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Why does my phone think I live in Houston, TX?

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  • Why does my phone think I live in Houston, TX?

    I only see ads for shops in Houston, stores' websites that automatically find the nearest location always show me one in Houston, etc.
    I don't currently and have never lived in or near Houston. I'm hours away and Houston isn't even the next nearest major city. What the heck?
    Curiosity never hurt anyone. It was stupidity that killed the cat.

  • #2
    Blame Cow Poke. (It's probably about him.)
    When I Survey....

    Comment


    • #3
      Originally posted by Faber View Post
      Blame Cow Poke. (It's probably about him.)
      I like this answer. It makes sense.
      Curiosity never hurt anyone. It was stupidity that killed the cat.

      Comment


      • #4
        Originally posted by QuantaFille View Post
        I like this answer. It makes sense.
        Maybe it is using your IP address instead of your GPS location?

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        • #5
          Originally posted by Faber View Post
          Blame Cow Poke. (It's probably about him.)
          Thank you, kind sir.
          The first to state his case seems right until another comes and cross-examines him.

          Comment


          • #6
            Originally posted by Cerebrum123 View Post
            Maybe it is using your IP address instead of your GPS location?
            Shouldn't my IP address be local? Houston, TX is nowhere near local.
            Curiosity never hurt anyone. It was stupidity that killed the cat.

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            • #7
              you can go to http://ipaddressguide.com to use the geolocator under "other tools"

              It will automatically put your IP address into the IP field.

              Most of the time this should give a general location for your IP.


              Note that I just tried this on my Android. The initial web page gave better identification of my location than the geolocator

              I think the weather app tracks me the closest. (Is that why it is always raining over me when the weather is good everywhere else?)
              Last edited by mikewhitney; 11-05-2018, 07:52 PM.

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              • #8
                Originally posted by mikewhitney View Post
                you can go to http://ipaddressguide.com to use the geolocator under "other tools"

                It will automatically put your IP address into the IP field.

                Most of the time this should give a general location for your IP.


                Note that I just tried this on my Android. The initial web page gave better identification of my location than the geolocator

                I think the weather app tracks me the closest. (Is that why it is always raining over me when the weather is good everywhere else?)
                That shows a local IP address. The zip code it shows is downtown, and I live on the outskirts but at least it's in the same city. So where is my web browser getting my location from, if not my IP? I'm using Chrome for Android.
                Curiosity never hurt anyone. It was stupidity that killed the cat.

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                • #9
                  did you try going to the geolocation link on the ipaddressguide page?

                  The geolocation on my phone was in a city 50 miles away.

                  Do you have an Android or iPad?
                  Last edited by mikewhitney; 11-05-2018, 08:29 PM.

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                  • #10
                    Originally posted by mikewhitney View Post
                    did you try going to the geolocation link on the ipaddressguide page?

                    The geolocation on my phone was in a city 50 miles away.

                    Do you have an Android or iPad?
                    The geolocator shows me as downtown in the city where I live.
                    I'm using an Android phone.
                    Curiosity never hurt anyone. It was stupidity that killed the cat.

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                    • #11
                      does google maps show your location properly?

                      You may want to see if there is a location provider plugin for your browser. I'm just searching stuff on the web.


                      Maybe your location settings are configured in the disabled state on your phone.
                      Last edited by mikewhitney; 11-05-2018, 08:45 PM.

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                      • #12
                        I almost always have GPS turned off. When it's on, Google maps knows where I am pretty accurately. If I'm not using maps, I turn it off because Google maps knows where I am and will pester me to leave reviews for all the places I just stopped at to run errands. It's maddening, lol. Does my browser use my GPS location to find local ads to show me? Seems to me that if it can't access the primary method of finding my location, it would use a different method instead of taking a wild guess and landing on a city hundreds of miles away.
                        Curiosity never hurt anyone. It was stupidity that killed the cat.

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          You can try turning GPS on and then access some websites that would check your location.

                          I believe the location feature of the phone will check ip location, gps, cell-phone tower location, and maybe a fixed location in your phone.

                          a website then may be accessing some best value or combined/merged location.

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                          • #14
                            Originally posted by QuantaFille View Post
                            Shouldn't my IP address be local? Houston, TX is nowhere near local.
                            Mine has shown up in Ohio before, and I don't live there.

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                            • #15
                              I have occasionally had location reported as elsewhere ... but only once out of state mear as I can recall. But my weather service lately has defaulted to Big Bear or Minneota. Not sure why.
                              Watch your links! http://www.theologyweb.com/campus/fa...corumetiquette

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