How does non-GPS geolocation work?

Question

I was using a little Netgear router for the past 3 years.

Then I completely got rid of it and got two used Linksys routers (work way better by the way).

But Google s geolocation still knows where I am. How does it know despite having no prior knowledge of my newer routers?

Answer 1

Your location is based on your ISP's allocation of the IP addresses they use, and how up to date they update the IP records.

Changing modem/router means nothing, as your public IP is probably still the same (from the ISP). That means any previous location service will think you are still at the same location, no matter how it figured it out in the first place.

Answer 2

Answering my own question here:



The trick is that the browser not only sends your currently selected wireless AP, but all of the wireless networks in the vicinity. It can triangulate your location based on all the other AP's and WILL ADD THE NEW AP to their database at the same time!



It's a self-growing database, every time you use it it sends all the ap's in your area.

Answer 3

It uses your IP address and looks up what your ISP has declared the location of that IP address to be.

Answer 4

When you go online you broadcast your IP address, you can find out the general location of whoever uses that IP address http://www.iplocation.net/