Database Users

GPS settings / connection problems

Hi,
Could anyone please explain the various settings for GPS in the "settings" menu (under "location")? I find that the manual and tooltips are not very informative.
Particularly, I don't understand the difference between the first choice ("wireless networks"?) and the third choice ("assisted GPS"). I understand that the phone may use wifi or mobile network to detect my position (instead of or in addition to GPS satelites), but I don't know which of the two options to choose for this.
Also: When I enable "wireless networks", what does the warning that pops up mean? It mentions that data will be collected even when no software (GPS/map) is running. What is that? And what is the difference between enabling this and the fourth option ("share with google")?
Finally:
Does your GPS immediately start working when you enable it? Myself, I need to enable/disable GPS using the desktop widget and the various GPS settings several times before it managess to find my location. (My position is not the problem - once detected/connected, it works fine.) I still don't understand which combination of settings it is that finally makes the GPS work as expected.

As I understand the first option "Wireless Neworks" will rely entirely on data from Cell Towers e.t.c to determine your position. I guess this will be less accurate.
"Assisted GPS" enables your device to get a faster lock on your location by collecting available data from cell towers first before using the GPS receiver.
I think if you were only to activate the GPS in some circumstances it would take a lot longer to get a fix.
"Share with Google" just allows the gears addon within the browser to share your position with google allowing them to return results based on your location.
That's my take on those options.

"Wireless Neworks" - is using cell towers and wifi to locate you.
Probably they have (or use a 3rd party DB) for that. Anyway, is not (very) accurate.
"Assisted GPS" - i'm not 100% sure but i think is connecting to a location server to get the location of the GPS satellite so, will lock faster (at least this is what my Nokia 5800xm is doing).
The warning message you get is because google will (most likely) use your location (cell towers and wifi spots) to create and update their own database so, phones without GPS will still be able to use google maps.
Well, they probably do something more with that data but who knows what

I just wanna add that using any type of assistance for the gps chip in this phone is (in my personal oppinion) unnecessary. I am sitting inside my house, in my bed(with a window behind me) an in 10sec i get fixed on 10 satellites. Not much that can beat that ;-)
in addition, i am in the bottom floor in a 2floor house so it is alot of roof and cealing between me and the sky.
Sent from my X10i using the XDA mobile application powered by Tapatalk

Thanks for your replies. Much appreciated.
Just curious - which app do you use to monitor GPS satelites?
Also, does everyone's GPS find your location rather quickly after enabling GPS? I usually get the message "Your current position is temporarily unavailable", I retry, same result, I retry, same result ... Only after I disable/enable GPS several times, my position can be found.

My GPS usually finds my position rather quickly first time I switch on GPS. I have aGPS (Assisted GPS) enabled too, this way your phone gets help on locating the sattelites position from your mobile provider, hence locking onto GPS signal faster (is to my understanding).
Plus, if you're standing in an area with tall buildings, your position will be less accuratelly pin-pointed, bouncing GPS signal and all.

I'm using GPS test by chartcross ltd. Avalible in the free android market, and i really like it!
Sent from my X10i using the XDA mobile application powered by Tapatalk

I never turned on A-GPS on this phone. There is no need for A-GPS.
This phone have fastest GPS fix of all phones.

I have noticed when I am running on 3G (H) I get the "location temporarily unavailable" notice, but if I force it to not go to 3G it will be E and I get my location. This holds true if I have setting for using GPS or not.
This seems to be a problem with Google Maps using the data transfer method of 3G (H) versus E.

Turn off cellular, leave on GPS?

