ipad location services not working

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Level 1

5 points

ipad location services not working

iPad 2020, iOS 13.6 - Location Services stopped working but it works fine with iPhone 11 on the same connection. (Broadband connection is at my home by Wireless Wi-Fi). Have replaced Wifi with new but didn’t fix iPad location Services problem. Have taken iPad to other locations in town about 15 kms away and It works normally. Have taken My new wireless wifi to town, connected iPad and location services works fine. So the problem only occurs when Wifi modem is at my home, nowhere else, yet iPhone location services work perfectly at my home on the same modem.

GPS apps open and say no GPS signal, Apple Maps won’t show location blue dot, have reset iPad All Settings, Erased Content and Settings, Reset Location and Privacy many times.

I notice Date and Time setting refuses to go to automatic when at home (spinning wheel) but I can set It manually. Date and Time sets to automatic at all other locations I’ve tested at where Location Services are working.

Any help much appreciated.

Posted on Aug 7, 2020 10:49 PM

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Answer 1

Aug 8, 2020 1:07 AM in response to gspiers50

Your Phone has built-in GPS - and can than therefore determine its location directly.

WiFi Only models of iPad do not have any GPS location capability - and as such are completely reliant upon their network connection to infer an approximate location.

Your approximate geographic location would be estimated from a “database lookup” of (a) your WiFi Network Name (SSID) or detected neighbouring WiFi networks - and (b) the “public” IP Address provided by your Internet Service Provider (ISP).

If the mapped WiFi network name or IP Address are not available within the applicable databases, or if this information substantially differs between sources, then your approximate location may not be computed. This situation often occurs if you are in a remote/rural location where neighbouring WiFi networks are scarce - or if connecting over Cellular, Satellite or VPN connections.

Network IP Addresses and WiFi networks are frequently mapped in urban and cosmopolitan areas (including “crowd source” techniques) and as such approximation of your location from lookup against these databases can be provide relatively high accuracy. As population and network density diminishes, this mechanism becomes progressively less reliable.

Your mobile broadband (often referred to as MiFi) isn’t presenting a public IP Address that has a known geographic location - or, if does, the location as determined from lookup significantly contradicts other information from which the approximate location might be determined. If you could obtain a position estimation for your mobile broadband alone, it would likely be many miles from your actual location.

You’ve demonstrated that by connecting to a different WiFi network that your iPad can determine its location when connected to a terrestrial/public WiFi network. From the behaviour that you describe, over the Cellular connection that you use, your WiFi Only iPad is performing as expected.

I hope this explanation as to possible cause is helpful.

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Answer 2

gspiers50 Author

Level 1

5 points

Aug 8, 2020 1:17 AM in response to LotusPilot

That is very helpful, thank you LotusPilot. It makes complete sense especially as there is only one cell tower in my location (see my reply above which I wrote before getting yours). It also explains why I have Location Services when I go to town As there are many more towers. It’s a relief my iPad isn’t malfunctioning. Thank you again, I can file the problem under resolved!!!

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Answer 3

gspiers50 Author

Level 1

5 points

Aug 8, 2020 1:09 AM in response to ckuan

Could the problem be we only have one cell tower in the vicinity. The wifi talks to that cell tower but because the iPad doesn’t have cellular there is no triangulation with other cell towers outside the district?

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