Incorrect current location

[Seeker336]

I have had my Note8 since it was released. Factory Unlocked purchased from Samsung operating on AT&T.

Recently, I have had issues with the "Current location" in both the Accuweather app and in the "Weather Channel for Samsung" app. I had both apps configured in Settings to use my current location and to follow me as I changed location. Always worked fine, BUT lately both apps have been reporting my current location (and related weather info) as being somewhere in Spain (I am in Eastern Kansas).

This does not happen ALL the time. As I type this, I just checked and both apps give correct current location. But has been happening about 75% of the time lately. I change the location manually, and a few minutes later I am back in Spain!

Any suggestions? Seems like a problem with GPS receiver? Any thing I can do to resolve it?

 

[B. Diddy]

Is this only while connecting to certain wi-fi networks? Or are you using a VPN?

 

[Seeker336]

No VPN connection. Has happened on at least two different wifi networks, but also on cell data LTE connection away from wifi.

 

[B. Diddy]

When it happened on LTE, that was well after you had disconnected from the previous wi-fi? Does it consistently happen on those particular wi-fi networks? Some apps may grab location from the server information, rather than the phone's GPS. For example, I've noticed my Pixelbook report a different timezone when I'm connected to the wi-fi network for certain restaurants.

 

[Seeker336]

Will have to watch a bit more closely for the specifics. The two wifi networks where I noticed the problem were in my house and in my son's house, about 20 miles away. Most frequent glitch is on my own wifi network, same network where the phone apps reported location within 50 feet for the past two years. Then this bug cropped up in the last 4-6 weeks.

No other configuration changes to my wifi network and I have not noticed the issue using the same apps on my Galaxy Tab S3 on the same wifi network.

 

[B. Diddy]

Try wiping the cache partition: https://support.t-mobile.com/docs/DOC-36229. If that doesn't help, and if the problem occurs relatively frequently, then see if it still happens in Safe Mode: https://support.t-mobile.com/docs/DOC-36242

 

[Seeker336]

Thanks. Just reading your last reply and checked my Note8 (on my home wifi) to find it again thinks (in both apps) that I am in Almarhin, Spain (actually Kansas City, KS).

Cleared the cache partition and rebooted. Both apps now show correct current location. Will monitor over the next week or so to see if it recurs.

Funny thing is, I have never been to Spain. No idea why that location would sporadically pop up as my current location or be in my cache. Oh well, the mystery of sophisticated electronics.

Thanks again.