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Tell HN: Google Maps location data is used for GeoIP updates

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Re: Tell HN: Google Maps location data is used for GeoIP updates

#41
post #24

> Apple provides all developers with access to its Network.framework, Multipath TCP (MPTCP), and other networking APIs, which by design allow any app developer to bypass the Wi-Fi interface and route traffic directly over the cellular interface. Invoking these tools effectively allows any app developer to unmask VPN users on Wi-Fi without notice or consent. By routing device traffic over the cellular interface, app d…

VPNs on iOS are useless, just like almost any advanced usage of any of apples devices.

*VPNs for IP masking.

I guess that ship has sailed....

Re: Tell HN: Google Maps location data is used for GeoIP updates

#42

I work for IPinfo, but this is my personal opinion/account. Whenever I see people talking about their IP geolocation being wrong, I will reach out to them and try to fix that issue. Even if it is just one person, it really means a lot to them and to us as well. For some IP geolocation correction, some providers are better than others, but with Google? oof, tough break. It is really weird to see that the best possible…

If you have a peering relationship with Google, they'll give you access to their "ISP Portal", where you can provide a CSV of IP geolocation information for your address space.

> CSV of IP geolocation information

That is called a geofeed. If you own a large block of IP addresses, it is a good practice to have a geofeed data publicly available.

Our IP correction webpage is quite easily accessible for geofeed submissions [1]. You can email us, submit a link to a csv file or even a Google sheets page will work as well. Even though we appreciate geofeed submissions, it is not the most accurate or updated data source for IP geolocation, so we still have a lot of stuff to do to provide accurate data.

[1] https://ipinfo.io/corrections

Re: Tell HN: Google Maps location data is used for GeoIP updates

#43

Earlier quoted context omitted.

VPNs on iOS are useless, just like almost any advanced usage of any of apples devices.

*VPNs for IP masking. I guess that ship has sailed....

> *VPNs for IP masking.

ah yes, a great counterpoint because users so often don't use a different IP address under their VPN.

Re: Tell HN: Google Maps location data is used for GeoIP updates

#44

I work for IPinfo, but this is my personal opinion/account. Whenever I see people talking about their IP geolocation being wrong, I will reach out to them and try to fix that issue. Even if it is just one person, it really means a lot to them and to us as well. For some IP geolocation correction, some providers are better than others, but with Google? oof, tough break. It is really weird to see that the best possible…

I have my own ASN. Getting the geolocation information updated in the IPinfo database was extremely easy; however, months later Google still doesn't get it right for my IP ranges.

Kind of annoying, but I'm assuming Google doesn't even touch geofeeds.

Re: Tell HN: Google Maps location data is used for GeoIP updates

#45

I work for IPinfo, but this is my personal opinion/account. Whenever I see people talking about their IP geolocation being wrong, I will reach out to them and try to fix that issue. Even if it is just one person, it really means a lot to them and to us as well. For some IP geolocation correction, some providers are better than others, but with Google? oof, tough break. It is really weird to see that the best possible…

Is there an article you can point me to for fixing my geolocation? I route all of my home internet through a VPS so that I can bond (slightly different to load balance) 3 ISPs. I'll randomly have my geolocation show up very wrong. I don't have and kind of wired internet here so this fixes the reliability of wireless internet where the old backup adage "2 is 1, 1 is none" comes into play.

I can only suggest our IP correction page: https://ipinfo.io/corrections

Submit your IPs, it will go through a verification process and if all checks out the data will be updated. Unfortunately, there is no one size fits all solution. You have to submit IP correction one by one to major IP geolocation providers.

Re: Tell HN: Google Maps location data is used for GeoIP updates

#46

I work for IPinfo, but this is my personal opinion/account. Whenever I see people talking about their IP geolocation being wrong, I will reach out to them and try to fix that issue. Even if it is just one person, it really means a lot to them and to us as well. For some IP geolocation correction, some providers are better than others, but with Google? oof, tough break. It is really weird to see that the best possible…

> Whenever I see people talking about their IP geolocation being wrong, I will reach out to them and try to fix that issue. Even if it is just one person, it really means a lot to them and to us as well.