I go out on BLM land with my brother in law sometimes and I was thinking of using my phone as a GPS device with Google Maps/Earth.
The only real problem with this is that most of these areas have no/intermittent phone service. If I leave my phone on it will search for service constantly and burns through the battery very quickly.
Is there any way to turn the cell service off but leave the GPS functionality on, which should still allow me to use maps, etc?

with google maps you will need an internet connection(also requires cell connection)

mdram-omnia said:
with google maps you will need an internet connection(also requires cell connection)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Wow, my 3 cups off coffee must not have been enough for me this morning lol. That was a pretty dumb question haha.
A quick google search leads me to believe that you can get offline maps on your phone that use GPS data.
So I think my question still remains if you can turn the cell service off and still have GPS?

astraelraen said:
Wow, my 3 cups off coffee must not have been enough for me this morning lol. That was a pretty dumb question haha.
A quick google search leads me to believe that you can get offline maps on your phone that use GPS data.
So I think my question still remains if you can turn the cell service off and still have GPS?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
my assumption is yes, it works on other phone this way
but also remember all that time with the screen on eats up the battery on most phones

http://cgi.ebay.com/Garmin-eTrex-GP...0474646749?pt=GPS_Devices&hash=item43a1a35cdd

astraelraen said:
I go out on BLM land with my brother in law sometimes and I was thinking of using my phone as a GPS device with Google Maps/Earth.
The only real problem with this is that most of these areas have no/intermittent phone service. If I leave my phone on it will search for service constantly and burns through the battery very quickly.
Is there any way to turn the cell service off but leave the GPS functionality on, which should still allow me to use maps, etc?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's a very good question. Nobody outside Verizon really knows for sure what the Fascinate's location and settings do. The three labels under Settings -> Location & Security seem to have been made up by marketing dweebs, and not defined and do not correspond to the settings on other Galaxy S phones.
Further, on other Galaxy S phones, controlling the detailed settings of the GPS/aGPS is not done from that main Settings menu at all, but from the menu of a hidden app that can usually be invoked by a dialer code. But no one I know of has ever discovered such an app on the Fascinate. On most other Galaxy S variants, the hidden app that controls aGPS settings is called LbsTestMode. The new Sprint Epic has a different but similar app called GpsSetup. Because these system apps are hidden, they do not show up on the usual tools listing end-user apps. But their .apk files would show up to a rooted user or in a system dump.
Most older Galaxy S phones default to Standalone mode. The Epic defaults to MS Based mode. The Fascinate default is really unknown.
It may be possible to access the hidden GPS menu, if any, without the secret dialer code. If anyone has a rooted phone, they can look to discover if there is an .apk file named LbsTestMode.apk (the name for the app on most Galaxy S models) or GpsSetup.apk (the name for the new app on the Sprint Epic.)
If either of those hidden system app files is present, it can probably be run by setting up a direct shortcut using a third-party launcher utility such as LauncherPro or ADW. If there is no such app, that would also be worth knowing.
It is not necessary to have a rooted phone to run the hidden app.
FWIW, I have tested the Sprint Epic's GPS in Standalone mode in West Texas, far from any network coverage. It captured the tracks quite well for subsequet display in other software, demonstrating that the underlying GPS works well. I did not have any apps loaded with locally cached maps, so I could not see maps in real time.
You should be able to disable the other radios on the phone to conserve battery, but the GPS radio itself is power-hungry if run all the time.

"Use wireless networks" = "Location Consent"...

... and if you decline the location consent (allowing Google's network to collect location info anonymously, blah blah blah) -- the phone kicks you back into the menu, WITHOUT allowing you to turn "Use wireless networks" on. Is this standard across Android phones now?? I know Google has their meathooks in me eight ways to Sunday already, but it kind of stinks I can't use wireless networks without accepting that business. (Or is it standard for Goog to collect that stuff if you use Google Maps on, say, a BlackBerry -- and only Android phones give you the notice, and option of declining?)
(I actually first noticed this over the weekend, when I turned U.W.N. off and then back on -- didn't remember it from when I first set up the phone -- though I haven't gotten any updates yet, so I guess it can't be a "new" feature...?)

I think you are thinking too far into it. How else would Google be able to return to you location specific results if you didn't share with it your location? You can assume that they may be using the information for other purposes such as research, but really.. does it matter that they know you are in your house searching for a pizza place? Or that you are driving to work?

