How does Google Maps know my location with VPN?
Discussion
Asking this out of curiosity really as I'm not a techy person -
I just opened Google Maps in Safari, on my MacBook (M1), to see how far it was to a particular restaurant, and I expected to have to input my start location as I have Private Relay active on my MacBook and iPhone.
I wrongly assumed I would need to provide my start location as I'm guessing the MacBook has no GPS chip and my VPN is randomly assigned to a different part of the country (according to various 'whats my IP information' type websites I checked on).
But when I opened Google Maps it shows the start point as the pavement exactly outside my house
Anyone explain to me in simple terms how it knows?
Last question... but similar - Whenever I open a new tab in Safari and Google anything, or type in a web address, get a bloody annoying pop up all day long on Safari where Google asks for permission to know my location! I got this long before I used Private Relay and it still happens now. Any way to stop it??
It seems utterly stupid that google maps exactly where I'm at, yet Google search is constantly asking me!
I just opened Google Maps in Safari, on my MacBook (M1), to see how far it was to a particular restaurant, and I expected to have to input my start location as I have Private Relay active on my MacBook and iPhone.
I wrongly assumed I would need to provide my start location as I'm guessing the MacBook has no GPS chip and my VPN is randomly assigned to a different part of the country (according to various 'whats my IP information' type websites I checked on).
But when I opened Google Maps it shows the start point as the pavement exactly outside my house
Anyone explain to me in simple terms how it knows?
Last question... but similar - Whenever I open a new tab in Safari and Google anything, or type in a web address, get a bloody annoying pop up all day long on Safari where Google asks for permission to know my location! I got this long before I used Private Relay and it still happens now. Any way to stop it??
It seems utterly stupid that google maps exactly where I'm at, yet Google search is constantly asking me!
Are you signed in, and previously told Google maps your "Home" address?
Also Google maps cars capture Wi-Fi network IDs on their travels, so I believe it can an use the wifi network you are on as a locator.
I think the browser knows all sorts about the spec of your computer and reports it back to Google's location calculation
Also Google maps cars capture Wi-Fi network IDs on their travels, so I believe it can an use the wifi network you are on as a locator.
I think the browser knows all sorts about the spec of your computer and reports it back to Google's location calculation
Glade said:
Are you signed in, and previously told Google maps your "Home" address?
Also Google maps cars capture Wi-Fi network IDs on their travels, so I believe it can an use the wifi network you are on as a locator.
I think the browser knows all sorts about the spec of your computer and reports it back to Google's location calculation
Yes, I was signed in.Also Google maps cars capture Wi-Fi network IDs on their travels, so I believe it can an use the wifi network you are on as a locator.
I think the browser knows all sorts about the spec of your computer and reports it back to Google's location calculation
I just signed out, and it then suggested it didn't know my location. I then clicked 'My location' as the start point and got the Google pop up (the one I get all the time when browsing) to ask if Google could have permission to see my location. I clicked Allow and it immediately pinpointed my location to outside the house again.
Still don't know how it does this?! What is the pop-up actually allowing Google to access?
I believe one of the reasons Google started driving cars everywhere for Streetview, was so they could make a note of the locations of all the Wifi networks it picks up along the way. They can use these to pinpoint you.
When you allow location services, it allows the device to see nearby devices, including all the WiFi networks. If your laptop can see VirginMedia0839839 and Plusnet_394795, and it knows those WiFi networks are on Acacia Road, Beanotown, it can make a pretty confident guess that's where you are even without GPS.
When you allow location services, it allows the device to see nearby devices, including all the WiFi networks. If your laptop can see VirginMedia0839839 and Plusnet_394795, and it knows those WiFi networks are on Acacia Road, Beanotown, it can make a pretty confident guess that's where you are even without GPS.
durbster said:
I believe one of the reasons Google started driving cars everywhere for Streetview, was so they could make a note of the locations of all the Wifi networks it picks up along the way. They can use these to pinpoint you.
When you allow location services, it allows the device to see nearby devices, including all the WiFi networks. If your laptop can see VirginMedia0839839 and Plusnet_394795, and it knows those WiFi networks are on Acacia Road, Beanotown, it can make a pretty confident guess that's where you are even without GPS.
Interesting thanks.When you allow location services, it allows the device to see nearby devices, including all the WiFi networks. If your laptop can see VirginMedia0839839 and Plusnet_394795, and it knows those WiFi networks are on Acacia Road, Beanotown, it can make a pretty confident guess that's where you are even without GPS.
It does see, like a slightly fruitless task though, as I note the Streetview car only seems to come around most areas every 10+ years, and by that time most people have changed their routers, changed their wifi names, changed their internet provider, moved house, and all manner of other things that would sure make this mass network info collection worthless?
I have seen it mentioned in a few other places so they clearly do it, but it seems a lot of effort.
Most smartphones are constantly doing it all the time so no need for a van to drive round. They use it to speed up cell tower detection and other things.
It just needs to see a MAC address of a router from the broadcasts that routers send out then it knows where it roughly is.
https://www.zdnet.com/article/how-google-and-every...
It just needs to see a MAC address of a router from the broadcasts that routers send out then it knows where it roughly is.
https://www.zdnet.com/article/how-google-and-every...
Your Google account lets you set which device your location is derived from. For most people, it's their phone which has a GPS chip but also derives location from cell tower triangulation and from nearby wifi hotspots. If you are logged on to Google Maps on your computer with the same account that your phone uses, then Google Maps knows to use the location that your phone is reporting. They don't have to be on the same wifi network. If you were to leave your phone at your work location and then go home and use Google Maps, your location would be reported as your work location.
Basically, Google Maps whether on your phone, tablet or computer uses your phone's location unless you've told it to do otherwise.
So why does a VPN fool other websites? Because those sites don't have access to your phone's location data (unless you give them permission) and so they rely on geolocation based on your public IP address which will be the one your VPN provider gives you in the destination location.
Basically, Google Maps whether on your phone, tablet or computer uses your phone's location unless you've told it to do otherwise.
So why does a VPN fool other websites? Because those sites don't have access to your phone's location data (unless you give them permission) and so they rely on geolocation based on your public IP address which will be the one your VPN provider gives you in the destination location.
Edited by LunarOne on Monday 30th December 15:48
Gassing Station | Computers, Gadgets & Stuff | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff