How Does Google Maps Know My Location on My PC?

[GNex Girl]

Maybe this is off topic, but on my PC, which does not have a GPS to locate me, when I go to google maps and hit directions, it knows my exact location. I am using Google Chrome browser and my GNex is connected to the same router that my PC is connected to using WiFi and obviously, my GNex has GPS and I have location services enabled.

How does this work?

BTW - the IP address assigned to my modem is registered to my ISP which is not even in the same city as me.

 

[kirksucks]

It always thinks I'm somewhere else

Sent from my unrooted DInc2 via Tapatalk

 

[JediJesus95]

I'm sure it uses a combination of IP geolocation, WiFi hot spots and cell phones to find your computers location. I have no idea how but that's what I think happens. Kind of in the same way my camera tags my photos with a Eye-Fi memory card. It finds my location using mac addresses from non password protected modems.

And latitude always has my right location on my desktop.

 

[GNex Girl]

Well it creeps me out. Is there any way to stop Google from knowing exactly where I am? I don't mean on my phone, but on my PC, I don't like it because unlike my phone, I don't know how to turn it off.

 

[zkSharks]

Well it creeps me out. Is there any way to stop Google from knowing exactly where I am? I don't mean on my phone, but on my PC, I don't like it because unlike my phone, I don't know how to turn it off.

Knowing your general location by use of GeoIP services shouldn't necessarily be of concern -- all it uses is your IP address, which is available to every web site you visit, period. They note your IP address, and compare it to a database with physical locations of IP address ranges. You can't just turn off your IP address, although you could use a proxy service to mask yours with a "middleman" IP of sorts.

GeoIPTool is a nice site for quickly viewing what location info is generally associated with your IP address. As you may notice, the general trend is that more granular information (latitude and longitude, for example) are less accurate, while less granular information (country, state, city, and sometimes postal code) is more accurate. This is, again, because the information is estimated and pulled from a database of address ranges.

 

[CarbonOak]

Also, I would think that if you're logged into your Google account while in Maps, and you have your home address under your profile, it could route based on that information.

 

[Andrew Martonik]

Well it creeps me out. Is there any way to stop Google from knowing exactly where I am? I don't mean on my phone, but on my PC, I don't like it because unlike my phone, I don't know how to turn it off.

Log out of Google... But you shouldn't be worried about Google knowing where you are lol. They already know either way because you're sitting next to your cellphone! Not to mention that your ISP and every other person who's sent a bill to your house or charged your credit card knows too...

Anyone who wants to know where you live knows, so I wouldn't be too worried about Google Maps offering you a quicker service because you are signed in.

Also, I would think that if you're logged into your Google account while in Maps, and you have your home address under your profile, it could route based on that information.

Bingo! If you're signed in, or have ever navigated to/from your home, then it'll save it as your "home". It can associate that with your "home" IP so that when you're on that IP they know where you are.