I suppose that's true... it is necessary for location-specific results.
By the way, was it determined that "U.W.N." should be UNchecked when GPS is also activated, for best GPS performance (at least until the GPS fix that comes with the OTA update)? Thanks.

I have it enabled and I am gettin great results. I'm on JI6. I also enabled MS based assistance too.

Wrong Location In Apps

Lately my phone has been showing my google results in the wrong location. For example if I search for California Pizza Kitchen instead of showing the closest ones to my location (San Fernando Valley/Los Angeles) it shows me in Moreno Valley. This is true for everything that requires location including Google Maps EXCEPT when I use the turn by turn navigation the location corrects itself in Google maps but not anywhere else. This has become extremely annoying when searching for local businesses. I know this probably isn't specific to the S5 but need some help to rectify this. Thanks in advance.

Anybody?

I know this is going to sound far fetched but do you have WeatherBug installed on your device?

c4manceph said:
I know this is going to sound far fetched but do you have WeatherBug installed on your device?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Nope

WeatherBug was causing this issue for me and a simple uninstall /reinstall resolved the issue.
Perhaps you have a similar issue with one of your apps causing the issue.
I'd check apps that use your location as a possible culprit.

armeN0317 said:
Lately my phone has been showing my google results in the wrong location. For example if I search for California Pizza Kitchen instead of showing the closest ones to my location (San Fernando Valley/Los Angeles) it shows me in Moreno Valley. This is true for everything that requires location including Google Maps EXCEPT when I use the turn by turn navigation the location corrects itself in Google maps but not anywhere else. This has become extremely annoying when searching for local businesses. I know this probably isn't specific to the S5 but need some help to rectify this. Thanks in advance.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Are you stock or root? Is it with the GPS on or network? Are you the google location settings on always? I had map issues on the s4, we wound up on a back road that was about 20 miles away from where we were supposed to..but I've not had issues on the s5. I'm stock, use enable gps and google location when using. Have you tried clearing the cache & data from the Gmaps app?

alright so it's also happening to my wife's note 3 on verizon and she is totally stock nothing fancy at all. Could this be a carrier issue with towers or something?

armeN0317 said:
alright so it's also happening to my wife's note 3 on verizon and she is totally stock nothing fancy at all. Could this be a carrier issue with towers or something?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Like with what sainthooligan said, we need to know if you're using GPS or network to try and figure out what is happening. I personally havent had any problems with location. I use an app from the playstore called gpstest to keep my gps in check. You can clear and update the AGPS from the settings on that app.

warpedmind0u812 said:
Like with what sainthooligan said, we need to know if you're using GPS or network to try and figure out what is happening. I personally havent had any problems with location. I use an app from the playstore called gpstest to keep my gps in check. You can clear and update the AGPS from the settings on that app.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
its in High Accuracy mode. I don't think its a location setting since she has a completely different phone and it's happening to her too.

armeN0317 said:
its in High Accuracy mode. I don't think its a location setting since she has a completely different phone and it's happening to her too.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Try ticking GPS only mode and see if there is a change. If there is a noticeable change then it my be a network issue.

warpedmind0u812 said:
Try ticking GPS only mode and see if there is a change. If there is a noticeable change then it my be a network issue.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Switched it to GPS only maps works fine but google search results still show riverside/moreno valley area. Also cleared cache and data on chrome and google search app.

armeN0317 said:
Switched it to GPS only maps works fine but google search results still show riverside/moreno valley area. Also cleared cache and data on chrome and google search app.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
For "google search results" do you mean where the location is displayed from in the the browser? This is relative to the ip address of your internet connection through your ISP or carrier (see attached screen shot).
if that isn't relevant to what you noted, have you checked your location settings under Settings > Location > My places to see if you have something in there that shouldn't be for home,work or car?

