iPod Touch Location is Incorrect

Question

Level 1

0 points

iPod Touch Location is Incorrect

When I first got internet at my summer home, I noticed that the location services that I use for various apps that are on my 3rd Generation iPod Touch are displayed incorrectly. The current location is shown at my non-summer house because my router used to be used there. Is there a way to update this as this is rather annoying and seems to screw up various apps due to their location dependencies. Can someone inform me if there is a way to do so and how?

Also even though my iOS is a little old, it is the same for my brother and sister's iPod's too. My sisters is a brand new iPod Touch 4th Generation that is up to date. She just got it last week.

Thanks 😀

iPod touch, iOS 3.1.2

Posted on Jun 21, 2011 5:28 PM

Reply

Answer 1

bobjbkln

Level 6

9,925 points

Jun 22, 2011 8:05 AM in response to Jackson413

Apple has a database which assigns a location to your router based on its IP address. If you relocate the router (especially to a remote area where the keepers of the database rarely check), it will show up in the previous location. AFAIK no one here has figured out how to get Apple to correct an error in their location database.

Reply

Answer 2

lllaass

Level 10

210,423 points

Jun 22, 2011 9:15 AM in response to bobjbkln

The database uses the MAC address of the router, not the IP address. The MAC address is unique and does not change while IP address can change.

From the recent flap about iPhones collecting location information and reporting it back to Apple, it appears that the data collected includes GPS location and nearby wifi routers and cell towers. SOme articles say that the wifi. GPS and cell tower data is used by Apple for their database.

Reply

Answer 3

bobjbkln

Level 6

9,925 points

Jun 22, 2011 8:28 PM in response to lllaass

Yes, you are correct (and I was wrong), Apple uses the MAC address of the router. The use of nearby cell towers and routers helps to explain why rural locations (such as that of the OP) are more problematical.

Reply

Answer 4

randallp

Level 1

5 points

Jul 26, 2011 7:30 PM in response to Jackson413

My iPod touch (when at home in Florida) thinks its in China. I guess my router's MAC first came online somewhere out there when tested. What to do?

Reply

Answer 5

Jul 26, 2011 7:44 PM in response to Jackson413

tell me about it randellp....mines been at our park which right outside over from the backend of my house and just moves time to time around my area but nvr points to the real location anyway, how r we sopose to pinpoint our devices if it gets lost just like ur location is wrong when ur says china when its really somewhere in florida?

ps. other than that, thats just a failed navigation design when the map is like 4yrs out of date and needs a new one from NASA, our old corn field is a mess on the map bc its alot cleaner after they finished building the washington post wherre i live.

Message was edited by: James5wins

Reply