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Lolu chungechunge lwabekwa kunqolobane. Uyacelwa ubuze umbuzo omusha uma udinga usizo.

Can't turn off 'Location'. Google Maps still opens to my exact location.

ThinkingMonkey
ThinkingMonkey
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Hi all,

I have read through forum after forum on both Google and Mozilla and have tried many steps such as turning off 'geo-enabled' in about:config, etc.

Every single thing in Google settings is set on 'Pause', which I guess is as turned off as you can turn them off but when I go to the Google Maps site, it always zooms in on my real, exact location.

I've tried navigating to a different city and then completely close the Firefox browser, but then when I go to Google Maps again, it zooms back to my real location. How in the heck does Google Maps know this if the Firefox browser isn't providing it?

When the page opens, here's what it says in the address bar: https://www.google.com/maps/@33.xxxxxxx,-86.xxxxxxx,12z

with the x's being the rest of my exact lat/long location. Like I said, where is that latitude/longitude information coming from if not the browser?

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

As always, Hugh


.

Hi all, I have read through forum after forum on both Google and Mozilla and have tried many steps such as turning off 'geo-enabled' in about:config, etc. Every single thing in Google settings is set on 'Pause', which I guess is as turned off as you can turn them off but when I go to the Google Maps site, it always zooms in on my real, exact location. I've tried navigating to a different city and then completely close the Firefox browser, but then when I go to Google Maps again, it zooms back to my real location. How in the heck does Google Maps know this if the Firefox browser isn't providing it? When the page opens, here's what it says in the address bar: https://www.google.com/maps/@33.xxxxxxx,-86.xxxxxxx,12z with the x's being the rest of my exact lat/long location. Like I said, where is that latitude/longitude information coming from if not the browser? Any help would be greatly appreciated. As always, Hugh .

Isisombululo esikhethiwe

If Geolocation isn't used then websites can do a reverse DNS look up of your IP address and that is usually not very accurate.

Firefox will always ask for permission before using Geolocation.

You can use websites like these to see how your location is reported via a reverse DNS look up of your IP:

Funda le mpendulo ngokuhambisana nalesi sihloko 👍 2

All Replies (2)

cor-el
cor-el
  • Top 10 Contributor
  • Moderator
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Isisombululo Esikhethiwe

If Geolocation isn't used then websites can do a reverse DNS look up of your IP address and that is usually not very accurate.

Firefox will always ask for permission before using Geolocation.

You can use websites like these to see how your location is reported via a reverse DNS look up of your IP:

ThinkingMonkey
ThinkingMonkey Umnikazi wombuzo
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Hi cor-el,

Thank you for the prompt response.

Looking at any particular pages Firefox Geolocation under Tools > Page Info > Permissions it says 'Always Ask' for every site. Of course I checked Google Maps specifically.

Now, yougetsignal.com says 'Unable to find network' or something similar.

However, whatismyipaddress.com showed the exact latitude/longitude of my location as I mentioned Firefox showing in the address bar when I was on Google Maps site!

The location it's showing is less than 100 meters of my actual location so obviously their reverse DNS method is very accurate.

I used to use Hotspot Shield Elite VPN but got tired of it's constant slowness and quit using it.

Looks like a VPN is going to have to be my friend again.

EDIT: Yep, just re-installed Hotspot Shield Elite VPN and all is good! Went to several sites where I know your IP address is used in one way or the other and all think I'm in Sacramento, California, a nice, safe 2,000 miles from me. .