So I had some more time today to troubleshoot this issue more in depth and boy you will never guess what I found. So all my chrome settings all my locations settings are correct all that stuff is good. And guys keep in mind this is happening to 3 separate devices with separate owners and gmail accounts on the same verizon plan. Turns out the Verizon Provided Samsung Range Extender was the culprit. Soon as I unplugged the range extender the correct location for searches and everything else was there. Now after power cycling the Range Extender it refused to find a GPS location. My range extender is located on a window pane and the gps united is extended to the top of the window about 8-9ft from the ground (basically as good a placement as possible). I contacted verizon and after long conversations with different reps they finally agreed the range extender is the issue. I am waiting on their technical department to give the ok for them to replace my range extender (they still seem to think its possible they may have an issue or outage with range extenders in my area and want to eliminate that from the equation before proceeding). Man I really would hate to wonder how this would have been diagnosed with someone not as technically inclined as myself and without the outlet of this forum for advise. So basically waiting on big red to OK a replacement for me and go from there. I'll update this post soon as I get to that step.

Issues with Llama after Advanced Calling update

I'm a big fan of using Llama to automate my phone based on where I am. It does this by using cell phone towers so it can determine your location without using GPS, but accurate enough for the purpose of know if you're at home or work. However, since the update, it seems like Llama can no longer determine what cell towers it is connected to. If I define a new area, and tell it to start training, it still doesn't register any cell towers. Does anyone else use Llama and have any similar experience?

I use Tasker and had a similar issue. I had to enable a setting called "Use New Cell API." Anything like that in Llama?

Not that I can see. I sent an email to the developer, hopefully I will hear back.

No response from the dev yet, anyone have any other thoughts?

dyrnych said:
I use Tasker and had a similar issue. I had to enable a setting called "Use New Cell API." Anything like that in Llama?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
BlueWRXPride said:
No response from the dev yet, anyone have any other thoughts?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have wrote several times to Llama developer about reports and bugs and he never wrote back, so I guess he is not working anymore on the project or he just doesn't care. We have 2 options from this point of view, stick with Llama or pay Tasker.

I had sent a message to the dev and hadn't received a reply either. From what I can tell, the recent OTA disables the 1x antenna, which is what Llama uses to detect nearby towers. If you turn off Advanced Calling, your phone immediately detects 1x signal, and Llama starts detecting towers again. This issue appears to be tied to an "unknown network" issue a lot of people have been experiencing after the OTA (Settings>About Phone>Status>Network (listed as unknown). A post on Motorola's forum mentioned Moto was aware of the issue and would fixed next update. Hopefully Lollipop will give us the best of both worlds: Advanced calling and a Llama that works.

Galaxo60 said:
I have wrote several times to Llama developer about reports and bugs and he never wrote back, so I guess he is not working anymore on the project or he just doesn't care. We have 2 options from this point of view, stick with Llama or pay Tasker.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Write a scathing review. Developers see those and can reply to them.

adrynalyne said:
Write a scathing review. Developers see those and can reply to them.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I was tired of trying to contact him, I have write to many app developers to the mails directly from the Play Store, and they always answer; from my point of view, Llama is now dead.

I noticed that Llama stopped working for me too after the update. I have not enabled Advanced Calling and my phone is definitely detecting local 1x Antennas as I can see under Settings > About Phone > Status > Network type and strength. However, Llama can not seem to detect any towers at all any more. Bummer.
I am a power Tasker user, but preferred Llama for location based stuff. I wouldn't be too hard on the dev though. Llama is completely free - it's more of a hobby for him than anything else. He makes no money and is not a company - just a guy with a knack for Android. So I'm sure he's got other things higher on his priority list than dealing with one specific phone's issue...

I agree, I don't hold it against the Llama developer since it is free. In tasker, does it do location based tasks the same as llama? By using cell towers rather than GPS? I'd like to know before purchasing it. Why do you use llama instead of tasker for location based things?

