Why are location services no longer working on my iPad2 using home wifi -- and how do I get it fixed?

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Level 1

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Why are location services no longer working on my iPad2 using home wifi -- and how do I get it fixed?

First of all, until maybe the last four months, location services were working here at home. We have three iPads, all working on the home wifi system (Frontier as the ISP). Simple things like finding ourselves on a map for driving directions, doing deposits of checks (family business), and check-ins were some of the uses. Now nothing maps, and LOCATION CANNOT BE DETERMINED seems the frequent error code.

Location services is ON, the location service for the particular APP is turned on.

I've reset router, the iPads, hard reset, soft reset, location services off, then on... No solution

iPad 2, iOS 6.1.3

Posted on Apr 30, 2013 4:35 AM

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Answer 1

JimHdk

Level 7

28,874 points

Apr 30, 2013 5:36 AM in response to DaleinWV

If you have the WiFi-only iPad your location is determined by the location of any nearby WiFi routers. The WiFi-only iPad does not have GPS. Without GPS, location-finding is done by using a Apple location database which contains the MAC addresses of routers and their physical location. A MAC address is a unique number which is built-in to all network devices when manufactured. The Apple database is built and updated by Apple GPS-enabled devices (primarily iPhones) actually seeing your router (they do not have to actually connect to it) and then adding/updating the router's location in the database.

Bottom line: Your Router may not be in Apple's database and your location was previously being determined from a neighbor's WiFi router which was in Apple's database. If that router has been moved or turned off recently you can no longer be located.

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