Wi-Fi Active for More Accurate Position Determination

[edstewbob]

I've seen it mentioned in lots of places that Wi-Fi should be active for more accurate position determination and am having a hard time understanding how an active Wi-Fi signal could improve GPS accuracy. I hope someone knows why and can help. I saw it mentioned again related to Smart Actions and every time I see it I wonder how this could be.

 

[pm1066]

It is useful for location because wifi routers will generally have a fixed location. So, when I connect to my home router, it knows I'm at home. It only gives a relative, not absolute, location. It doesn't do squat for gps.

 

[trophynuts]

OP when you see that it is assuming you are in range and can connect to a wireless access point of some sort.


if your driving down the road in your car in the middle of nowhere it's not going to help.

 

[edstewbob]

If I connect to my home Wi-Fi router any idea how the location of that device is known including the case when I am using Mobile Hotspot? BTW I have always received a good GPS lock from inside my house on phones going back to my 1st Blackberry Pearl.

 

[Szadzik]

If I connect to my home Wi-Fi router any idea how the location of that device is known including the case when I am using Mobile Hotspot? BTW I have always received a good GPS lock from inside my house on phones going back to my 1st Blackberry Pearl.

It knows because your ISP publishes that information on its link.