When my iPad was still on warranty, an Apple rep said it often is referred to as a Mac instead of an iPad. So do Apple devices also have trouble with our location? I’ve been on websites, been asked to authenticate, and the website thinks I’m in Ottawa, or British Columbia. But I’m not in those places and haven’t been in decades.
iPad (9)
I’d make an educated guess that you perhaps have a WiFi Only model iPad.
Unlike your iPhone and WiFi & Cellular models of iPad, WiFi Only iPads do not have any GNSS/GPS location capability with which to directly determine their location - and as such are completely reliant upon their network connection to infer an approximate location.
Without benefit of GPS, your approximate geographic location is inferred 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 - or may wildly inaccurate. This situation often occurs if you are in a remote/rural location where neighbouring WiFi networks are scarce - or if connecting over 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.
As for websites recognising your iPad as a Mac computer, some websites may incorrectly identify your iOS/iPadOS Safari User Agent when used in one or other of its browsing modes - of which their are two - these being Desktop and Mobile. When used in Desktop mode, your iPad may very well be identified as a Mac - whereas using the Mobile browser mode, websites will identify a smaller screen iPad or iPhone.
It’s easy to switch between browser modes if a website isn’t functioning correctly. From the desired web-page, touch the aA icon at the left of the Address Bar; this will reveal a menu. From the menu select Website Settings, then select (or deselect) Request Desktop Website, then tap Done. Now refresh the webpage.
The chosen setting will be saved for the selected website - and can be simply reversed if needed.
I’d make an educated guess that you perhaps have a WiFi Only model iPad.
Unlike your iPhone and WiFi & Cellular models of iPad, WiFi Only iPads do not have any GNSS/GPS location capability with which to directly determine their location - and as such are completely reliant upon their network connection to infer an approximate location.
Without benefit of GPS, your approximate geographic location is inferred 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 - or may wildly inaccurate. This situation often occurs if you are in a remote/rural location where neighbouring WiFi networks are scarce - or if connecting over 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.
As for websites recognising your iPad as a Mac computer, some websites may incorrectly identify your iOS/iPadOS Safari User Agent when used in one or other of its browsing modes - of which their are two - these being Desktop and Mobile. When used in Desktop mode, your iPad may very well be identified as a Mac - whereas using the Mobile browser mode, websites will identify a smaller screen iPad or iPhone.
It’s easy to switch between browser modes if a website isn’t functioning correctly. From the desired web-page, touch the aA icon at the left of the Address Bar; this will reveal a menu. From the menu select Website Settings, then select (or deselect) Request Desktop Website, then tap Done. Now refresh the webpage.
The chosen setting will be saved for the selected website - and can be simply reversed if needed.
Wifi only ipads has no type of gps and will only get a location from the router it’s connected to if the router it’s connected to does not have a location, it will ask the router it’s connected to and so forth
Thank you Rudegar!
Thank you LotusPilot for such in-depth info! And thank you for teaching me about switching browser modes. Done! Have a great day.
Why do some websites say my iphone or ipad are in a different province or location?