BlueWRXPride said:
I'm a big fan of using Llama to automate my phone based on where I am. It does this by using cell phone towers so it can determine your location without using GPS, but accurate enough for the purpose of know if you're at home or work. However, since the update, it seems like Llama can no longer determine what cell towers it is connected to. If I define a new area, and tell it to start training, it still doesn't register any cell towers. Does anyone else use Llama and have any similar experience?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's simple.. Llama has nothing to do with it.. Verizon screwed everyone up after the update... Here's what the problem is..
With location settings, you have either one of 3 options,
- High Accuracy: Uses WiFi, Cell Tower and GPS to determine your location.
- Power Saving: Uses WiFi, and Cell Tower to determine Your location.
- Phone sensor only: Uses GPS only to determine your location.
Well, most of us use either the high accuracy or the power saving option for location services simply because we can't rely on GPS alone especially indoors where satellite coverage will always be weak or unavailable..
So what happened after the new update?
WiFi no longer contributes to improving the location accuracy. Only Cell tower now is doing this job...
How does that affect us?
WiFi provides accuracy up to a few meters (usual home and office WiFi AP coverage range.) After the update, the WiFi contribution to location accuracy stopped and now we're stuck with only Cell Tower and GPS.
So if you're indoors, GPS will not be available and phone will only use Cell Tower to provide location information to all apps requesting the location. Accuracy in this case will be up to kilometers (usual cell tower coverage range) and apps like Llama which need more accurate information to perform cetain tasks, will not be triggered to peform these tasks at all.
Workaround until the problem is fixed: Change all location triggers in Llama to rely on wifi connection to certain access points rather than location (e.g. instead of work location as a trigger you can use your work WiFi as a trigger.) But this will mean that you have to always connect to those wifi networks..
I hope verizon fixes the problem soon and we have our location accuracy fixed.
I hope this helps.

Manar Aleryani said:
So if you're indoors, GPS will not be available and only Cell Tower will provide location information to all apps requesting the location. Accurace will be up to kilometers (cell tower coverage range) and apps like Llama which need more accurate information to perform cetain tasks, will not trigger these tasks at all.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm not sure if that is the case. In Llama, you train it what cell towers can be seen in a given location. I have an action set up in Llama to turn off wifi when I leave my house, and turn it on when I get home. So once I hook up to a cell tower it knows I can see from home, wifi comes on. So that location capability is only using the cell towers, and not wifi. And yet, that doesn't work. If I try to train llama for a new location, it doesn't even see any cell towers.

BlueWRXPride said:
I'm not sure if that is the case. In Llama, you train it what cell towers can be seen in a given location. I have an action set up in Llama to turn off wifi when I leave my house, and turn it on when I get home. So once I hook up to a cell tower it knows I can see from home, wifi comes on. So that location capability is only using the cell towers, and not wifi. And yet, that doesn't work. If I try to train llama for a new location, it doesn't even see any cell towers.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I beg to differ.. in android 4.3 and above, apps can use WiFi location even if wifi is completely off. You'll find in the advanced WiFi settings this option.
I'm sure that Llama still uses your wifi location to improve location accuracy regardless.
And, for the sake of testing you location accuracy changes, you can open your google maps while you are on "power saving" location settings and check the accuracy (the blue circle around your location). Compare that with an unupdated phone or another phone and you'll see the difference.
I have had the chance to go to other countries after the update (roaming was used with network other than verizon and problem persists.)
So i still believe it's a location accuracy issue and not a cell-tower-not-recognized issue.

I have using Llama for awhile now and I think I may have the same problem.....
I am not sure how or why, but now Llama does not detect cell towers at all. So far, in two hours, it only detected 1 cell signal. It used to poll every few minutes. Now, it does not. I tried to decrease the polling time but nothing has changed.
I am quite confused.

Have same here, it do not poll fo cells anymore.
For problems above, you can determine location on llama on wifi too in experimental features (wifi Network or MAC adresses of AP) before i updated to 5.1 i had location fixed with small areas and big areas, big areas localized with cells and small by wifi, i moved my all tasks conditions and areas to new Phone, and it is working, but not perfect like it use d to be, Works fine, doing What it should...

i need the tower location to turn on my wifi.....