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Precise geolocation via Wi-Fi Positioning System

amoses.dev

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Re: Precise geolocation via Wi-Fi Positioning System

#3
I use a Firefox preference to pin my location to a spot near, but not at, my house:

user_pref("geo.provider.network.url", 'data:application/json,{"location": {"lat": 45.0, "lng": -122.0}, "accuracy": 128.0}');

I _believe_ this also stops wifi data from leaking anywhere.

Re: Precise geolocation via Wi-Fi Positioning System

#4
post #2

Good article, but you could also just use a VPN to trick it.

No, a VPN would only change the source IP of your request which the author specifically states isn't how this system works: the browser uses its host OS' Location Services to self report its location based on GPS or Wi-Fi AP locations.

That said, I hope the service doesn't implicitly trust data sent by untrusted clients like web browsers, otherwise someone could just use something like this to send it a false location: https://chromewebstore.google.com/detail/spoof-geolocation/i...

Re: Precise geolocation via Wi-Fi Positioning System

#5
post #4
post #2

Good article, but you could also just use a VPN to trick it.

No, a VPN would only change the source IP of your request which the author specifically states isn't how this system works: the browser uses its host OS' Location Services to self report its location based on GPS or Wi-Fi AP locations. That said, I hope the service doesn't implicitly trust data sent by untrusted clients like web browsers, otherwise someone could just use something like this to send it a false locatio…

Ohh. Yeah I suppose that's what I meant. I thought a VPN also spoofed the location

Re: Precise geolocation via Wi-Fi Positioning System

#6
I've recently vibe-coded "where-am-i", a small CLI that returns your approximate location using the technology described here.

https://github.com/denysvitali/where-am-i

Tbh, I think this geolocation method is amazing, and I'm grateful it exists, because GPS indoor really sucks.

Re: Precise geolocation via Wi-Fi Positioning System

#7
Is it common for North American universities to take attendance? Seems like a whole lot of effort to gain little and infantilize your students. They're paying tuition, and if they don't show up to class they get punished by not learning enough and subsequently failing their exams/assessments. And if they don't fail their exams/assessments then clearly mandating lecture attendance for them wasn't necessary anyway.

Re: Precise geolocation via Wi-Fi Positioning System

#8
post #4
post #2

Good article, but you could also just use a VPN to trick it.

No, a VPN would only change the source IP of your request which the author specifically states isn't how this system works: the browser uses its host OS' Location Services to self report its location based on GPS or Wi-Fi AP locations. That said, I hope the service doesn't implicitly trust data sent by untrusted clients like web browsers, otherwise someone could just use something like this to send it a false locatio…

Even if the browser was super locked down you could trivially spoof a few SSIDs broadcast from the desired area in theory..

Re: Precise geolocation via Wi-Fi Positioning System

#9
post #4

Earlier quoted context omitted.

No, a VPN would only change the source IP of your request which the author specifically states isn't how this system works: the browser uses its host OS' Location Services to self report its location based on GPS or Wi-Fi AP locations. That said, I hope the service doesn't implicitly trust data sent by untrusted clients like web browsers, otherwise someone could just use something like this to send it a false locatio…

Even if the browser was super locked down you could trivially spoof a few SSIDs broadcast from the desired area in theory..

The SSID (name, like the article mentions) is different than the bSSID (mac address of the access point), so I don't think it would be that easy to spoof.

Re: Precise geolocation via Wi-Fi Positioning System

#10
post #7

Is it common for North American universities to take attendance? Seems like a whole lot of effort to gain little and infantilize your students. They're paying tuition, and if they don't show up to class they get punished by not learning enough and subsequently failing their exams/assessments. And if they don't fail their exams/assessments then clearly mandating lecture attendance for them wasn't necessary anyway.

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