Having trouble with GPS accuracy and speed? Here's a tip...

[TedKord]

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emilynicol2 wrote:

 I don't believe you need to have any Wi-Fi network to connect to, no. Unlike using Wi-Fi for internet browsing, you definitely don't need to have an open network available that you connect to. In my experience it just seems to work wherever I've been - middle of the street, driving in a car, wherever. My assumption (correct me if I'm wrong, any experts out there?) is that it just bounces info off the closest Wi-Fi tower to pinpoint your location and doesn't need to connect to a specific network. I always turn on the switch on my wi-fi and gps buttons before using google maps navigation. Before when I only switched on the GPS it would take longer to find my location...

But yeah, test it out on your drive home, let us know how it goes!

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WIFI tower?

[emilynicol2]

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TedKord wrote:

WIFI tower?

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Er, I guess that means there are no WIFI towers? I guess I mean WIFI hotspot / antenna / "access point" then? I don't know how it all works. I just guessed but curious to hear what the experts have to say....

[fanman2]

I first tried using Google Maps (and also MapQuest) with the WiFi disabled on my phone and in about 15 seconds, it located me about 1/2 - 1 mile from where I actually am. Then I turned on the WiFi feature on my T-Bolt....and voila....it WORKED PERFECTLY, ACCURATELY and almost IMMEDIATELY locked on to my EXACT location!!! 

FYI...I am standing out in the middle of a parking lot, pretty much in "the middle of nowhere", in 95 degree, humid weather...and do NOT have any WiFi service available at all.  I even made sure that I didn't have any WiFi service available by checking it with the "WiFi Analyzer" app on my phone.  This proves that you do NOT have to have any WiFi service available to make this "fix" work!!  I don't have a clue as to why this "fix" works with NO WiFi service available, but IT DOES...!!!

I HIGHLY recommend that all T-Bolt owners use this GPS "fix" until HTC and/or Verizon get an OTA update out to correct the issue.

[21stNow]

When you activate Wi-Fi networks in your Locations settings, it uses available Wi-Fi networks and/or mobile networks to determine your location.  I'm not sure if the Thunderbolt's settings are a little different.  I think that this is the assistance referred to in "A-GPS" in finding your location.  It does help with accuracy when I use my GPS functions on the Nexus S.

Edit: @fanman, the GPS function can also find your location by pinpointing your phone by triangulating the cellular towers that your phone connects to.  I hope that I explained this correctly.

[AZSALUKI]

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emilynicol2 wrote:

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AZSALUKI wrote:

it will work fine IF you have an available wifi network. i don't believe that it will help if you just turn it on and there is no wifi network available to connect to? i could be wrong, but that just doesn't seem to make sense. but yes, i can see how it would work if you happen to be in an area with an open and available wifi network. i'll test it later though. when i leave i will leave wifi on (even though i will be driving and will not have access to any wifi) and try to use nav.

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I don't believe you need to have any Wi-Fi network to connect to, no. Unlike using Wi-Fi for internet browsing, you definitely don't need to have an open network available that you connect to. In my experience it just seems to work wherever I've been - middle of the street, driving in a car, wherever. My assumption (correct me if I'm wrong, any experts out there?) is that it just bounces info off the closest Wi-Fi tower to pinpoint your location and doesn't need to connect to a specific network. I always turn on the switch on my wi-fi and gps buttons before using google maps navigation. Before when I only switched on the GPS it would take longer to find my location...

But yeah, test it out on your drive home, let us know how it goes!

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well i tried twice with no luck. both times i was driving and tried to use nav with wifi enabled and it still took about 40 seconds to lock in and begin the turn by turn nav.

[Ann154]

Same here and I had forgotten that I still had wifi on and I turned on GPS Test after I had started down the road yesterday and it took about a minute to lock on to the available satellites.

[bearone21]

is that it just bounces info off the closest Wi-Fi tower to pinpoint your location and doesn't need to connect to a specific network. I always turn on the switch on my wi-fi and gps buttons before using google maps navigation. Before when I only switched on the GPS it would take longer to find my location...

"wi-fi tower", that's a new one.

"doesn't need to connect to a network", how do you think wi-fi really works, magic?

gps & wi-fi aren't used interchangably.

[emilynicol2]

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bearone21 wrote:

is that it just bounces info off the closest Wi-Fi tower to pinpoint your location and doesn't need to connect to a specific network. I always turn on the switch on my wi-fi and gps buttons before using google maps navigation. Before when I only switched on the GPS it would take longer to find my location...

"wi-fi tower", that's a new one.

"doesn't need to connect to a network", how do you think wi-fi really works, magic?

gps & wi-fi aren't used interchangably.

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Sorry I'm not up on my lingo/technology... I was just trying to be helpful by starting this thread. You will notice that I prefaced my theory by saying that it was a guess and I asked the experts to correct me. And as you will notice if you read the subsequent replies, the terminology/technical details have been corrected by others already.

[tim600sl]

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emilynicol2 wrote:

I noticed some complaints about the GPS accuracy and speed on various Android sites. I have a tip for people that are having this issue... When you turn on the GPS, turn on Wi-Fi as well and your location will be much more accurate and speedier. GPS alone will find your general vicinity, but for some reason or another the Wi-Fi signal pinpoints your location with (usually) perfect accuracy. I always turn on Wi-Fi + GPS before opening Google Maps and it works great.

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emilynicol2, thanks for this very useful tip.  At first I was like, c'mon, wifi has nothing to do with gps util I tried it.  I don't really know how it works, but it just does.  Gps is the only issue I had/have from day one.  Week ago I was out of town and it took nearly 5 minutes (I'm not exaggerating) for gps to give me directions. Don't even start about the map feature, EVERY time I open the map feature I'm like 2 miles away from my actual location.  Yesterday I tried the wifi thing, guess what? It took less than 2 seconds to find my accurate location as well as driving directions. Once again, thanks for the tip! Might not work for everyone, but it sure did work for me! Kudos to you!

[budone]

Made a point to try the gps . I was found in about 10 seconds,and my location was correct . this is with wifi off.