My IP geolocation is constantly wrong (I'm using TMobile home internet). It constantly says I'm in Detroit, or Chicago, or somewhere else potentially hours from where I live. I assume T-mobile is randomizing IP address allocation at everyone routed through some giant midwestern datacenter, and Detroit/Chicago simply have the most people, but I don't know and I don't care.

But I like it that way! I don't want random website owners to know exactly where I am. I've disabled location, camera, microphone, and notification requests in my Firefox settings, blocked popups, and installed an ad-blocker. I don't understand why anyone would do any of those things differently. I do prefer some location over global randomness that might not get the language or country right, and it's slightly annoying to constantly have to set the target store when shopping at, say, Menards, REI, or Napa Auto (even though I've been automatically logged in with the same shipping address for a decade, new visits to the pages default to location-based "my store" even when that data is unavailable)... but overall, I'd rather have a level of granularity that merely tells you I'm somewhere in the continental 48 US states.

Why does getting geolocation right mean a lot to you? Why should it mean a lot to me?

Re: Tell HN: Google Maps location data is used for GeoIP updates

#47
post #44

I work for IPinfo, but this is my personal opinion/account. Whenever I see people talking about their IP geolocation being wrong, I will reach out to them and try to fix that issue. Even if it is just one person, it really means a lot to them and to us as well. For some IP geolocation correction, some providers are better than others, but with Google? oof, tough break. It is really weird to see that the best possible…

I have my own ASN. Getting the geolocation information updated in the IPinfo database was extremely easy; however, months later Google still doesn't get it right for my IP ranges. Kind of annoying, but I'm assuming Google doesn't even touch geofeeds.

Check this out: https://old.reddit.com/r/networking/comments/zm60vn/google_h...

We reached out to OP even though we were very sure that their IP geolocation is definitely correct with us. They checkmarked everything and then some. OP told us that we are providing accurate data.

But does Google care about that? Not really. Now they kinda have to use that android phone Google Maps trick and hope that it fixes their problem somehow.

Re: Tell HN: Google Maps location data is used for GeoIP updates

#49

I work for IPinfo, but this is my personal opinion/account. Whenever I see people talking about their IP geolocation being wrong, I will reach out to them and try to fix that issue. Even if it is just one person, it really means a lot to them and to us as well. For some IP geolocation correction, some providers are better than others, but with Google? oof, tough break. It is really weird to see that the best possible…

> Whenever I see people talking about their IP geolocation being wrong, I will reach out to them and try to fix that issue. Even if it is just one person, it really means a lot to them and to us as well. My IP geolocation is constantly wrong (I'm using TMobile home internet). It constantly says I'm in Detroit, or Chicago, or somewhere else potentially hours from where I live. I assume T-mobile is randomizing IP addre…

Solid question. There are a ton of reasons why accurate geolocation matters for everyone. For us it matters, because that is what we do as a business, we provide super accurate data.

> I don't want random website owners to know exactly where I am.

With IP geolocation, it is not exactly "exact" location. City level? Yes. Zip code level? Kinda Yes. Latitude and Longitude? I would put it as a good possible estimation. Our customers are aware of that.

Nobody is tracking you with IP geolocation, to be honest. It is used for a ton of reason.....and I just had a long day, please just read the blogs we have on our site. I wrote some of the blogs myself.

> Why should it mean a lot to me?

Honestly, if you are not being impacted by wrong IP geolocation, it may not mean a lot to you personally. But people who are impacted are being located to a wrong city, state or in some cases to a different country. Us providing accurate geolocation does mean a lot in my opinion. There are no hoops to jump through, we are literally reaching out to you to find a way to solve this problem.

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