as accurate as with GPS (if you are judicious about your location settings), and, more to the point, the applications themselves don't have access to the cell tower information (although they do have access to your IP address, which can be roughly geolocated).
We have to assess our threat level where I'm not using fake location apps to hide from a well-funded TLA adversary; I'm using the fake location to simply hide from the likes of Google and other nefarious outfits that put the tracking APIs inside the code (which is why almost none of my apps require GSF).
ze7zez said:
The google map tricked out by "Fake GPS Location", does quite well while driving a car, as I recently verified in the field.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If what you're saying is that the mock location apps "fool" the likes of Google Maps, I fully agree with you. If... If... if...
If you don't allow Google Maps to run a more detailed analysis that is.
As an example, I recently ran a test inside of a local town where I had the fake location set to miles away, and Google Maps was telling me I was where the fake location said I was... but...
But... then Google Maps asked me to snap a photo so that it could better figure out where I was, and BINGO! It figured out where I was based on the video that I allowed (for test purposes) to show the storefronts.
When I tested it again without allowing the video to see anything of value (e.g., I panned to the mountains above), Google Maps could NOT geolocate me.
Likewise when you don't let Google Maps geolocate by WI-Fi address (although for all I know the camera mechanism sneakily allowed that as I'm well aware there are TWO APIs for turning on your GPS radio, one of which (from Google) is downright nefarious)...
ACTION: "android.lintent.action.MAIN"
PACKAGE: "com.google.android.gms"
CLASS: "com.google.android.gms.location.settings.LocationAccuracyActivity"
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
vs
Notice it's similar but different from the Android setting for accuracy.
ACTION: "android.intent.action.MAIN"
PACKAGE: "com.android.settings"
CLASS: "com.android.settings.Settings$ScanningSettingsActivity"
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Notice that, for this very reason, you NEVER want to turn on your GPS radio from ANY Google app prompt!
ze7zez said:
I don't analyze the app for route tracking.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you need to navigate and if you don't want to be tracked by Google, I found a little trick that works kind of nicely with the simple interfaces of the offline mapping programs.
Set your position as your destination in the mock location app
Use any offline map to set your current position as a waypoint
Then use the offline map app to route to your destination
Another "trick" that keeps you out of Google maps' databases is that you can easily get traffic using a web shortcut of the area you are currently traveling in - where you don't need to know your exact location in order to check out the traffic in front of you.
Yet another trick for traffic is that PLENTY of web sites provide Google traffic updates without logging into Google web servers (afaik), such as sigalert apps, 511 apps, and many local DOT apps such as caltrans (for California).
Overall, in summary, the mock location apps work to prevent apps that use your GPS location from tracking you - but as @ze7zez warned, it will only work for GPS and not for cell tower tracking.
GalaxyA325G said:
(...) the applications themselves don't have access to the cell tower information (...)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This is not true.
Go into your phone's service mode and see for yourself what the phone knows about the mast connection.
Here's a cheesy Cell Diagnostic app that I wrote myself:
Note that the only permissions that it uses is android.permission.READ_PHONE_STATE and android.permission.ACCESS_COARSE_LOCATION
It refuses to give you this information if you have "Location" turned off.
ze7zez said:
This is not true.
Go into your phone's service mode and see for yourself what the phone knows about the mast connection.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
As always, you're correct... but.... you're being too narrow I think... in that debugging apps which we use when we need to are different from the run-of-the-mill apps we use all day every day...
There are only "some" apps, which I'm well aware of, that have your telephony information, such as this one which requires you to provide that permission first...
Once you manually provide that permission, yes, of course, the app has you dead in its sights... but most apps (that don't need it) don't ask for THAT much permission... (nor would you let them if they did).
Renate said:
Here's a cheesy Cell Diagnostic app that I wrote myself:
Note that the only permissions that it uses is android.permission.READ_PHONE_STATE and android.permission.ACCESS_COARSE_LOCATION
It refuses to give you this information if you have "Location" turned off.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You bring up a good point that a few Android releases ago Google cheated like hell by forcing apps to request "Location" being turned on in order for the app to display unrelated things such as "Wi-Fi signal strength"...
Which is ANOTHER good reason for being able to set the mock location... because the Wi-Fi Signal Strength of all nearby access points has nothing (per se) to do with your current GPS location.
EDIT: BTW, as a related aside, I post a billion screenshots to the Internet, where some of them contain GPS location - which - if spoofed - means I don't need to redact it in those screenshots. For other information though, such as the cell tower information, I never know how much to redact (for privacy) where you didn't redact anything on your screenshot.
Can you let me know which are the cellular tower information pointers that we should redact for privacy when posting screenshots?
https://forum.xda-developers.com/attachments/cell1-png.5676683/
The CDMA system has a place for actual Lat/Long. But, these cells are set up by various people and the amount of information in them is variable.
I've rarely seen lat/long on a CDMA signal
The LTE stuff only references cell number. You need a database to reference it to location.
I have a few cell numbers hard-coded to named location.
I can't even find my current tower on https://www.opencellid.org/
Renate said:
The CDMA system has a place for actual Lat/Long. But, these cells are set up by various people and the amount of information in them is variable.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm aware there are open signal public OSM cell-tower-location databases (which essentially suck - but which are good enough to track your general location) and then there are the "real" databases (which the carriers and the FCC kind of sort of keep to themselves.
Renate said:
I've rarely seen lat/long on a CDMA signal
The LTE stuff only references cell number. You need a database to reference it to location.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The reason open signal public OSM databases only "essentially" suck is because they're averages from lots of people, so, for example, a tower might be on the wrong side of the railroad tracks or in the middle of a river on those open signal public OSM maps when it's not really the case - but they're still good enough to geolocate you to a general area were I to publish the unique number in the screenshots.
Renate said:
I have a few cell numbers hard-coded to named location.
I can't even find my current tower on https://www.opencellid.org/
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Click to collapse
My tower is almost always my own femtocell or my cellular repeater (both of which I have but usually the femtocell wins out), which is unique to me (which is why I'm worried about privacy).
Unless you're in my driveway, only I would be using that femtocell (I don't know how far out they go, but it's not more than a few hundred feet at the most, isn't it?).
Hi, I'm a new member of the forum and this is my first post.
I've read this thread and it's an interesting discussion about layers in global positioning. But I have a simpler question out of curiosity;
is there perhaps a way to work around this plugin (https://github.com/wongpiwat/trust-location) without root / only with developer option, since I haven't found any fake gps app that could fool/bypass this part.
Or do I have to use a custom ROM to accomplish it?