Scuttle62
Level 1 (0 points)

Q: Current location is wrong

I have tried turning off and on the location services for maps and weather in Security & Privacy, but my current location continues to show up where I used to be.

iMac, Mac OS X (10.7)

Posted on Nov 21, 2014 9:48 AM

by Linc Davis,Solvedanswer
Linc Davis Linc Davis
Level 10 (208,000 points)
Applications
A:

Location Services (including Maps and "Find My Mac") relies on a database of known Wi-Fi access points. You don't necessarily have to be connected to a wireless network, but Wi-Fi does have to be turned on and you have to be within range of one of those access points. Otherwise the machine won't be located at all, or the location will be wrong. Sometimes the location will be wrong because the database contains inaccurate data. According to reports, if you connect to a network with an iPhone, its location will be reported to Apple and added to the database after a delay. I can't confirm.

Posted on Nov 21, 2014 6:15 PM

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Scuttle62

Q: Current location is wrong

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  • by Linc Davis,Solvedanswer

    Linc Davis Linc Davis Nov 21, 2014 6:15 PM in response to Scuttle62
    Level 10 (208,000 points)
    Applications
    Nov 21, 2014 6:15 PM in response to Scuttle62

    Location Services (including Maps and "Find My Mac") relies on a database of known Wi-Fi access points. You don't necessarily have to be connected to a wireless network, but Wi-Fi does have to be turned on and you have to be within range of one of those access points. Otherwise the machine won't be located at all, or the location will be wrong. Sometimes the location will be wrong because the database contains inaccurate data. According to reports, if you connect to a network with an iPhone, its location will be reported to Apple and added to the database after a delay. I can't confirm.

  • by Dick Watson,

    Dick Watson Dick Watson Dec 21, 2014 7:35 PM in response to Linc Davis
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Dec 21, 2014 7:35 PM in response to Linc Davis

    We moved 3,400 miles. Took our access point and our Mac with us. The Mac's OS X still thinks it's back where we started. OK, I get that they use a database of access point MAC addresses vs. once upon a time reported locations for these access points. And what happens when that database is just plain wrong/out of date? I don't have an iPhone, so that won't help. Yes, I can work around the timezone by forcing it not to use the geolocation data. Can't find a similar workaround for maps and notification weather. Doesn't seem like I should have to resort to workarounds. Surely I'm not the only OS X user who ever moved with my access point?

  • by bj10au,

    bj10au bj10au Jan 20, 2015 5:06 PM in response to Dick Watson
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jan 20, 2015 5:06 PM in response to Dick Watson

    I have a similar problem.  We moved from Sydney, Australia to near Launceston, Tasmania, Australia in October 2014 and still the current location in Maps on my Mac (Yosemite) is showing at my old address more than 3 months later.  The current location shows correctly on my iPad and iPhone.

    When we moved we brought our 2 Time Capsules and an Apple Express and all are connected to our new network.  I used the same SSID for our WiFi network as I used at the previous address in Sydney, and am wondering whether that may be causing the problem.

    I have reported the problem using Apple Maps "Report a Problem" facility, but have had no response and the problem has not been corrected.