Geolocation problem

I use to use Google search and homepage, until I noticed my town was now listed on the left of my HP screen. I'm not paranoid and I don't care if the city next to my town and state is logged and displayed, but do have a problem with it displaying my small town. So, I dumped Google HP and search-engine and now have Duckduckgo HP and search engine. I also like and use Iron 18, the last version, because 19 the latest version does not show the homepage when opening new tabs-windows. I even checked "Do not allow any site to track my physical location" under Content settings in Iron. Yesterday I went on a website, like Craigslist, where you can place an ad or buy something, I have never been on before. It asked my country and i clicked USA and it listed my state and to my surprise also listed my hometown! What is going on here??

 

IP address probably. If your provider has an entry point in your town (don't know the exact term), they can get pretty close. Mine is only one town over.

PD

 

Hi PaulyDefran, my ISP is a couple of cities over, maybe 50-60 mi. I just know it was a few months after I noticed my town being displayed On Google. I'm really stumped and hopefully someone on here can help remedy this.

 

What's with the HP after Google and DuckDuckGo?

There are a number of companies in the business of compiling location information for IP Addresses and offering that to customers and/or the public. One search starting point would be:

https://www.google.com/search?q="IP Address" location&btnG=Search&hl=en&output=search&gbv=1

Browsers have a geolocation feature built in now, and exactly how that works will depend on the device and context. They can, for example, take advantage of built-in GPS capability, sniff for local wireless routers the location of which is known, lookup the IP Address in a database, whatever. Even if you have such capability disabled, a website can still attempt to lookup the location of your IP based on their own database or someone else's.

One thing you can do is change your external IP address. It is not only a good thing to do in general, but sometimes the new IP Address will be mapped to a significantly more distant location. For how to change your external IP address I'd suggest you ask in your ISP's forum.

 

Hi TheWindBringeth, I'm not sure what you are asking, if you are, "What's with the HP after Google and DuckDuckGo?"

I understand the rest though, about changing my IP Address. That would probably do the trick, for awhile, anyway. Thanks!

I should say, I'm retired, and don't do anything illegal, that I know of, and just don't like the idea of websites getting so close to home. Also, we each have our own personal space, and naturally, that comfort zone, can expand outward to even the internet. I already know a few on here are thinking, "than don't go online" LOL.
This is my first time posting, but have checked Wilders faithfully, once or more daily for a couple of years now. it's my favorite website and I love online-security.

 

What is "Google HP"... "Duckduckgo HP"?

 

I made a thread about this sometime last year, apparently there are special companies that make a habit of creating massive databases with geolocations of the addresses, that then sell that data to Google, etc.

This company even has a free version, which is what DuckDuckGo uses:
http://www.maxmind.com/app/home

I should note that they don't necessarily save the position of your IP address, I don't know exactly how it works, but I'm sure they also trace IP's and save the location of the 2nd last hop (your telephone exchange), which is why it's as accurate as town, not house (thankfully).

 

Got it elapsed, and thanks!

TheWindBringeth, HP, Home Page.

 

Hi JRViejo, I will certainly read that! My situation in a nut shell. I use lan, but my roommate uses wireless and we share a router. My roommate works online and happens to be a know-it-all, so we bump heads once in awhile when I want to suggest doing an action concerning the router adjustments, etc. I would rather not push his buttons, so I try to work around that.
Even being on the same router, we both naturally, are given different IP Addresses. I hope that explaination helps here. Thanks!

 

I'm satisfied with the answers already given and thank you! Jump in with other comments, help if you want. I just think it's a done deal, is all.

 

That kind of Geolocation is far more accurate and requires the user to confirm a prompt or to have Geolocation enabled in the browser.

No problem, I wasn't entirely sure how to word it. But by save I mean these companies actually look up details of 2nd/3rd/4th hop hostnames and ask ISP's for location or use services like SamKnows to track exchanges, then save that data in a large geolocation database for other companies to use.

 

elapsed, I just hope this stops at the town and doesn't go to the house. I would think there are cyber-laws against this, at least, I hope so.

 

The town is as accurate as they can get. To get to the house you'd need to be using a static IP/hostname (permanent one that never changes). It would also be of little benefit to them to maintain that kind of accuracy. It would cost a lot more to get info on every single individual from an ISP (as compared to a town covering thousands), it is also close to useless to have that kind of pinpoint accuracy for desktop users. For the cases where it's needed, the Geolocation API handles it, which in most browsers, prompts the user for permission.

 

Your ISP is in a position to identify the service premises associated with their IP Addresses. There have been various publicized cases of ISPs sharing information with marketing firms and even allowing marketing firms to hook up their own equipment to the ISP's network. We all need to keep a watchful eye out for that type of thing.

Elapsed touched upon it, but to add to it, if you log into an account for which you have provided your physical address or your physical address could otherwise be determined, that physical address (and various other things) can be associated with your IP Address. Obviously, people can log into accounts from IP Addresses other than their own and not all IP Addresses are static or sufficiently sticky to make such linked information reliable. Still, it is highly likely that some entities out there are doing that type of thing to some extent.

IMO, very many companies, websites, etc *would* like to identify the specific premises from which the user is accessing their server and also the individual or individuals that live at that premises. The more information the better from a hyper-targeting advertiser's point of view. If it were technically possible to remotely determine the brand, size, and color of the underwear you are wearing or what your last meal consisted of or when you last pooped or what kind of toilet paper you wiped with, someone WOULD be doing it.

 

Thanks to both...I agree, if these companies could, they surly would, unfortunately.